At a time when more metro Detroit nonprofits are looking for ways to serve more with less, United Way’s Community Capital Resources program is helping them build operating capacity and efficiency.

CCR, formerly the Nonprofit Facilities Center, was launched in 2002 to assist nonprofits with the planning and financing of facility projects, with a goal of enabling organizations to maximize the resources they can make available for programmatic instead of operational costs. From these core services, the program has blossomed into a full-service resource provider to organizations across the region, helping them plan and manage facility projects to support their missions over the long-term.

Through the years, CCR’s work has evolved to meet pressing issues, and a critical need today is greater energy efficiency. Since 2003, the program has been expanding its role by conducting workshops and design charrettes around the area to promote efficiency and sustainability, and creating an energy efficiency grant program for nonprofits. This year, CCR focused on nonprofits that provide supportive housing, and now 12 organizations will be receiving grants ranging from $15,000 to $60,000. The grants can be used to upgrade a heating or cooling system, install efficient appliances, windows or doors, or to improve insulation.

Those selected to receive a grant this year include Angel's Place, Boys and Girls Republic, Children's Home of Detroit, Community Living Centers, COTS, Holy Cross Children's Services, JARC, Liberty Hill Housing Corporation, Lutheran Child and Family Services, Mariner's Inn, Methodist Children's Home Society, Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Development, Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, Quality Behavioral Health, St. Peter's Home for Boys and Vista Maria. Each nonprofit is currently undergoing an energy audit to determine the upgrades needed to make its facility more efficient. From there, United Way will determine the final grant amount for each organization. The organizations are also invited to a workshop to learn about other opportunities to create a more energy efficient facility.

"Energy efficiency is extremely important for any organization, but especially for nonprofits,” said LaShawn Thomas, who manages the CCR energy grant program. “At a time when funding sources are contracting, operating a more energy efficient building allows nonprofits to save some money previously spent operating their buildings and instead direct those dollars to crucial community services, all while developing a sustainable facility that is better for our environment.”

While energy efficiency is an important component, it’s not all that CCR is concerned with. Throughout the year, CCR works in consultation with nonprofits assessing their facility needs and conducts a workshop series for nonprofit executives, staff and board members with information on project planning and financing, energy efficiency, assembling the right team of consultants and making the right real estate decisions. To date, the program has awarded nearly $10.8 million in capital grants and $1.7 million in planning grants. This means millions of dollars that organizations in southeast Michigan have been able to set aside for crucial services instead of facility upgrades.

Southwest Solutions is one organization that believes in the power of CCR’s financial assistance and consultation. Prior to working with CCR, the Southwest Solutions staff was located in a cramped space and the organization needed to expand. Organizational leadership began attending CCR’s workshop series and received a planning grant to begin considering options for a new space. The organization chose Lithuanian Hall, a formerly abandoned building on Vernor Highway. With the planning grant and additional fundraising efforts, Southwest Solutions completed the renovations and turned the old, unused building into a community hub.

“[We] transformed a blighted structure into a home for several organizations that house more than 45 employees,” said Dan Pederson, director of Real Estate Consulting Services at Southwest Solutions. “Those employees buy goods and services in the neighborhood which helps the local businesses. In addition, the corner [we’re] located on is a school crossing, so children are no longer passing a vacant structure to go to school. This keeps them safe and helps them see a positive change in their neighborhood.”

CCR’s services are a valuable asset to any nonprofit making difficult financial decisions about its building. To learn more or contact CCR staff, click here.

Your week to get 'Money Smart'
Free seminars available April 20-26

A lot of things come along with money -- influence, security and strings, among others -- but instructions aren't one of them. Regardless of how much money you have, learning how to save, spend and borrow it a little more wisely is something everyone benefits from. That is precisely the premise behind Money Smart Week.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan is once again teaming up with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago-Detroit branch and more than 125 financial institutions, nonprofits, schools, libraries and other organizations to host the fifth annual Money Smart Week Michigan, April 20-26.  

Money Smart Week features a series of classes, seminars and activities aimed at improving financial literacy around metro Detroit and across the state. More than 315 sessions will be held statewide and are free of charge. The topics to be covered include issues important to people of all ages, income levels and walks of life. The comprehensive schedule of events offer resources to both help people improve their financial position today and set themselves up to be more secure in the future.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago promotes financial education by helping coordinate Money Smart Weeks in Michigan as well as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin. An advisory council, of which United Way is a member, helps organize the schedule of events.

