Community Foundation for Southeast
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation established in 1984 and headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. It operates as a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations. CFSEM ranks among the top 25 community foundations in the United States and functions as a strategic change agent committed to improving the quality of life across the region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.2B
+5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$105.1M
+12.7% YoY
Grant Count
938
-2.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$112K
+15.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To make southeast Michigan a desirable place to live, work and play for all residents, today and tomorrow.
CFSEM operates under a "Thriving Together" 2024-2034 strategic vision, positioning itself not merely as a "philanthropic bank" but as a "change agent" that makes strategic, thoughtful investments in organizations shaping long-term positive change.
The foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting:
- Education
- Arts and culture
- Health
- Human services
- Community development
- Civic affairs
- Economic development and entrepreneurship
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $5,000 - $1,000,000
How to Apply
** Applications are submitted through the foundation's grant portal at cfsem.org/apply. Applicants can access grant information and FAQs at info.cfsem.org/mycf-navigator/community-grants-program.
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation for Southeast?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CFSEM serves seven counties in Southeast Michigan:
- Wayne
- Oakland
- Macomb
- Monroe
- Washtenaw
- Livingston
- St. Clair
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- 2024: $1.1 billion
- 2023: $1.14 billion
- Historical: Over $1.3 billion in assets managed
Annual Revenue & Expenses:
- 2023 Revenue: $128.2 million
- 2023 Expenses: $117.2 million
- 2023 Total Assets: $1.142 billion
- 2023 Total Liabilities: $23.8 million
Giving Rate: 8.2% of assets
Historical Distribution: Since its founding, CFSEM has distributed more than $1.4 billion through over 90,000 grants to nonprofit organizations across the region.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,207,379,849 | $1,142,486,271 | $975,088,355 |
| Revenue | $246,111,003 | $128,173,574 | $117,489,833 |
| Expenses | $131,170,926 | $117,230,287 | $96,078,374 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $150,855,756 | $25,893,846 | $63,483,874 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
24 open opportunities from Community Foundation for Southeast
CFSM Youth Leadership Grants
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST
Amount
US $2,500 - US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Cheryl Wojtas Memorial Scholarship Program Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Clarence and Lillian Constantakis Environmental Scholarship
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Civil Liberties Union Fund of Michigan ($450,342), Anti-defamation League ($402,500), American Friends Service Committee ($317,600).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4WORD DALLAS, TX | HUMAN SERVICES | $7,500 |
| 501 COLLECTIVE LAKE OSWEGO, OR | PHILANTHROPY, VOLUNTARISM & GRANTMAKING FOUNDATIONS | $22,000 |
| 70 X 7 LIFE RECOVERY HOLLAND, MI | ADVOCACY | $222,600 |
| A BRIGHTER WAY YPSILANTI, MI | EDUCATION | $29,250 |
| AE CITY OF HOPE INC YPSILANTI, MI | CRIME & LEGAL-RELATED | $20,000 |
| ACCENT PONTIAC INC PONTIAC, MI | ARTS AND CULTURE | $25,000 |
| ACCOUNTING AID SOCIETY DETROIT, MI | HUMAN SERVICES | $152,094 |
| ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE FARMINGTON HILLS, MI | RELIGION-RELATED | $6,000 |
| ADRIAN COLLEGE ADRIAN, MI | EDUCATION | $5,764 |
| ADRIAN DOMINICAN SISTERS INC ADRIAN, MI | RELIGION-RELATED | $6,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Richard L. DeVore
Chair: James B. Nicholson
Staff: Approximately 70 employees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID M HEMPSTEAD | TRUSTEE (END 10/24) | 0.5 | — |
| DAVID T PROVOST | CHAIR/TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JACK MARTIN | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| JOANN CHAVEZ | VICE CHAIR /TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MARY H WEISER | VICE CHAIR /SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| PENNY B BLUMENSTEIN | VICE CHAIR (END 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| AHMAD CHEBBANI | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| ALLAN D GILMOUR | TRUSTEE (END 11/24) | 0.5 | — |
