The mission of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is to enrich the quality of life in Washtenaw County through philanthropy. We serve all facets or sectors of the community, from human services to education to the arts and environment. We operate as a kind of savings account for the community and are locally unique as a public charity that specializes in community endowment.

Our endowment is a collection of 550 funds that have been built over 57 years by thousands of local residents wanting to support their community, which we define as all of Washtenaw County. Endowment means that the assets from these funds are permanent and that the principal of our invested funds is preserved forever.

We grow our endowment through investing, then distribute some of that growth every year so that there are resources for our community in perpetuity. Local residents serving as volunteers help decide how to distribute the proceeds from the endowment as grants and scholarships. Permanent community capital represents a reliable source of funding for the community that can meet changing needs over time.