Building a Sustainable Model for Civic News
As a nonprofit organization, the Center for Michigan and our newsrooms, Bridge Michigan and BridgeDetroit, rely on the generosity of individuals, foundations and businesses to fund our reporting. Every dollar we receive returns directly to our mission of making Michigan better informed and more engaged. We are committed to building a financially sustainable model that will serve Michigan for years to come.
Bridge Michigan is funded by the people and organizations who believe Michigan deserves fact-based, nonpartisan journalism. That support comes from multiple sources:
- Individual support Readers fund Bridge with tax-deductible gifts of every size, from $1 members to the major donors of our Power Circle.
- Philanthropic support Local and national foundations underwrite our newsroom and public-engagement work across Michigan.
- Sponsors and advertisers Businesses and organizations sponsor our newsletters, website and events to reach an engaged statewide audience.
- Bridge Builders Mission-aligned businesses and nonprofits join as members to stand behind independent civic journalism in Michigan.
Transparency
Our fundraising success is built on a foundation of journalistic integrity and independence. We adhere to the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) standards for transparency and publicly disclose all donors who contribute $5,000 or more annually.
Form 990
As a registered nonprofit, we file a Form 990 with the IRS that provides a detailed public record of our finances, governance and operations. We make these filings easy to find as another way of holding ourselves accountable to the communities we serve. You can also view our full financial profile, ratings and reporting history on Candid (formerly GuideStar).
Individual Donors Drive Our Work
Bridge Michigan is reader-powered. The largest share of our support comes from the Michiganders who rely on our reporting — thousands of individual donors who keep our news free and accessible with tax-deductible gifts of every size.
Anyone can read Bridge. Members make it possible.
Bridge Michigan has no paywall and no subscription fee. Anyone can read our journalism and sign up for our newsletters for free, because our journalism is funded by readers who choose to give. Donors of every size, from $1 members to the major supporters of our Power Circle, together make our journalism possible.
Power Circle
Our Power Circle membership recognizes individuals who have made significant investments in the Center for Michigan and Bridge Michigan by bringing them closer to the core of our work.
Power Circle members are leadership-level individual donors whose major annual gifts provide a foundation of stable, unrestricted support for our journalism. These donors share a commitment to keeping fact-based, nonpartisan reporting free for all of Michigan.
Current Power Circle Members
With thanks to the generous individuals whose support makes our work possible:
Pleasant Peninsula Circle ($5,000+)
- Anonymous donor-advised fund at The Chicago Community Foundation
- Anonymous estate gift
- Menakka and Essel Bailey
- James and Donna Brooks
- Thomas Buhr
- Susan Burda
- Madeline Cimini
- David Egner
- Jennifer and Richard Farnsworth
- Edie Goldenberg
- Paul and Nancy Hillegonds
- Denise and Jamie Jacob
- Steven and Katherine Jacob
- Mike and Sue Jandernoa
- Cynthia and Jerry Larson
- Eleanor Luedtke
- Joan Martin
- James Murphy
- Carol and David Myers
- Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh
- Phil Power
- Jennifer R. Poteat and Michael B. Staebler
- Rick Smith and Soon-Young Yoon
- Charles Wilbur
Blue Waters Circle ($2,500-4,999)
- Anonymous
- Steve and Kathryn Bandstra
- Richard Bond
- Wendy Kersman
- Jim and Kristina Kunz
- Katy Locker
- Thomas Porter | Porter Family Foundation
- Aaron and Veronica Seybert
- Joy Whitten and Jeff Williams
White Pine Circle ($1,000-2,499)
- Jeffrey Abt
- Susan Ager
- Janice Arps-Prundeanu
- Gail W. Bagale
- Edward Beckman
- Jan Benedetti
- Jeannine and Gregory Benedict
- Alan and Sandy Burmester
- Susan Buxton
- Jon Bylsma and Jennifer Johnston
- Randall Bytwerk
- Kyle Caldwell
- Laura Champagne
- Michael J. Cole
- Roberta Cramer
- Eleanor Cruze and Kevin Hart
- Nicholas Dahlin
- Nicole de Beaufort
- Wuanita Delaney
- Stephen and Judy Dobson
- Trey Eldridge
- Robert and Linda Finkel
- Douglas Garrity
- Max Gates
- Allan D. Gilmour | The Gilmour-Jirgens Fund
- Norbert Goldfield
- Cindy Goodaker
- Wendy Greeney
- Bob Grosshans
- Thomas Guback
- Louis Henkel
- Nancy Herta
- Kay and Al Huberty
- Joyce Jenereaux
- Saunteel Jenkins and Carl Bentley | Jenkins Bentley Family Fund
- Stephen M. and Sue Ann Jessup
- Dale Jones
- David Katz
- Donna Kelly
- James and Natalie Kerby
- Doug Kirk
- Kathy and John E. Koetters
- Katherine Kurtz and Raburn Howland
- Stephen LaRiviere
- Carol B. Levin, M.D.
- Hugh R. McCombs
- Anne Mervenne
- Charles Monsma
- Cathy Mueller
- Dawneane Munn
- Eric Nemeth
- Patricia Nevala
- Debra Oberpeul
- Jeffrey Ogden
- Dennis Pace and Anne Grofvert
- Jeffrey Padden
- Margaret and Richard Patmos
- Karl Pearson
- Kirk Profit
- Owen Pyle | Pyle Foundation
- David Redfield
- Julianne M. and Michael J. Riha
- Milt W. and Barbara Rohwer
- Jean Rowan
- Dawn Schumann
- David and Jeannette Sharpe
- Mary Sharp and Rafael Javier
- James Sherman
- Deborah Sherrod
- Bonita Singal
- Kenneth Snodgrass
- Barbara Spiecker
- James and Lori Sprague
- Linda Stafford
- Michael Swieton
- Sophie Tatarian
- Ms. Anita and Dr. Ron Taylor
- Linda Thibodeau
- Lee and Nancy VandeBunte
- Amanda Van Dusen and Curtis Blessing | Van Dusen/Blessing Family Fund
- Lynn Videka
- Kathryn Vizas
- Carla Walker-Miller
- Patricia Warner
- Brian Watson
- Bonnie Woods, RSM
- Susan O. and Jon Wooley
Philanthropic Support
The work of the Center for Michigan and our newsrooms, Bridge Michigan and BridgeDetroit, is made possible by the generosity of foundations and organizations that believe in the power of independent journalism and civic engagement. These philanthropic partners provide critical support that enables us to serve communities across Michigan with the facts, context and conversations that matter most. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to our mission and their investment in a more informed and connected Michigan.
- Arnold Ventures
- Berrien Community Foundation
- Cascade Engineering
- Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
- Community Foundation of Greater Flint
- Consumers Energy Foundation
- Ford Foundation
- Frey Foundation
- Google/Google News Initiative
- Grand Rapids Community Foundation
- Hudson-Webber Foundation
- Joyce Foundation
- Knight Foundation
- Kresge Foundation
- Laybel Family Foundation
- Local News Hub
- McGregor Fund
- National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM)
- Power Foundation
- Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
- Skillman Foundation
- Steelcase Foundation
- The Miami Foundation
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Sponsors
The Center for Michigan’s sponsorship program offers businesses and organizations an opportunity to align their brand with trusted, nonpartisan journalism that Michigan’s most informed readers depend on. Bridge Sponsors support Bridge Michigan’s high-quality reporting across key coverage areas and regions statewide. Sponsoring organizations demonstrate their commitment to an informed Michigan while reaching our audience of decision-makers, community leaders and civically engaged citizens.
Bridge Builders
The Center for Michigan’s Bridge Builders program offers nonprofit and business organizations an opportunity to support our mission and reach our audience through marketing and sponsorship initiatives. Bridge Builders power our high-quality journalism and allow us to help readers and leaders alike navigate this fast-paced era of change with daily in-depth coverage of the issues most important to Michigan.
Current Bridge Builders
With thanks to the businesses and organizations whose support makes our work possible:
Leadership Circle ($2,500)
- Amway
- Bellwether Public Relations
- Business Leaders for Michigan
- The Cook Family Foundation
- Ethel & James Flinn Foundation
- Grand Valley State University
- The Kresge Foundation
- Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation
- Michigan Association of Health Plans
- Michigan Chamber of Commerce
- Michigan’s Charter School Association
- Michigan College Access Network
- Michigan Community College Association
- Michigan Education Association
- Michigan Health Endowment Fund
- Michigan Health & Hospital Association
- Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association
- Porter Family Foundation
- Public Sector Consultants
- VVK PR + Creative
Community Partners ($1,000)
- Clark Hill
- CultureSource
- Fremont Area Community Foundation
- Frey Foundation
- Grand Rapids Chamber
- Gud Marketing
- McAlvey Merchant & Associates
- Michigan Association of Planning
- Michigan Association of School Boards
- Michigan Association of State Universities
- Michigan Environmental Council
- Michigan Manufacturers Association
- Michigan Municipal League
- Michigan Nonprofit Association
- Mondo Unlimited
- The Nature Conservancy
- Public Policy Associates
- Renaissance Venture Capital Fund
- University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Advertisers
Advertising with Bridge Michigan puts your message in front of one of the most engaged audiences in the state: a large, loyal readership of decision-makers, community leaders and civically active Michiganders who act on what they see. Our placements are designed so advertisers don’t compete for attention, giving each one meaningful visibility across our newsletters, website and statewide Watch and regional editions.
True to our nonprofit mission, advertising is always kept separate from our journalism. We don’t publish sponsored content, and every placement is clearly labeled.
Editorial Independence Policy
Bridge Michigan subscribes to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News:
Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.
We accept donations, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.
Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.
Our organization will make public all donors who give a total of $5,000 or more per year. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with the INN’s Membership Standards.
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