The Goodman Fund
George and Judith Goodman have a longstanding commitment to making sure that underrepresented people, including women, youth, and people of color, are supported and have more opportunities to engage in and serve their communities.
Public service and community engagement were hallmarks of both George’s and Judith’s careers. George Goodman served as mayor of Ypsilanti from 1972-1982 and was awarded the prestigious Public Service Achievement Award by Common Cause in 1987. Goodman has held numerous civic leadership roles including chair of the United Way of Michigan, board member of Starr Commonwealth and Youth for Understanding, and chair of the Washtenaw County Community College Foundation.
Mostly notably for the Michigan Municipal League, George served as its Executive Director for 22 years.
Judith Goodman is a former Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Services at the University of Michigan Business School. At the University of Michigan, Judith chaired the Academic Services Board and was its primary representative for the University of Michigan Business School. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Washtenaw Housing Alliance and the St. Joseph Mercy Health System.
In recognition of George D. Goodman’s 22 years of service as Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal League, the League established a scholarship fund in his honor in 2005.
We are excited to share that in 2026, the MML Foundation is deepening our partnership with Michigan Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (MBC-LEO) through The Goodman Fund.
We are growing the Goodman Fund to expand support for activities that bring Black leaders and champions of equity together to connect, learn, and strengthen their work within a supportive community
MBC-LEO provides a forum for its members to collaborate, network, share information, and provide support to one another in the State of Michigan. The Caucus works in cooperation with the Michigan Municipal League (MML). Membership of MBC-LEO is comprised of local elected officials and municipal staff members and associates in the state of Michigan.
We hope that you will join us in our work to grow the Goodman Fund. This important work needs support now more than ever.
Please consider making a contribution that is meaningful to you to the George and Judith Goodman Scholarship Fund as an investment in Michigan youth and leaders of color across the state.