MICHIGAN AIDS FUND The AIDS red ribbon, an icon of hope, is also a call to action. The Michigan AIDS Fund - Michigan's only statewide private response to AIDS - pledges to work toward a "day without AIDS." An Affiliate Foundation of the Council of Michigan Foundations - Index Mission Statement ...................... ...... ....... ....... ........................................................ 2 President's Message ................ .................... ·· : .................................... ...................... 3 AIDS Epidemic .......................... ......... ............ ..... ........ ............ ................................ 4 MAF Response .......................................... ..... .......................................................... 5 Grant Categories .......................................................... .. .............. ........................... 6 1995-96 Grant Awards .................... ........ .............................. ................ .............. 7-9 Financial Report . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 Donors ................................................................................... .. ............................. 11 Contacting Information ............................ ............ ........................................ ....... 11 Board of Trustees ............................................ ....... ............................................... 12 This report covers the grant-making year July 1994 to June 1995. - Hotline For information on HIV I AIDS, call the Michigan AIDS hotline, telephone 1-800-872-AIDS. @ Printed on Recycled Paper Designer: Stoub Graphics Printer: Foremost Graphics, Inc. 2 - President's Message AIDS has been killing an increasing number of us. It is now affecting all of us. In Michigan the number will soon exceed seven thousand reported cases of AIDS with dou­ ble that number for persons who are infected with the HIV virus, people who are 11 on the road to AIDS." Michigan communities stretched to respond to AIDS. But the epidemic struck in ways foreseen and unforeseen, infecting thousands, including teenagers, women and children. New community-based, grassroots organizations sprung up to meet the needs, setting up care centers, buddy systems, support groups, child care, legal services, in-home care, and more, usually in modest neighborhood locations. The calls poured in and keep coming today. With questions. With fears. True-life dra­ mas of mothers, young men, hemophiliacs, children and others infected with HIV I AIDS. The help they offer differs from traditional medical or social services - more like the help that family or close-knit community would offer someone in need. Most would agree with the founder of community-based AIDS-CARE, "It started with love. And courage. And a terrifying realization that there was no other choice." Glenn F. Kossicl<, President Since 1990 the Michigan AIDS Fund (MAF) - a pooled-fund to make AIDS-specific grants to community-based organizations - has become Michigan's private philanthropic response to AIDS. Started by the Council of Michigan Foundations, the Michigan AIDS Fund invites donors, large and small, to pool their resources in its mission: 11 ••• to prevent the spread of AIDS and to alleviate suffering for those infected and affected by AIDS." What distinguishes the Michigan AIDS Fund's approach to AIDS grantmaking has been shaped by the epidemic itself. The complex human, social and medical issue that is AIDS demands partnerships - for funding, for proposal review, and for service provision. Our partnerships with grassroots organizations demanded more than grant awards; they needed technical assistance, skills building and networking opportunities. To meet these needs!the MAF fashioned value-added grantmaking which calls for much more than grant funds. Here are some examples of added values MAF assigns each grant award. • Granting Conferences. At the start of each grantmaking cycle, MAF bring grantees together in regional meetings to interact and become aware of broader MAF partner­ ship commitments to conduct effective programs and end-of-year evaluations. • Technical Assistance. Hundreds of hours are logged each year for technical assis­ tance. For example, Simon House of Detroit depended on MAF to resolve staff issues and strengthen organizational and financial capacity followed by a technical assis­ tance grant for strategic planning. • Peer-Review. Four to six MAP-sponsored peer review (conjoint) visits are held annu­ ally. Last year, for example, AIDS educators from Michigan's Upper Peninsula site exchanged visits with a similar Grand Rapids project and provided valuable, produc­ tive networking and program comparisons on location. • Peer