DAM Participating in Community Foundation Challenge-Arts&Culture

August 18, 2009 - August 18, 2009

DAM has been selected to participate in an exciting online giving program.  The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is providing up to $1 million of general operating support to match gifts designated to support participating arts and cultural organizations made online to the Community Foundation. A match of $1 will be provided for every $2 contributed.  75 area arts and culture organizations are participating.

The ONLINE challenge program will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2009, and will end as soon as the $1 million dollars of match is exhausted , or no later than September 18, 2009, whichever is first.

THIS MATCH FUND WILL DISAPPEAR VERY QUICKLY - PLAN NOW TO MAKE YOUR ONLINE CONTRIBUTION AT 10am ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 18TH!

Recognizing the importance of arts and cultural institutions to enhance the quality of life throughout the region, and in light of the current economic climate, the Community Foundation has embarked on an innovative stimulus program to bolster badly needed operational funds. In partnership with the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan, the Community Foundation is launching a program called the Community Foundation Challenge – Arts & Culture. Through this program, the Community Foundation is offering $1 million of matching funds for general operating gifts that are made online.

How the “Community Foundation Challenge - Arts & Culture” Works

Eligible Gifts for Match

* All gifts must be made through the Community Foundation Challenge secure Web site. No gifts will be accepted by mail, wire transfer or telephone transaction.

* Donors will make their contribution to the Community Foundation and will recommend their gift be used to support one or more participating organizations using a drop-down menu on the Web site.

*    Only completed gifts will be accepted – no pledges.

*    Gifts can be made by credit card, e-check or via a Community Foundation donor advised fund grant recommendation.

* Gifts eligible for a match must be a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $10,000 for each organization identified. Donors may recommend support to one organization or as many organizations as they choose. There is no aggregate, per-donor match limit. This means that a donor could make a gift (or recommend a grant) of up to $10,000 to every participating organization in the program.

* Community Foundation donor advisors may also use the Community Foundation Challenge Web site to recommend grants to participating agencies from their Community Foundation donor advised funds. Participating organizations will receive matching funds for those donor advised grants.

* To qualify for the match, donor advised fund grants must range between $250 (CFSEM’s minimum donor advised fund grant size) and $10,000 per donor, per organization.

*    The maximum Community Foundation match that an individual participating organization may receive is $200,000.

* Gifts are made to the Community Foundation. When the Community Foundation Challenge is completed, the Community Foundation will make a grant to each participating organization equal to its recommended contributions and a 50 percent match - $1 match for every $2 in eligible contributions.

* No contributions collected will remain at the Community Foundation as a result of this program. 100 percent of all contributions received will benefit the participating organizations.  For more program details, please visit the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan .