Program Overview
The Cook Family Foundation works with nonprofit organizations in Shiawassee County to help them realize their missions, build their capacity to make change in the community, and work with others to improve the quality of life for Shiawassee County residents. We do this in three ways:
- We provide professional assistance directly to nonprofit organizations through the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program.
- We make strategic grants to nonprofit organizations that will best help them carry out their missions and have community impact. Learn more about our grant criteria and download an application here: (Grants Page)
- We support collaboration among nonprofit organizations and with community partners to address the most pressing needs in Shiawassee County. Read our thoughts and learn more here: (Collaborative Efforts Page)
Our Teammate: The Nonprofit Network
The Nonprofit Capacity Building Program relies on the expertise of the Nonprofit Network, a Michigan-based management and governance support organization. The Nonprofit Network provides organizational assessments, board education programs, executive director coaching, technical assistance, and both on-line and in-person access to the education and training to implement best management practices.
We work with other professionals, especially in the technology area, and encourage our nonprofit partners to contact us for help in finding the expertise they need to implement their mission.
Assessments and Action Plans
In 2022, the Foundation expanded its NonProfit Capacity Building program to ensure its investments were directed at making a true impact in the community. The needs in Shiawassee County are significant and ever-changing; more is being asked of our community institutions. Our nonprofit partners now work closely with consultants at Nonprofit Network to do a comprehensive assessment of the life cycle, strengths, and opportunities unique to each organization. The end product of this assessment is an action plan that best reflects the goals of an organization to meet its mission. Nonprofit partners work in conjunction with other similarly situated nonprofits to learn together, support one another, and collaborate when possible. An organization’s action plan not only guides professional development, it helps donors and funders like the Cook Family Foundation know how best to invest in the growth and success of the organization.
For more information, contact Rachel Osmer at (989)725-1621 or Rachel@cookfamilyfoundation.org. You can also follow us on Twitter @ShiaNPCB