Technical Assistance. This MAP-sponsored program matches emerging, start­ up project staff with long-time experienced AIDS grantees to offer life-experience peer-led technical assistance. • Annual Grantee Conference. The statewide Michigan Conference on AIDS brings together health care professionals, board members and volunteers, grantees, people with AIDS and others - for networking, skills-building and motivational workshops. The Michigan AIDS Fund Board of Trustees thrives on active partnerships with grantees - they have taught us much. Over four years of grantmaking, the Fund has developed a statewide knowledge base and expertise which improves the quality of each successive funding cycle. This is the value added for our funding partners - the realization that col­ laborative grantmaking is producing better results than any of us could do independently. Glenn F. [(ossick, President 3 - Michigan's Expanding AIDS Epidemic 1981: Michigan records its first AIDS case. 1981-1986: Michigan AIDS cases total 317. 1987-1993: Michigan AIDS cases soar to 3,328. January 1, 1995: Michigan reports 6,337 AIDS cases In Michigan, as throughout the U.S., reports of new HIV infections are rising: • For every four new infections, one was infected as a teenager. • AIDS is now the leading cause of death in the U.S. for men ages 25-44. • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control report 13-25 year-olds now account for 38 percent of all HIV I AIDS cases. • Michigan's rate of new HIV infection for heterosexual women is three times above the national average. • Fifty-two percent of all Michigan AIDS cases are African American. Based on surveillance studies, estimates are that 12,000 - 15,000 Michigan residents are HIV-positive, many unaware of their infection. Cumulative 6000 - AIDS Cases 5000 by Year of - Report 4000 Michigan, - 1981-1995 3000 - 2000 1000 _,_,nn --- ~ 1981-85 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 - Michigan AIDS Fund (MAF): A Philanthropic Response Through MAF, foundations and corporations partner with grassroots agencies to com­ bat Michigan's expanding AIDS epidemic. Established by the Council of Michigan Found­ ations, MAF manages a statewide, pooled fund to support AIDS-related organizations. MAF links major Michigan donors and grassroots service agencies concerned about AIDS. It educates donors, assures them of professional grant administration, and acts as Michigan "spokesperson" for AIDS-related organizations. This united response avoids pro­ ject overlap and geographic neglect. MAF is an affiliate foundation of the 345-member Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF). 4 - History of Collaboration AIDS' post-1987 rise took Michigan by surprise. In an effort to coordinate an effective private funding response to AIDS in Michigan, eight members of the Council of Michigan Foundations studied and successfully proposed the creation of a collaborative funding mechanism. They agreed pooled resources offered the best way to address the complex, diverse issues of HIV I AIDS . In February 1990, CMF's Board of Trustees launched The Michigan AIDS Fund. Three Michigan foundations - Metro Health Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation - gave major leadership grants during 1990, while The Kresge Foundation loaned Senior Program Officer Barbara]. Getz as MAF's first Chair The first granting cycle began in 1991. Thanks to exemplary volunteer leadership, MAF matured to become, in November 1993, an independent "affiliate foundation" of the Council of Michigan Foundations. MAF's coalition of foundations and funding partners is still expanding to meet the complex challenges of Michigan's AIDS epidemic. This collaboration has shown significant growth. In five grantmaking cycles, this col­ laborative project has awarded $2.6 million to AIDS-related projects in Michigan. Grantmaking $800,000 Cycles, 1991-1996 600,000 t--~~~~~~~~~~~~~-f- - i----.~-- 400,000 200,000 91-92 92- 93 93- 94 94-95 95-96 - Slowing Epide mic, Easing Suffering As Michigan's only statewide private response to AIDS, MAF aims to reduce and elimi­ nate the spread of AIDS and to alleviate suffering associated with the AIDS epidemic in Michigan. Though MAF funds a few unique projects at hospitals and universities, most grants are for AIDS prevention education or community-based AIDS direct care. This trusted philanthropic network becomes ever more important as Michigan's thousands of HIV-infected residents "Thanks to the statewide contribution of the Michigan develop AIDS . MAF links major donors with grassroots AIDS Fund - both by providing private funds for needed AIDS-related groups to build community capacity to prevent services and as a working partner with existing public