In partnership with NorthSky Nonprofit Network, Rotary Charities of Traverse City, the Frey Foundation, and other northern lower Community Foundations, the Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) invites local leaders to apply for the 2022 Leadership Learning Lab (LLL) program. The Foundation welcomes leaders at all levels from nonprofit organizations, businesses, government agencies, and Tribal Nations to apply. The application deadline is December 1, 2021

The results are in on the Hesperia Community Assessment conducted on August 18. The report out and planning meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 2nd at the Hesperia High School cafeteria at 6:30pm. Participants are asked to enter through the cafeteria doors.  The consultant has prepared a comprehensive report and will lead this follow-up resident session to identify top priorities, issues and next steps. Together, participants will brainstorm a starting point towards reaching their vision, and a roadmap of how to approach community investment.

With students and educators returning to face-to-face learning this fall, the Community Foundation is excited to announce its award of over $6,600 in Teacher Mini-Grants! This year’s Teacher Mini Grant (TMG) program awarded 29 grants to seven schools in Oceana County – nearly doubling the number of grants awarded in 2020.

During the pandemic, the need for outdoor spaces became pronounced as Oceana residents explored nature as a safe getaway. This great need also highlighted the variance in infrastructure across the County, with some areas lacking amenities or the staff capacity to advocate and apply for needed items. The Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) is proud to announce the results of its first-ever placemaking grant round to underserved local communities.

A local AmeriCorps position was recently filled to continue to confront Oceana’s education challenges and to overcome poverty barriers. The Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) renewed their partnership with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) for a 5th time to host an AmeriCorps VISTA member. AmeriCorps VISTA members serve communities through added human capacity in the community economic development work of small nonprofits.

Since its creation in 2016, as a leadership initiative of the Community Foundation for Oceana County, Oceana Read Early. Read Often. (RERO) has been working hard to make children’s books and early literacy resources accessible and equitable across the county. Providing books and educational activities to the families of young children can encourage later academic excellence, as access to literacy resources is associated with higher education attainment.  In the past five years, RERO has grown and flourished, providing over 36,000 books to Oceana kids!

The Community Foundation of Oceana County is thrilled to partner with the Village of Hesperia, the Right Place, and the Oceana County Economic Alliance to begin a community assessment on August 18 of Hesperia and its surrounding communities. The initiative is an exciting opportunity to support Hesperia’s economic development, while listening to area residents’ ideas and feedback. The Hesperia Area Community Assessment will provide local officials, organizations, and residents with a shared vision for the future. Together, they can brainstorm a starting point towards reaching their vision, and a roadmap of how to approach community investment.  

The Community Foundation for Oceana County is thrilled to announce that we recently received four grants, totally $35,000! Thank you to Fifth Third Bank, Michigan College Access Network, United Way of the Lakeshore-Oceana and Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF). As an organization that both receives and provides grants, the Community Foundation understands a grant’s impact on local projects and programs.

Congratulations to Oceana County’s most recent graduates! Despite facing uncertainty, they have worked hard to continue their education and have fearlessly adapted to change. In partnership with many donors, the Community Foundation for Oceana County is pleased to offer financial support for area student’s pursuit of higher education. The Foundation’s 2021 Scholarship Program has awarded 220 scholarships to local students, investing $239,650 into our community’s future! 157 students are receiving awards this year, up from 138 in 2020. 

The Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) is excited to announce an opening for an AmeriCorps VISTA member. In partnership with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), the Foundation will host a VISTA member, beginning August 16, 2021, to add organizational capacity.