Grant Partner Spotlight
As the Herrick Foundation prepares to sunset, we are deepening partnerships with select community foundations in Lenawee, Monroe, Jackson, and Emmet counties. These organizations bring trusted local leadership, a deep understanding of community needs, and the capacity to drive meaningful change. We value the Community Foundation of Monroe County (CFMC) for its strong governance, commitment to professional development, and vibrant culture of philanthropy that positions it to steward resources effectively and maximize community impact during and beyond our sunset.
CFMC was founded in 1978 with a $25 donation to address unmet local needs in Monroe County. Since then, their total endowed assets have grown to over $17 million across more than 100 funds. In 2024, CFMC started a new chapter with fresh, experienced and dynamic leadership from Valerie Orr, historical knowledge and operational expertise from Michele Sandiefer and fundraising and community engagement passion from Brittany Novak. In 2025, the team expanded, adding Maxine Tewsley, Affiliate Director of the Greater Milan Area Community Foundation and Melissa Fox, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation Strategic Engagement Fellow.
The expansion of this mighty, but small, team has increased their outreach and impact throughout all of Monroe County in positive and meaningful ways, including:
First annual Philanthropy Playoffs in 2025 raised over $178,000 for 11 teams of local nonprofits and community causes. The number of teams has doubled for the 2026 event.
Membership in GROW (Giving Represents Our Women) increased by 36% in 2026.
The Community Foundation video series reached over 26k views across CFMC’s social platforms.
Donors and community members have started 16 news funds since January 2026.
Expanded partnerships with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, La-Z-Boy Foundation, United Way of Monroe and Lenawee Counites, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe Family YMCA and many others.
As community member Michael Kiefer wrote after CFMC’s 2026 Rooted & Reimagined event, “...there was a palpable sense of continuing evolution from the foundation’s traditional role – collecting charitable dollars, stewarding them carefully, and distributing them to nonprofits doing good work – to an emerging role as a convener, a connecter, a civic anchor.”
From left: Valerie Orr, Michele Sandiefer, Maxine Tewsley, Brittany Novak, Melissa Fox
2025 Philanthropy Playoffs
The Herrick Foundation has supported CFMC since 1994, with an initial gift of $1,000 for “on-going operations.” More recently, our grantmaking has funded “on-going operations”, strategic planning implementation, professional development and challenge matches. We are pleased to partner with CFMC as they work towards their vision of a connected community where everyone thrives in Monroe County.