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Community Foundation for Oceana County Executive Director Tammy Carey, AmeriCorps VISTA member Danielle Siegel, Oceana CAN Coordinator Alyssa Merten and AmeriCorps VISTA member Heather Douglas stand in the new Oceana Community Foundation office in Pentwater on the second floor of the Shelby State Bank branch.
Community foundation moves into Pentwater office.
#CommunityFoundationforOceanaCounty
PENTWATER — Following several years of significant growth, the Community Foundation for Oceana County recently relocated to a larger space within Shelby State Bank’s Pentwater Branch.
Prior to the move, the organization was located within the bank’s Shelby branch. The new space will accommodate additional staff to bolster the work of the organization and allow the foundation to maintain positive momentum.
“We are extremely thankful to Shelby State Bank for their continued partnership. We feel fortunate to be gifted the space we need to accommodate the growing needs of our organization. The efficiencies gained by bringing staff together and adding another AmeriCorps VISTA member are so vital,” said Tammy Carey, executive director of the community foundation. “I also can’t say enough about the warm welcome we’ve received from another community in our service area. We feel fortunate to set roots here for the time being and truly appreciate the excitement and warm welcome.”
The mission of the Community Foundation for Oceana County is to enhance the lives of Oceana County residents by leading, promoting and channeling philanthropy that connects resources with community needs. The organization currently manages 154 funds with combined assets totaling nearly $11.5 million.
Last year, was a banner year for the foundation. In 2018, a record-breaking 20 new funds were established by Oceana County donors, contributing greatly to the total $1.3 million raised by the organization. The foundation awarded $827,427 in grants and scholarships to benefit people, nonprofit organizations and initiatives in Oceana County. This is the second highest granted amount in the organization’s history.
“Using the assets we have today to support programs and build collaborations to address our community’s most pressing needs is significant and meaningful work. It’s also very humbling to think we are building a permanent endowment that will continue to provide for Oceana County well beyond our time,” said Foundation Board Chair Randy Wagner.
The foundation’s three-year strategic plan adopted by the board in 2017 triggered the need for additional space. The plan calls for the continued growth of the organization, and that growth comes in the form of building relationships with donors and businesses, and through activating key initiatives that impact community needs. Current impact initiatives include the Oceana College Access Network, Read Early Read Often, Oceana Employer Resources Network, and the Rural Economic Development Initiative.
“We’re uniquely positioned to develop and lead collaborations that lift up people in all communities across our county,” added Carey. “Our board recognized that to continue this work, we would need to increase our capacity. Our move to a larger space is a next step in what will be a long and exciting journey for our community foundation,” Carey said.
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