"Michigan’s Money Smart Advisory Council has shown great enthusiasm for this statewide personal finance initiative over the years,” said Doug Tillett, vice president, public affairs, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. “With their commitment and hard work, we look forward to another successful week.”

A Sample of Money Smart Week Events

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
April 21, 2008, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Macomb County Department of Senior Citizens Services, Clinton
To register, call 2-1-1 or click here.

Financial Empowerment for Families
April 23, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
River Rouge City Hall
To register, call 2-1-1 or click here.

Money Management and Investments
April 24, 9:30 am - 11:30 am
The Guidance Center, Southgate
To register, call 2-1-1 or click here.

Budgeting, Saving, Investments and Retirement
April 24, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Detroit
To register, call 2-1-1 or click here.

Bank Accounts and Credit Management
April 24, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Matrix Human Service Center, Detroit
To register, call 2-1-1 or click here.

Credit, Career, Character & College
April 24, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Power of the Word, Detroit
To register, call 2-1-1 or click here.

Character, Career & Credit
April 25, 11 am - 1 pm
Inkster Board of Education
To register, call 2-1-1 or click here.

Money Smart Week will also include the Money Smart Ambassador Contest, a competition for eleventh graders in metropolitan Detroit in which participants are asked to explain the importance of money management. The winner receives a $10,000 college scholarship from Chrysler Financial, Ford Motor Credit and GMAC Financial Services.

To learn more about Michigan Money Smart Week 2008 and to get a schedule of events, click here.

Volunteer Spotlight
National Volunteer Week is April 27 - May 3

National Volunteer Week is about inspiring and encouraging people to seek ways to engage in their community. It’s about showing the nation how to meet challenges not as isolated individuals but as members of a true community, in which everyone works together. During National Volunteer Week individuals and communities can be at the center of social change as they discover their power to make a difference.

President Richard Nixon signed an executive order in 1974 establishing National Volunteer Week as an annual celebration of volunteerism. Every year since that time, each U.S. president, along with many governors, mayors and other elected officials, has signed a proclamation promoting the week.

National Volunteer Week is our time to not only recognize and celebrate volunteers, but also to encourage more of them to share ideas, practices and stories, and to shape a movement that re-imagines the notion of citizenship for the 21st century.

How can you celebrate National Volunteer Week? It's simple: Get involved. Share your story. Recognize and thank volunteers.

Get Involved - 10 tips on Smart Volunteering

 1. Research the causes or issues important to you. Look for a group that works with issues about which you feel strongly. You might already be giving money to one of these organizations, and that might be a good place to begin your volunteer experience.

2. Consider the skills you have to offer. If you enjoy outdoor work, have a knack for teaching, or just enjoy interacting with people, you may want to look for volunteer work that would incorporate these aspects of your personality.

3. Would you like to learn something new? Consider seeking a volunteer opportunity where you'll learn something new. For example, volunteering to work on the newsletter for the local animal shelter will improve your writing and editing abilities - skills that may help you in your career.

4. Combine your goals. Look for volunteer opportunities that will also help you achieve your other goals for your life. For example, if you want to lose a few extra pounds, pick an active volunteer opportunity, such as cleaning a park or working with kids.

5. Don't over-commit your schedule. Make sure the volunteer hours you want to give fit into your hectic schedule, so that you don't frustrate your family, exhaust yourself, shortchange the organization you're trying to help or neglect your job.

6. Nonprofits may have questions too. While most nonprofits are eager to find volunteer help, they have to be careful when accepting the services you offer. It is in the organization's interest and more beneficial to the people it serves to make certain you have the skills needed, that you are truly committed to doing the work, and that your interests match those of the nonprofit.

7. Consider volunteering as a family. When a family volunteers to work together at a nonprofit organization, the experience can bring them closer together, teach young children the value of giving their time and effort, introduce everyone in the family to skills and experiences never before encountered, and give the entire family a shared experience as a wonderful family memory.

8. Virtual volunteering? Yes, there is such a thing! If you have computer access and the necessary skills, some organizations now offer the opportunity to do volunteer work online.

9. I never thought of that! Many community groups are looking for volunteers, and some offer interesting alternatives. Most of us know that hospitals, libraries, and churches use volunteers for a great deal of their work, but here are some volunteer opportunities that may not have crossed your mind:

• Daycare centers, Neighborhood Watch, public schools and colleges
• Halfway houses, community theaters, drug rehabilitation centers, fraternal organizations and civic clubs
• Retirement centers and homes for the elderly, Meals on Wheels, church or community-sponsored soup kitchens or food pantries
• Prisons, neighborhood parks, youth organizations, sports teams, and after-school programs shelters for battered women and children

10. Give voice to your heart through your giving and volunteering! Bring your heart and your sense of humor to your volunteer service, along with your enthusiastic spirit, which in itself is a priceless gift. What you'll get back will be immeasurable!