| ANDREW L CAMDEN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| BARBARA L MCQUADE | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| BONNIE LARSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| BRUCE E NYBERG | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| CARLA WALKER-MILLER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER L RIZIK | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| CHUCK STOKES | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DALE L WATCHOWSKI | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DANA M LOCNISKAR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DAVID P LARSEN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| ERIC B LARSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| GARY H TORGOW | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| GERALD E ROSEN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| GLENDA D PRICE | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| HENRY W LIM | TRUSTEE (END 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| JAMES B NICHOLSON | TRUSTEE (END 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| JENICE C MITCHELL FORD | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JENNIFER M FISCHER | TRUSTEE (END 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| JOHN D LEWIS | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JOHN M ERB | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| KAREN SOSNICK SCHOENBERG | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| KENNETH WHIPPLE | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| LARRY BRINKER JR | TRUSTEE (START 7/24) | 0.5 | — |
| LENA R EPSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MARIA THOMPSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MATTHEW P CULLEN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MICHAEL E BANNISTER | TRUSTEE (END 5/24) | 0.5 | — |
| PAUL R DIMOND | TRUSTEE (END 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| PAUL TRULIK | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| PHILLIP WM FISHER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| REGINALD M TURNER | TRUSTEE (END 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| SARAH M EARLEY | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| SEAN K WERDLOW | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| SELAM SANDERS | TRUSTEE (START 7/24) | 0.5 | — |
| STACY ZIARKO | TRUSTEE (START 7/24) | 0.5 | — |
| STEPHEN R POLK | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| STEVEN K HAMP | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| THOMAS C BUHL | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| TIMOTHY NICHOLSON | TRUSTEE (START 7/24) | 0.5 | — |
| VIVIAN DAY STROH | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| WENDY BATISTE-JOHNSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIAM F PICKARD | TRUSTEE (END 6/24) | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIAM M HERMANN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIAM W SHELDEN JR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| RICHARD L DEVORE | PRESIDENT | 40 | $654,744 |
| JENILYN NORMAN | VP, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION | 40 | $263,812 |
| NICOLE SHERARD-FREEMAN | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $412,982 |
| LAURA L BROWNFIELD | GENERAL COUNSEL | 40 | $279,952 |
| SHERYL G ARB | VP, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $237,971 |
| RANDALL S ROSS | VP, PHILANTHROPIC SERVICES | 40 | $214,543 |
| SARAH WEDEPOHL | VP, PROGRAM | 40 | $210,355 |
| WAFA S DINARO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEI | 40 | $186,322 |
| JAYME POWELL | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DRWP | 40 | $190,582 |
| OLUBUNMI PARKS | VP, TALENT & CULTURE | 40 | $172,701 |
| BRAD M WESTLAKE | CONTROLLER | 40 | $176,371 |
| MATTHEW J LEWIS | CFSEM, DIRECTOR OF GOV AND OPS | 40 | $153,690 |
Contact Information
Address: 333 W. Fort Street, Suite 2010, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-961-6675
Email: grants@cfsem.org
Website: cfsem.org
Grant Portal: cfsem.org/apply
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Community Foundation for Southeast fund?
**Mission:** To make southeast Michigan a desirable place to live, work and play for all residents, today and tomorrow. CFSEM operates under a "Thriving Together" 2024-2034 strategic vision, positioning itself not merely as a "philanthropic bank" but as a "change agent" that makes strategic, thoughtful investments in organizations shaping long-term positive change. The foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting: • Education • Arts and culture • Health • Human services • Communi…
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation for Southeast?
**Grant Range:** $5,000 - $1,000,000 • Most common grant size: $10,000 • Competitive range: $30,000 - $75,000 • Median grant: $25,000 - $28,000 **Decision Timeline:** 4-6 months total • Initial proposal response: 4-6 weeks • Full application decision: 3-4 months **Recent Activity:** • 2024: $93.3 million in total giving across 964 grants • 2023: $95.4 million in grants with 964 awards • Historical annual giving ranges from $95-128 million **Application Process:** Applications are submitted thro…
Where does Community Foundation for Southeast make grants?
CFSEM serves seven counties in Southeast Michigan: • Wayne • Oakland • Macomb • Monroe • Washtenaw • Livingston • St. Clair
What size grants does Community Foundation for Southeast award?
In 2024, Community Foundation for Southeast awarded 938 grants totaling $105.1M — an average of about $112K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Community Foundation for Southeast's EIN?
Community Foundation for Southeast's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2530980. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation for Southeast's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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