Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan to Launch Online "Community Foundation Challenge — Arts and Culture"

Detroit, MI, July 18, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (www.cfsem.org), in partnership with the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan (www.culturalalliancesemi.org), is announcing an innovative program to help local arts and cultural organizations raise sorely needed operating funds.

On Aug. 18 at 10 a.m., the Community Foundation will launch its $1 million “Community Foundation Challenge — Arts and Culture,” an online giving challenge designed to stimulate giving to arts and cultural organizations in southeast Michigan.

“For 25 years, the Community Foundation has supported arts and cultural organizations in southeast Michigan as part of our mission to improve the lives of all who live and work in the region, “ said Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan President Mariam C. Noland. “Arts and culture organizations are essential to our quality of life. They touch our lives every day. They educate us, challenge us, show us who we are and who we can become. And right now, they urgently need our help.”

Gifts for the Community Foundation Challenge made online at www.cfsem.org to support participating Cultural Alliance members will be matched 50 percent by the Community Foundation. For every two dollars contributed online by donors to support these arts and cultural organizations, the Community Foundation will match it with one dollar. Gifts can be made by credit card or e-check and can range from $25 to $10,000 per contributor, per organization.

The goal of the program is to generate $3 million in much needed operating funds for participating arts and cultural organizations. Each participating Cultural Alliance member can generate up to maximum of $600,000 of operating funds ($400,000 in gifts and $200,000 in matching funds).

Time, however, is of the essence. The Community Foundation Challenge – Arts and Culture will begin accepting contributions at 10 a.m. on Aug. 18. It is expected that matching funds will be used quickly and the program will end once the $1 million matching fund is exhausted. For more information, visit www.cfsem.org.

“Arts and cultural organizations all over southeast Michigan are suffering major cash crises and reducing their programs.” Noland said. “This Challenge gives everyone an opportunity to lend a hand to help support these vital organizations and makes their contributions worth even more.”

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations committed to the future of southeast Michigan. The Foundation works to improve the region’s quality of life by connecting those who care with causes that matter. The Foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development and civic affairs. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $360 million through more than 33,000 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair and Livingston counties. For more information, please visit www.cfsem.org.

The Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan is a professional association of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations with 89 member organizations that span every artistic discipline and serves communities across the seven counties of southeast Michigan. The Cultural Alliance facilitates collaborations and initiatives that enhance the ability of arts and cultural organizations to achieve their missions and to be sustainable community assets. It also serves as the collective voice of and advocate for arts and cultural organizations, to ensure that they are recognized, fully utilized, and supported by the general public, political and community leaders. For more information, please visit www.culturalalliancesemi.org.

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