Visit United Way's Volunteer Solutions online to find a volunteer opportunity that is right for you. You can search for opportunities based on your interests, skills and geographic location or simply by entering a keyword. You can also register through Volunteer Solutions to receive automatic e-mails that list volunteer opportunities that match your specific profile.

Share your story

The best way to inspire people to volunteer is to share compelling stories of volunteers engaged in their communities, supporting their neighbors and making a difference. United Way has provided several ways for you to share inspirational volunteer stories. We will share your stories on a regional scale during National Volunteer Week and in the following months. To get your stories heard, here are three options: 

Option 1: E-mail your volunteer stories to United Way's Ursula Adams at ursula.adams@uwsem.org and we'll include them on the United Way blog at www.uwsem.org/bloguwsem. Make sure to include video and photos if you have them.

Option 2: Join United Way for Southeastern Michigan's National Volunteer Week 2008 Flickr group at www.flickr.com/groups/uwsem_nvw2008. As a member of our Flickr group you can upload your volunteer photos, discuss volunteer stories and meet other local volunteers. To learn more about Flickr and Flickr groups, visit www.flickr.com/about.

Option 3: Create a video about your volunteer opportunity and upload it to YouTube. Send the link to your YouTube video to Ursula Adams at ursula.adams@uwsem.org. We'll include your video on our YouTube volunteer play list at www.youtube.com/unitedwaysemich. 

It is important to take time to recognize those individuals and groups who give tirelessly of themselves to make our neighborhoods better places to live. To do this, United Way has launched a community-wide volunteer recognition program to increase awareness about the impact volunteers make in southeast Michigan. Nominations for six volunteer awards were submitted throughout the end of March and the beginning of April in the form of video nominations.

Award categories:

• Bernie Firestone Award – Recognizes an outstanding rank and file member of a local labor union dedicated to community service in one or more of United Way’s focus areas: Educational Preparedness, Financial Stability, or Basic Needs. A $1,000 donation is given to a nonprofit of the winner’s choice.
• Exemplary Group Service Award – Recognizes families, couples or groups who strive to improve their community by volunteering in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. A $500 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the winning group’s choice.
• Heart of Gold Award – This has become one of the most distinguished volunteer awards in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Winners are a select group of individuals who demonstrate exceptional effort, enthusiasm and immeasurable commitment to volunteerism in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. Awardees receive a 14 karat gold heart in tribute to their dedication. Two individuals will be recognized with the Heart of Gold award this year.
• Outstanding Youth Award – Recognizes a youth aged 12-18 who demonstrates exceptional volunteerism in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. In honor of the award, a $250 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the winner’s choice.
• Young Adult Award of Excellence – Recognizes an adult aged 19-25 who represents the highest standards of service in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. A $250 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the winner’s choice.
• Outstanding Business Award – Open to small, medium or large businesses. Those recognized by this award excel in and are committed to community involvement through volunteering in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. Please note: nonprofits may nominate themselves for this award if their employees conduct service at another organization. A $1,000 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the honoree’s choice.

A panel of United Way staff and volunteers will narrow the nomination videos down to the top three volunteers in each award category. The finalists will be featured on United Way’s Web site and the entire community will be invited to vote on the best representative of the values inherent in each award. Public voting will take place during National Volunteer Week, April 27 – May 3. Winners will be notified immediately following the voting process and will be invited to a reception to receive their award.

Visit United Way's Web site at www.uwsem.org/volunteer2008 during National Volunteer Week, April 27 - May 3, to place your votes.

Upcoming Events
Town Halls designed for Leadership Givers

United Way is offering Leadership Givers an opportunity to have their voices heard while getting answers to important questions about our current and future work through a series of Town Hall meetings.

The sessions kick off May 8, when United Way for Southeastern Michigan President and CEO Michael Brennan and CFO Cathy Adcock welcome members to 1212 Griswold and field questions about the organization's plans for the community. Visitors will have an opportunity to tour our 2-1-1 call center prior to meeting with Brennan and Adcock. The event runs from 9-11:30 a.m.

Each Town Hall will offer Leadership Givers an opportunity to get to know an aspect of UWSEM a bit better while having their voice heard by a member of United Way leadership. If you are interested in joining us for the May Town Hall simply e-mail tiffany.chaney@uwsem.org.

