About Us

Out of Escanaba, The Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula (CFUP) provides financial support to qualified tax-exempt organizations for projects aimed at solving community problems or enhancing life in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We provide a leadership role through service as a catalyst for change, an innovator to solve problems, a partner with other community organizations, and as a resource for solutions to emerging community needs. Support comes from the income of permanently endowed funds contributed by individuals, businesses, and organizations. Community foundations do not participate in advocacy or lobbying.

In 2002, the Council of Michigan Foundations took a leading role in attempting to get the Upper Peninsula community foundations to work together. All of these community foundations were invited to take part in the discussions to shape the CFUP. On January 1, 2003, our new collaboration began with eight Upper Peninsula community foundations.

"CFUP is about working together to lower our administrative costs, to provide accurate financial information to each affiliate advisory board via our FIMS Hub operation so those boards can make informed decisions regarding their affiliate operation, to honor donors' wishes, to perform what's referred to as 'back-room operations' for all affiliates, to offer training to affiliate boards and staff as required, and to assist affiliates in their fund development when requested."

We are a community foundation, here to enhance the individuals and foundations of our community and make it a better place to live. We have been certified by the Council on Foundations for having met National Standards. In addition to meeting national standards, we have also received the 2004 "Achieving Excellence" Award and $25,000 from the DTE Energy Foundation. To this day, we are the only Upper Peninsula nonprofit organization to receive this wonderful award.

We do the complete financial work for all nine affiliates plus eight independent community foundations. On January 1, 2003, when we started operations, our total assets for the eight original affiliate community foundations' were 3.4 million dollars. Today, we have collective assets of approximately 21 million dollars. On October 1, 2009, the Rudyard Area Community Foundation joined CFUP as our 9th affiliate. Collectively, we have cut our operational expenses by 46%.