Learn How to Make a Gift and Maximize Its Impact

Michigan is fortunate to have a wide variety of nonprofit organizations working on missions that matter. Our nonprofits represent the best of our state and demonstrate that Michiganders are caring, generous people committed to helping each other thrive. Michigan nonprofits support people of every identity including gender, race, age, ability, and socioeconomic status. They focus on crucial issues like climate change, health care access, policy reform, animal welfare, food scarcity, and environmental needs. Our nonprofits help bring people together, improve community wellbeing, and boost economic development. Nonprofits are crucial to our success as a state.

What exactly is a nonprofit?

There are many types of nonprofits according to the tax code laid out by Congress. One of the more common types is the 501(c)3 which includes public charities and private foundations. The Michigan Municipal League Foundation (MML Foundation) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This designation means that we cannot pay out profits, which makes us not for profit.

Do nonprofit donations really matter?

 

Yes, they sure do! The Michigan Municipal League Foundation, like many other Michigan nonprofits, uses donations to support our programs and our general fund. The MML Foundation manages a variety of programs including:

• MI Water Navigator: MI Water Navigator is a free resource available for municipalities and utility companies to navigate and apply for state and federal infrastructure funding. The program offers a helpdesk with technical assistance on funding opportunities, a website full of grant and funding opportunities, webinars, partnerships, and more. It has served over seventy-five communities so far and will serve many more as the program expands!
• Bridge Builders Microgrants: The Bridge Builders Microgrants program offers small, one-time grants to people or organizations within Michigan. Projects are intentionally collaborative, bringing together neighbors, artists, business owners, elected officials, and more. These grants support the little things—dynamic, creative, collaborative activities that bring people out of their homes and into their communities. The program has issued thirty eight microgrants in three years and will be launching its fourth year of grantmaking in 2023!
• The 16/50 Project: The 16/50 Project seeks to remove barriers and provide training to increase the number of women in leadership roles in local government. The project gives Michigan women training in several areas of municipal management, including municipal budgeting and finance, economic development, and council-manager relations. They dive in on key topics instructed by municipal experts, build their executive leadership expertise, and gain insight on the application of their new skills from current municipal managers.

Our donors generously support these programs and other initiatives making it possible for the MML Foundation to reach Michigan communities across the state.

What is a general fund?

Nonprofit organizations often have different “buckets” for certain funding areas. A nonprofit organization might have a funding “bucket” for each program they run, for services they offer, and more. Nonprofits also have general funds—nonspecific and not restricted funding that can be used generally to support the needs of the nonprofit and the audience it serves.

So, what’s the right way to donate?

There are a lot of options now when it comes to making a gift to a nonprofit organization! Donors can make a one-time gift or a recurring gift. Online or by check. Restricted or unrestricted. And lots more!

 

One-time and recurring donations refer to donation timing. One-time donations are a wonderful way to support a fundraising campaign and help a nonprofit organization meet their fundraising goal. These sorts of campaigns are especially common at the end of the year. Recurring donations, which usually include automatically charging a card a certain amount each month, are a great way to provide yearlong support with minimal fuss for the donor.

Restricted and unrestricted donations refer to how the donation is earmarked for use.

Check or online donations refer to the method of payment. Donating by check removes any ACH processing fees but requires a little bit of patience as the check makes it way to the nonprofit and is processed. Online donations are fast and easy, and the donor will know right away that the donation was accepted…just make sure to add the ACH fee onto the donation or the nonprofit will have to pay it!

When it comes to donating, there’s really no wrong way to go. The only “right” way to give is to give what you can, when you can, to a Michigan mission that moves you and don’t forget that giving time and talent is just as generous a gift!

What happens after I donate?

At the MML Foundation, staff receive notifications for each donation. The donation is processed and categorized to ensure it is spent exactly how the donor intended. Donors will receive a thank you letter that includes a tax receipt. The MML Foundation typically sends these out via email to speed up the process for the donor and reduce our carbon footprint. Make sure to save those emails or letters for tax time; a folder in your email inbox is a good way to go!

Ready to try it out?

Head to our website to make a gift or check out this list of wonderful Michigan nonprofits!