OUR MISSION | OUR STAFF AND TRUSTEES | OUR COMMITTEES | FINANCIALS

ABOUT US: Our History

Making a real difference in our community

The Leelanau Township Community Foundation is one of the oldest foundations in Michigan. Established in 1945, it started with a gift of $35,000 from Frances H. Haserot in memory of his long-time friend and business associate, Gilman Marsten Dame.

This memorial has guided philanthropy in Leelanau Township for over 60 years. Because of Mr. Haserot’s foresighted establishment of an endowment fund and the subsequent donations of many individuals linked in diverse ways to our community that initial investment has grown. Today the foundation has over two million dollars in assets and has given away another two million dollars during its history. Mr. Haserot’s investment in our community has allowed the foundation to make a real difference in our community through annual grants that have benefited many local non-profit organizations and helped to educate many students through college or vocational scholarships.

Today the foundation’s general endowment fund provides more than $35,000 in grants to the community each year in ways that make a significant difference in the health and well being of the residents of Leelanau Township. We are dedicated to continuing this commitment and are working hard to increase our philanthropic efforts for the future.

Our Role in Building Our Community

The foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt community corporation created by and for people who love Leelanau Township. It’s guided by an executive director, youth leader and volunteer board of trustees. Volunteers make the difference in Leelanau Township so the LTCF also depends on community volunteers who serve on 13 committees that help the foundation accomplish its good works. We’re here to take a positive leadership role for sustainable change in our community and to help our donors do good work forever.

To do that we manage a collection of charitable funds created by our donors for projects that enhance the community for residents and visitors alike. Only a portion of the income from our funds is spent each year, assuring that the foundation will continue to grow and benefit our community forever.

A few of our beneficiaries include the young people of our community who received college scholarships, the Northport Community Arts Center, the Leelanau Children’s Center Northport, the Northport Promise, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum, the Leelanau Township Library and Saving Birds thru Habitat. The foundation helps our community be the best place in northern Michigan in which to live, work and play.

Our Mission

Putting community first

The mission of the Leelanau Township Community Foundation is to support vital civic initiatives until our community becomes all that we’ve envisioned it can be. We pledge to achieve our mission by:

Helping to meet the needs of the residents of Leelanau Township;
Building diverse permanent endowment funds from a wide range of donors;
Seeking local volunteers to help in community ventures via their involvement in proactively determining local needs then aiding in the development of programs of fulfillment;
Developing community understanding of the role of charitable giving within a local environment that can fulfill local community needs and;
Involving the youth by teaching them their role in making a positive difference in the community and empowering them in the process of grant making and leadership.

OUR Staff AND TRUSTEES

Guiding our organization

A board of trustees, made up of community members representing a diverse cross-section of
Leelanau Township residents, guide the foundation.

LTCF Staff

Joan Moore, Executive Director
Jenny Evans, Youth Council Advisor

LTCF Board of Trustees

Eugenie Scott von Holt, Board Chair
5th Generation Native of Leelanau Township
Co-Owner/Operator of von Holt Farms

Bill Collins, Trustee
Retired Automotive Engineer- GM, Delorean and Vixen
REACH Board Member- affordable housing non profit
Northport Village Planning Commission- Chair
Northport business owner

Colleen Cooper, PhD, Trustee
Organization consultant, facilitator and executive coach
Leelanau Children’s Center Board Member
Northport-Omena Chamber Economic Development Team

Dr. Larry Coppard
University of Michigan, retired
Faculty and staff positions included School of Natural Resources, School of Education, Department of Family Medicine, School of Social Work, and Institute of Gerontology
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, retired, Philanthropy consultant

Deborah Disch, Trustee
Cincinnati Bell, Retired
Northwestern Michigan College, Retired
4th Generation Leelanau County Cherry Orchard Owner/Operator
Leelanau Farmers Market Association Board, President
Omena Historical Society Planning Committee

Wendell Johnson, Trustee
Attorney and Shareholder – Smith & Johnson Attorneys, P.C.
Munson Healthcare - Corporate Member
Traverse City Rotary Club, Elks Club and Chamber of Commerce - Member

Dick Koenig, Trustee
DTE Energy, Retired
Northport Community Arts Center, VP of Development and Board Member
Northport Lions Club, Board Member
Leelanau Children's Center, Investment Committee Member

Ann Marie Mitchell, Board Vice Chair
Realtor – Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors
Northport-Omena Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

Ruth Steele Walker, Trustee
4th Generation Native of Leelanau Township
President, Due North Marketing Communications and Owner, Steele & Walker Vineyards
Northport-Omena Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

Ben Walraven, Trustee
Northport Village Planning Commission, Member
Worldwide Director of Sales, PanAmerican Seed Company, Retired

Dick Wilson, Trustee
Amax Coal Company, Sales and Marketing, Retired
Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors, associate broker
Suttons Bay/Leelanau Rotary, Past President
Inland Seas, Volunteer Instructor

Youth Advisory Council

Fiona Muller, President
Youth Advisory Council
Northport Public School, Class of 2014

Ashley Pino, Vice President
Youth Advisory Council
Northport Public School, Class of 2014

OUR COMMITTEES

Volunteers support our good works

We appreciate the support and dedication of these incredible volunteers who give of their time and experience as we strive to continue to make Leelanau Township a healthy, vibrant community in which to live, work and play.

