Ford’s $1.3M gift empowers three Calhoun County community foundations to fuel local projects

The spirit of giving is being shared among three Calhoun County community foundations and some of the nonprofits they support through a $1.3 million donation from Ford Motor Co. Community Relations.

The donation will be shared by the Albion Community Foundation, the Battle Creek Community Foundation (BCCF), and the Marshall Community Foundation, according to a joint press release from all three Foundations. Ford is building a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Marshall. Located at the BlueOval Battery Park, the plant will be run by BlueOval Battery Michigan, a wholly owned Ford subsidiary.

In addition to $612,000 of the funds, which are available for immediate distribution, $700,000 of the donation is earmarked for the creation of a Ford BlueOval Community Engagement Fund at all three community foundations to provide future grants for projects. These projects will be identified by an oversight committee, which will include members of each organization and a Ford representative, says the press release.

Albion and Battle Creek Community Foundations each received $100,000, and Marshall  Community Foundation received $500,000 to launch the Community Engagement Fund.  

The three Foundations came together with Ford based on Ford’s desire to make a positive impact in each community, says Mary Muliett, CEO of BCCF.

“Together, we explored ways to collaboratively provide meaningful lift across our communities and followed up with a proposal to Ford. That proposal included supporting individual projects in each community while also establishing a fund with each Foundation,” she says. “This approach demonstrates both an immediate commitment through initial projects and a lasting commitment through a donor-advised fund, allowing Ford to continue making grants in each community over time.”

BCCF received $167,000, with the Albion Community Foundation receiving $95,000 and Marshall’s Community Foundation receiving $350,000, all for immediate project investment.

“At Ford, our goal is to be a good neighbor in the communities where our company has operations,” says Gabby Bruno, Director, Community Relations, Ford Motor Company. “When we met with the leaders at the Albion, Battle Creek, and Marshall Community Foundations, we learned about the various community needs across the county. We also recognized the shared  mission among these trusted organizations and saw an incredible opportunity to partner with  them to ensure Ford’s investments in the community had maximum impact.”  

Albion Community Foundation will use its initial funding for the following:

• Summer recreation programming at the Battle Creek Family YMCA
• Innovate Albion, a teaching and training center for Science, Technology
• Engineering, and  Math (STEM) related classes and robotics programs for students, educators, and professionals in the greater Albion region
• Bohm Theater to support access for low-income families and seniors. 

“STEM education programming is especially crucial for helping to ensure a bright future for children and families in our community,” says Shane Williamson, Executive Director of the Foundation. “This Ford investment will support important organizations today and  prepare opportunities for partners in greater Albion for decades to come.”    

BCCF will use its funding for the following:

• Education programs at Voce’s Community Center targeted at literacy and leadership
• Development, workforce development, and youth empowerment in the LatinX community of Greater Battle Creek 
• Needed equipment and supplies for S.A.F.E. Place and R.I.S.E. Corp (Reintegration to Support and Empower) to help the organization launch a new youth-peer mentorship and workforce development initiative for middle- and high school young people in the organization’s after-school program 
• Captain Oscar Brady, Post 298 Auxiliary of the American Legion, to support the Veterans’ Day  Dinner 2025 
• Milestone Senior Services to cover areas of greatest need 
• Veterans Helping Veterans Foundation to support the Veterans’ Logistical Support  Initiative (VLSI) 
• Battle Creek Area Habitat for Humanity for the Calhoun Area Career Center student home build. 

For Battle Creek, the BCCF presented projects that had been applied for by “our nonprofit partners, through our competitive grant rounds,” Muliett says. “Ford was then able to select projects that aligned with their philanthropic focus areas. This process will continue through Ford’s donor-advised fund, including opportunities for community organizations to apply to all donor-advised funds as well as through our ongoing competitive grant application rounds.”

At the very heart of their work as community foundations is working with community members to establish permanently endowed funds that reflect the unique values, priorities, and goals of each individual donor, says Shannon Tiernan, Executive Director of the Marshall Community Foundation.

“Through our partnership with Ford Community Relations, we’ve established Ford BluOval Community Engagement Funds at each of our foundations, which are focused on impacting areas important to Ford Community Engagement and that most can agree are essential to a thriving community: public safety, community spaces, equity and access, and environmental and conservation initiatives,” Tiernan says. “These priority areas not only support the immediate needs of our communities but also help ensure our communities remain vibrant as we continue to grow and evolve.”

Marshall will use its direct investment funding for the following:

• S.A.F.E. Place, to expand its preventative and supportive services to the greater-Marshall area, ensuring that individuals and families in crisis have access to needed resources 
• Marshall Area Conservation Committee, to advance its ongoing efforts to protect and enhance Marshall’s natural resources as well as green spaces through community-based conservation, restoration, and education efforts
• The City of Marshall’s Brooks Nature Area to fund ongoing grounds and trails maintenance for public use and enjoyment
• • The Marshall Area Garden Club to continue enhancing and beautifying shared community spaces through gardening education, programs, and community beautification efforts
• Marshall Public Schools’ Athletic Complex renovations, serving several athletic teams,  the marching band, community events, such as commencement  
• ceremonies; benefiting thousands of students, families, and guests for years to come.
• The City of Marshall Skate Park, located in Ketchum Park, is to be renovated and made safer for young people and families to enjoy. 

“Because distributions from these funds will impact our communities both today and in perpetuity, generations will be impacted by Ford BluOval’s generous investment in our community foundations,” Tiernan says. “We are grateful for Ford Community Relations’ desire to invest in our communities in a meaningful and sustained way, and look forward to a long partnership.”

The Foundations will employ data-driven impact assessments to better understand project impact and success, says the press release. Additionally, programs that help break down systemic barriers and enhance opportunities for all community members will be prioritized.  

This first-ever collaboration reflects Ford’s commitment to delivering immediate impact and establishing enduring community support, according to the press release.

While community foundations collaborate often around shared points of interest, Tiernan says this particular collaboration is unique because it was driven by Ford Community Relations’ “desire to ensure sustained engagement through a thoughtfully coordinated, countywide approach with a shared vision and strategy. Their investment in our foundations is the backbone to sustained engagement and long-term, multi-community impact.”

“Though our individual priorities reflect the needs of the communities we serve, our missions naturally overlap in meaningful ways. By coming together with Ford Community Relations, we’re able to make a greater impact.” 

One exciting secondary benefit of this work, Muliett says, “is the potential for other Foundations to see the impact of this approach and model similar collaborations. That could create meaningful opportunities for communities across Michigan.”

Rather than working one-on-one with each Community Foundation in the county, Tiernan says Ford Community Relations brought the three Foundations together to brainstorm and ultimately collaborate around this shared goal of ensuring greater collective community impact, both in their own communities and across Calhoun County.

“I believe there will not be a corner of our communities that won’t benefit from this collaboration,” she says.