Want to become a Leadership Giver? Go to www.uwsem.org/give/leadership.html, or contact Tiffany Chaney at 313-226-9239 for more infomation.

Kurt's Corner
Immigration stems population loss

According to Managing Migration: The Global Challenge, the latest population bulletin issued by the Population Reference Bureau, the number of international migrants is at an all-time high.

There were 191 million migrants in 2005, which means that 3 percent of the world’s people left their country of birth or citizenship for a year or more. [1] The number of international migrants in industrialized countries more than doubled between 1985 and 2005, from almost 55 million to 120 million.

However, most of the world’s 6.6 billion people never cross a national border -- most live and die near their place of birth. Those who cross national borders usually move to nearby countries -- for example, from Mexico to the United States, or from Turkey to Germany. The largest flow of migrants is from less developed to more developed countries.  In 2005, 62 million migrants from developing countries moved to more developed countries, but almost as many migrants (61 million) moved from one developing country to another, such as from Indonesia to Malaysia. Large flows of people also move from one industrialized country to another, from Canada to the United States, for example, and much smaller flows move from more developed to less developed countries, such as people from Japan who work in or retire to Thailand.

The international community believes that international migration should be voluntary, and has tried to minimize “forced migration,” whether motivated by persecution or economic deprivation at home. The United Nation’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts that “everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” [2] However, the right to emigrate does not give migrants a right to immigrate, and most migrants are not welcomed unconditionally into the countries to which they move. Migration is the movement of people from one place to another. As long as humans have wandered in search of food, they have migrated from place to place. But international migration is a relatively recent development. Only in the early 20th century was the system of nation-states, passports and visas developed to regulate the flow of people across borders. [3]

International migration is the exception, not the rule. Most people do not want to move away from family and friends. In addition, governments try to regulate border crossings. But international migration is likely to increase in the 21st century because of persistent demographic and economic inequalities and because many advances in communications and transportation facilitate mobility. Borders proliferated over the last century, sometimes placing legal and administrative boundaries between extended families, friends and trading partners where there were none before. There were 193 generally recognized nation-states in 2000, more than four times the 43 in 1900. [4]   Each nation-state distinguishes citizens and foreigners, uses border controls to inspect those seeking entry, and determines what foreigners can do while inside the country -- whether they are tourists, students, guest workers or immigrants.

Most countries discourage immigration — they do not welcome the arrival of foreigners who wish to settle and become naturalized citizens. Some also discourage emigration. This was the situation in communist nations as symbolized by the Berlin Wall, which was used to deter crossing from East to West Germany between 1961 and 1989. Today, North Korea continues to prevent its citizens from leaving the country.

Five major countries plan for the arrival of immigrants: the United States, which accepted 1.2 million immigrants in 2006; Canada, which accepted 250,000; Australia 125,000; New Zealand 50,000; and Israel 25,000. Industrialized countries had planned to accept 1.5 million immigrants a year. The number of newcomers arriving in these countries each year exceeds the number planned, suggesting that many are temporary visitors or unauthorized foreigners who find ways to settle rather than newcomers who enter explicitly as potential new citizens.

Perspectives on the rising number of migrants can be framed by two extremes. At one extreme, organizations ranging from the Catholic Church to the World Bank have called for more migration, arguing that people should not be confined to their countries of birth by national borders and that more migration would speed economic growth and development in both sending and receiving countries.

At the other extreme, in virtually every industrialized country, organizations are demanding sharp reductions in immigration. In the United States, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) argues that unskilled newcomers hurt low-skilled U.S. workers, have negative environmental effects and threaten established U.S. cultural values. Political parties in many European countries have called for reducing immigration at one time or another.

The discussion around immigration in the United States has been a heated one, often with sides clearly drawn and participants leaving little room for a fair and open discussion.  The anti-immigrant lobby sees great waves of Mexicans and others of limited education and English language skills coming to the U.S. and taking jobs at low rates of pay, thus decreasing wages and increasing unemployment for native born citizens; taking advantage of our educational, medical and social service systems; and paying no taxes to support the services they are using.  On the other side are those who recognize that the United States is a nation of immigrants and that immigration brings a workforce that, on the one hand, takes jobs that no American wants, and on the other, supplies the educational and technical skills that are not being produced in adequate numbers in our current population.  The truth, as with most issues, lies somewhere between the extremes.

