| MEC
is running a capital campaign to increase long-term financial
strength and our capacity to defend Michigan's environment.
An endowment fund will generously support our water, land,
air and public health programs for years to come. We have
also established an action fund to provide critical and
immediate resource infusions when urgent environmental
challenges emerge. And we are investigating the possibility
of acquiring a new, energy-efficient headquarters for
our organization near the State Capitol. So far, we have
raised nearly $3 million in pledges and gifts for the
overall effort.
Our capital campaign recently received a major boost
when MEC was accepted into the Community Foundation
for Southeastern Michigan's "Increasing Regional
Philanthropy" program. It provides organizations
like MEC, which have established agency endowments with
the foundation, a match of $1 for every $2 given to
their endowment in new gifts of $1,000 or more. This
means, for example, that a gift of $1,000 to MEC's agency
endowment will be matched with $500 from the Community
Foundation, for a total $1,500.
"This
program is a win-win-win situation," said MEC President
Lana Pollack. "It is a win for MEC because it provides
a major boost to our efforts to build financial power;
a win for Southeastern Michigan because it will increase
the charitable resources available in the community;
and a win for MEC donors because it will give them a
bigger bang for their buck."
With a $500,000 cap on the total amount of matching
funds that a single organization can receive, MEC has
the potential to build a $1.5 million endowment under
this program. That endowment would be made up of $1
million in gifts and the maximum match award of $500,000
from the Community Foundation. Matching funds are available
on a first-come, first-matched basis until December
31, 2008 or until the matching pool is exhausted.
Gifts must be made payable to the "Community Foundation
for Southeastern Michigan" and designated to MEC's
endowment fund. Gifts of cash or marketable securities
qualify for the match. Irrevocable planned gifts will
be matched based on the deductible value of the gift.
If you are interested in making a gift to MEC's endowment
fund at the Community Foundation — or would like
to take advantage of other given options offered through
our capital campaign — contact MEC Development
Director Andy Draheim at (517) 487-9539 or andymec@voyager.net.
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