Blog

May is Leave a Legacy Month, a national public awareness campaign that invites each of us to reflect on the future and consider the impact we want to leave behind. It encourages individuals and families to include a charitable gift in their estate plans—ensuring the...

Have you ever experienced that moment —the kind where you realize you showed up, you mattered, and together with others, you did something truly meaningful? That feeling is hard to describe… but when it happens, you know it. That feeling is what 100+ Women Who Care is...

This month, we’re happy to put the spotlight on Austin Spires, someone who brings both heart and know-how to his volunteer role with OCF. After moving to Otsego County about ten years ago for his career in wealth management, Austin quickly made Northern Michigan home....

Since their founding in 1994, the board and team members of the Otsego Community Foundation (OCF) have had a vision for Otsego county’s future. But while they’d worked hard to establish new grant funds and partner with local nonprofits to improve the community, they...

In partnership with Rotary Charities, the Fry Foundation, and eight other Community Foundations serving Northern Michigan, we are excited to announce the 2026–2027 Leadership Learning Lab (LLL)! Designed to support and invest in current and emerging leaders, the LLL...

This month, the Otsego Community Foundation is proud to shine a light on someone whose commitment to community, generosity of spirit, and thoughtful leadership make a meaningful difference—Rob Lampert, our April Foundation Matters Volunteer Spotlight. A Gaylord native...

A History Rooted in Community Strength On May 20, 2022—just hours after the tornado struck—the executive committee of the Otsego Community Foundation (OCF) established the Tornado Response Fund. Its purpose was clear: create a central hub where donors could give with...

100+ Women Who Care Returns May 19th. For eleven years, one simple idea has proven incredibly powerful: gather women for one hour, pool generosity, and create immediate, local impact. On Tuesday, May 19th, the Otsego Community Foundation will once again bring this...

This spring, the Otsego Community Foundation is pleased to offer a four‑part Grant Writing Workshop Series designed to help nonprofit professionals and volunteers strengthen their grant writing skills and expand their organization’s funding opportunities. Held on...

Steve and Corrine Freeman Family Fund & Kevin Patrick Freeman Memorial Fund At the Otsego Community Foundation, donor advised funds offer community-minded individuals and families a meaningful way to stay actively engaged in their philanthropy. These funds are...

At the Otsego Community Foundation, our impact is made possible by a dedicated network of thoughtful, talented volunteers who lend their time, experience, and heart to strengthen our community. Each brings a unique perspective that helps us carry out our mission with...

When we were a young foundation, our grantmaking process was pretty simple. Once a year we’d open up an application, nonprofits would send in their requests, and a committee would review everything and decide how to divide up $10,000 among the programs we felt we...