Immigration in the United States has experienced a significant increase in recent years.  Table 1 shows the 20 highest immigration years since 1820.  One will notice that every year between 2000 and 2006 (with the exception of 2003) is on the list, a fact that makes recent immigration closely reflect the conditions during the first couple decades of the 20th Century.

Table 1.  Ranking of Top 20 Years, Between 1820 and 2006, Based on Number of Persons Obtaining Legal Permanent Resident Status

Source:  U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security / Immigration

The increased wave of immigrants nationally has also been experienced by Michigan.  Table 2 provides data on the number of legal permanent residents who have come to Michigan since 1988.  In addition to direct immigration, Michigan is more often the beneficiary of secondary migration streams – immigrants who start out somewhere else in the U.S. and then find their way to Michigan.

Table 2.  The Number of Persons Obtaining Legal Permanent Resident Status by Year, 1988-2006, and Listing Michigan as Their State of Intended Residence

Source:  U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security / Immigration

Figure 1.  Immigration Trends in Michigan, 1850 – 2006

[click here for larger image]
Source:  Census Bureau / University of Virginia

While the trend of increased immigration in and of itself is important, the fact that Michigan has experienced increasing rates of internal out-migration (more people leaving the state for other parts of the country, than entering the state from elsewhere) makes immigration critical to keeping our population from dropping any further than it already is.  When one looks at the components of change (factors that influence population numbers) for Michigan between 2000 and 2007 (Table 3), it is immigration (in addition to births) that is keeping Michigan afloat.  Net domestic migration resulted in an exodus of 350,000 more Michigan residents than we were able to attract to move here.  However, almost 150,000 immigrants came here directly from other countries, helping to stem the tide of loss.

Table 3.  Components of Michigan ’s Population Change, 2000 – 2007

Source:  Census Bureau – Population Estimates

Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe (in addition to Mexico and Canada) were the primary world regions providing Michigan with its immigrants.  The significance of Asian immigration can be seen in the annual population estimates by race that the Census Bureau issues.  While most of the country experienced the largest growth in its Latino population, Asian growth was greatest for Michigan and the Detroit metropolitan area. 

Figure 3.  Michigan’s Immigrant Streams – Top Countries of Origin Between 2003 and 2006

[click here for larger image]
Source:  U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security / Immigration

A snapshot of Michigan immigrants for 2006 shows that the majority (not counting children) fall in the younger working-age categories – between 25 and 44 years of age (Figure 4).  This is critical to our state, which is experiencing its greatest growth in the post-45 years of age cohorts – fueled by the aging of the baby-boom generation. With the hand-wringing around the loss of our younger residents, particularly those with higher levels of education, it is gratifying to see younger immigrants choosing Michigan, and even more important is that a large percentage are coming with college and advanced degrees. [5]

Next month’s article will explore immigration and its importance to southeast Michigan.  Table 4 provides a preview of the demographic components at work in local counties.  As was the case for the state of Michigan, counties in this region are very dependent upon immigration for keeping the population growing (or at least not dropping any more than it already is).

Figure 4.  Age Structure of Michigan Immigrants in 2006

[click here for larger image]
Source:  U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security / Immigration

While Livingston, Macomb and Monroe counties all experienced positive domestic migration between 2000 and 2007 [6] , primarily due to moves from other counties in southeast Michigan, immigration was an important factor for all.  Macomb saw immigration gains double those of domestic migration, while Oakland and Wayne domestic losses were somewhat mitigated by relatively large immigration flows.

Table 4.  Components of Population Change in Southeast Michigan, 2000 - 2007

Source:  Census Bureau – Population Estimates

[1] United Nations (UN), Report of the Secretary-General on International Migration (A/60/871) (2006); and UN, International Migration 2006 (table), accessed online at www.un.org/esa/population/publications/2006Migration_Chart/2006IttMig_chart.htm

[2] UN, Article 13(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, accessed online at www.un.org/Overview/rights.html.

[3] John Torpey, The Invention of the Passport: Surveillance, Citizenship and the State (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1999).

[4] Charles C. Lemert, Social Things: An Introduction to the Sociological Life (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005): 176.

[5] Kurt Metzger, when at Wayne State University, worked with SEMCOG to better understand migration trends in SE Michigan.  It is this research that demonstrated the educational attainment and other characteristics of our immigrant population.  The full report is available by contacting the UWSEM Research Department.

[6] The latest estimates for 2006-07 show that 74 of Michigan’s 83 counties, including Livingston, Macomb and Monroe, experienced net domestic out-migration.

Take Action Now
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