Contact: Laura Heintzelman
Executive Director
Manistee County Community Foundation
231-723-7269

For Immediate Release

“AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE!”
MANISTEE REPORT SUMMARIZES PROGRESS UNDER
KELLOGG FOUNDATION VISION IMPLEMENTATION GRANT

Manistee, Michigan –“Amazing what you can get done,” would be a fitting theme for a report from the Manistee County Community Foundation to the W. K. Kellogg Foundation about the results of a $300,000 grant from Kellogg to implement “Envision Manistee County,” a 16-month visioning effort completed in 2006 to develop visions and action steps for the County. It was the first such project of its kind for Manistee County. The report also describes continuing efforts underway to implement the community-driven visioning priorities and points out significant challenges for the County’s future. The report shows that over $1.1 million in grants have been secured that support Envision implementation, in addition to the Kellogg Foundation Grant.

“As the report states, it’s amazing what a community can accomplish when no one needs to take credit,” said Laura Heintzelman, Executive Director of the Manistee County Community Foundation. “This report covers many of the remarkable accomplishments that are being made by people and organizations throughout Manistee County to strengthen our communities and improve our quality of life. As the report notes, it is a credit to countless governments, nonprofits, businesses and people who are talking about the future, finding common ground and working together to make great things happen. We are indebted to the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for their grant that began the process to convert visions into action, implementation, and realities.”

The report summarizes progress made to achieve the priorities of Envision Manistee County in six areas:

* Economy and employment
* Youth and education
* Government and infrastructure
* Health and human services
* Arts and culture
* Natural Resources and recreation

The report details the results of two Envision Manistee County Implementation grant cycles that provided full or partial support for projects that were managed under a contract between the Foundation and the Manistee-based Alliance for Economic Success and included:

* Forming the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Manistee County
* Developing the County’s “2-1-1” System 
*  Completing the County Recreation Plan 
*  Creating a county-wide well and septic system ordinance that is now being considered for implementation in four counties by District 10 Health Department 
* Completing a strategic plan for Filer Township 
* Developing a state-approved Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan
* Developing a joint master plan between Onekama Township and the Village of Onekama
* Re-developing a blighted area in a Bear Lake village park
* Creating a veteran’s memorial and community park, framed around “Champion trees”
* Expanding the Onekama Guild Thrift Shop
* Completing a Michigan State University Small Town Design Initiative that created development and design concepts for all Manistee County communities
* Re-engineering the former Economic Development Office into the Alliance for Economic Success

The report also describes the impacts of “Envision Solutions Grants,” a joint grant-making initiative between United Way of Manistee County and the Community Foundation, including the Manistee County Youth Advisory Committee.

Heintzelman explained that all grants, including the re-granting of Kellogg Foundation funds by the Manistee County Community Foundation are formally approved by the organization’s Board of Directors that includes: Mike Acton, Ted Arens, Steve Brower, John Bueker, Charles Dillon, Tim Ervin, Laura Horvat, Rosalind Jaffe, By Lyon, Beth McCarthy, Burton Parks, Mike Thompson, Clara Vargo, and George Wagoner.

The report also identifies priorities for continued implementation of Envision Manistee County. They include:

* An updating of the Envision Manistee County priorities, with feedback to be supported through a county-wide branding initiative.
* A four-phase project of the Community Foundation to support needs philanthropy and endowment building in Manistee County.
* A county-wide branding initiative to support marketing and economic development of the County.
* A multi-county system to support entrepreneurs and start-up businesses.

The report to the Kellogg Foundation recognizes that “a world class community is within the grasp of Manistee County” but that “the most difficult work likely remains before us.” The report includes a request for continued dialogue between the Manistee community and the Kellogg Foundation about challenges facing Manistee County, including:

* Poverty and poverty reduction
* Sustainability of health and human services
* Development of collaborative master plans, land use plans and organizational partnerships
* Incentives for supporting world-class, sustainable educational resources to support children, families, communities and economic development.

Heintzelman said that the Community Foundation will redouble efforts to encourage philanthropy and charitable giving to develop endowed funds to support the County’s future, with an emphasis upon encouraging endowments that respond to recognized County needs and priorities. She said that significant endowments have been recently created to respond to important county needs, including:

* The donation of $100,000 to an endowment to support the day-to-day operations of the Foundation. * The creation of Manistee County Veteran’s Endowment Fund to respond to the unmet needs of the County’s military veterans and their families.
* The development of the Portage Lake Watershed Forever Endowment to support in perpetuity to protection and wise use and management of the irreplaceable Portage Lake Watershed.

A full copy of “Implementing Envision Manistee County: A Report to the W. K. Kellogg Foundation,” can be found at this link and it can also be found on the Foundation’s web site at www.manisteefoundation.org.

Founded in 1987, the Manistee County Community Foundation manages over 40 endowed funds that provide lasting benefits to Manistee County and has granted out more than $700,000 since its inception. For information about making a donation or applying for a grant contact Laura Heintzelman, executive director, at (231) 723-7269 or mccf@manisteefoundation.org.

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