One donor's strategic giving multiplies impact for Give Local Bay beneficiaries

This article is part of an ongoing #InspiringGenerosity series highlighting people, agencies, and programs the Bay Area Community Foundation supports.


Kylie Knieper puts her money where her heart is.

During Give Local Bay 2025, which the Bay Area Community Foundation held in May, Knieper divided her $200 donation between eight of the 62 organizations that were part of the 24-hour fundraising effort.

She followed her heart when deciding where to give her money.

She gave to the Bay Area Women’s Center, Leadership Bay County, Carroll Park, Bay County Library System, Humane Society of Bay County, CAN Council, Friends of the Historic Masonic Temple, and Hell’s Half Mile Events.

“I actually volunteered for a few of them,” Knieper says. “I know people that either work or volunteer at others. And then there’s interests I have, like I play pickleball at Caroll Park, I volunteered at Hell’s Half Mile the last two years. The Masonic Temple, I volunteer at and I’ve attended some events there too.”

Photo courtesy of Camp Fish TalesCamp Fish Tales operates week-long summer camps. Throughout the year, the camp is open for special events such as weddings, graduation parties, or corporate events. She also credits the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Bay County program with inspiring her donations. Leadership Bay County is a nine-month program of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. Knieper was part of the program in 2024-25, learning leadership skills as well as gaining insight into community assets, challenges, and institutions.

“We have a monthly class to learn about different things in the community,” says Knieper, a Certified Public Accountant for Weinlander Fitzhugh. “That’s what sparked my interest in being able to donate and be a part of the fundraising."

She also found inspiration in the Foundation’s bold decision to try to raise as much as possible in 24 hours.

Taylor LenhardInside Carroll Park, you can play pickleball or walk across a picturesque bridge over a small pond.“I like their initiative to say ‘Let’s see how much we can raise for local nonprofits in Bay County,’ ” she says. “It’s a cool little event they put on.”

Nicole Horn, Donor Relations and Communications Officer for the Bay Area Community Foundation, says Give Local Bay is a way to impact the community, whether donors give one large donation to one organization or smaller amounts to multiple organizations.

“I find that people give to places they care about and they’re involved with,” Horn says.

Scott BakerThe Historic Masonic Temple sits at a busy intersection near Downtown Bay City.Overall, 576 donors gave 1,000 gifts totaling $204,233 during Give Local Bay 2025. The money benefitted 62 different funds. The average online donation was $145 while the average in-person donation was $539. On average, each organization raised $3,094.

The nonprofit leaders were Camp Fish Tales, which raised $13,985; Ye Olde Courthouse/Arenac County Historical Society, which raised $12,935; and Great Lakes Dream Center, which raised $10,000.

Knieper is already looking forward to the 2026 Give Local Bay and discovering how she can make a difference in her community.

“I’ll definitely keep an eye out to participate in this next year,” Knieper says.