Community Impact Committee

Identifies and defines ways the LTCF can be involved in community issues.
Basil Antenucci, Chair
William Collins
Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock
Richard Wilson
Joan Moore

Development Committee

Focuses on increasing the overall assets of the LTCF
Ann Marie Mitchell, Chair
Colleen Cooper
Deborah Disch
Richard Wilson
Joan Moore

Communications Committee

Focuses on direct relationships with our donors and potential donors. Oversees our Legacy
Society and all other long term donor development.
Colleen Cooper, Co-chair
Ruth Steele Walker, Co-chair
Ann Marie Mitchell
Richard Wilson
Joan Moore

Best for Kids Committee

Raises money for the Early Childhood Fund to benefit the Leelanau Children's Center-Northport
Henrietta Barnes, Chair
Carol Borzymowski
Ann Brow
Janet Crane
Patty and Hank DeYoung
Sharon Golm
Vera Harper
Barbara Jamison
Dave Johnson
Sherry Koenig
Kate McDonald
Kathryn May
Ann McInnis
Pauline Nielsen
Sue and Mickey O’Connor
Bette Puschel
Merilee Scripps
Mary and Ralph Skrocki
Maggie Sprattmoran
Helena Travis
Taffy Walker

Grants Review Committee

Reviews grant applications for the General Endowment Fund and other funds that don’t have an assigned committee. Makes recommendations to the full board of trustees for grant distributions from all LTCF funds.
Eugenie Scott von Holt, Chair
Richard Koenig, Vice Chair
William Collins
Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock

Executive Committee

Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock, Chair
Eugenie Scott von Holt, Vice Chair
Richard Koenig
Joan Moore

Investment Committee

Recommends investment policies and strategies to the Board of Trustees. It also recommends investment managers, advisors and other fiduciaries and monitors their performance.
Richard Koenig, Chair
George Anderson
Ken Ellis
Wendell Johnson
Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock
Joan Moore

Fund Review Committee

Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock, Chair
Wendell Johnson
Richard Koenig
Richard Wilson
Joan Moore

Future by Design

Supports efforts to create a sustainable coastal community.
Bill Collins
Colleen Cooper
Sally Coohon
Doug Drummond
Lisa Drummond
Victor Goldschmidt
Ann Marie Mitchell
Barb von Voigtlander

Nominating Committee

Evaluates trustee performance and recommends candidates for vacant board positions.
Basil Antenucci, Chair
Denise Branch
Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock
Jim Neve
Martha Roberts
Joan Moore

NCAC Endowment Committee

Recommends grant distributions from the NCAC Endowment Fund.
Henrietta Barnes
Lois Counterman
Paula LaClaire
Norma Neve

Scholarship Committee

Recommends grant distributions from scholarship funds.
Eugenie Scott von Holt, Chair
Marshall Collins
Janet Crane
Barb McCann
Meredith Schmidt
Dan Stowe
Jeff Tropf
Steve Wetherbee
Joan Moore

Financials

Leelanau Township Community Foundation financial information is available for your review by downloading our Annual Report. Complete audited financial statements are available upon request.
To receive a copy, please contact the foundation by emailing us at director@leelanaufoundation.org.

Accountability Statement

The Leelanau Township Community Foundation is fully accountable to the donors and citizens of this community. We invite you to contact us to obtain any information that may be useful to you. Our records, with certain exceptions are open for public inspection, including: Minutes of the Board of Trustees and Committees, Articles and Bylaws, IRS determination letters, Form 990’s (including all schedules and attachments), Form 990T, annual reports, audit statements, brochures, publications and news releases.

The operations of the Leelanau Township Community Foundation are governed by a volunteer board of trustees composed of community members. An independent audit is completed each year, currently by Kristine P. Berhow, CPA of Anderson, Tackman and Company PLC. In addition, the Leelanau Township Community Foundation willingly and successfully meets National Standards for Community Foundations and the Council of Michigan Foundations measure of Standards for Community Foundations.

Investment Committee

This committee recommends investment policies and strategies. It also recommends investment managers, advisors and other fiduciaries and monitors their performance.

Richard Koenig, Chair
George Anderson
Ken Ellis
Wendell Johnson
Joan Kalchik-Tenbrock
Joan Moore

Investment Manager

David Vaughan Investments, Inc.

Variance of Power

The Leelanau Township Community Foundation is devoted to building an endowment to meet the charitable needs of the community for this generation and for many generations to follow. As our society and circumstances change and the needs of the community evolve over time, the foundation will change and evolve. This unique quality of community foundations is referred to as the variance of power of the board. Under the variance of power, if authorized in either the fund agreement or by Michigan law, the board reserves the right to redirect distributions from a fund to another beneficiary or charitable purpose without a donor’s approval or the approval of a beneficiary organization if in the sole judgment of the board the original charitable purpose of the fund becomes, in effect, unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community.

Governance

A volunteer Board of Trustees composed of community members governs the operations of the Leelanau Township Community Foundation, including setting policy and making final decisions on all investments and grants. These committed individuals broadly represent the community and are selected for their integrity, competency and personal involvement in civic affairs. Trustees may serve for nine years (3 three-year terms.)

National Standards

We have been recognized as meeting the National Standards for Community Foundations.

This voluntary compliance program was implemented by the Council on Foundations in 2000. Donors to foundations that comply with the National Standards for Community Foundations can be assured that the foundation they’ve chosen is committed to transparency, financial responsibility, sound policies and accountable practices in their fundraising and in their philanthropic efforts. The goal of national standards is to assure that community foundations establish legal, ethical and effective operating practices that are in the public interest. To be recognized as meeting national standards criteria, foundations must address key areas of their operation including:

Mission, Structure and Governance
Resource Development
Stewardship and Accountability
Grantmaking and Community Leadership
Donor Relations
Communications

We’re proud to be recognized as meeting these important philanthropy standards to give you, our supporters, peace of mind that your contributions are going to an organization that operates according to the highest standards set for community foundations.