Connecting Board Members to the Impact of Their Work: A Learning Journey with the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
At City Institute, one of our favorite types of Learning Journeys is helping foundations and philanthropic organizations better understand the impact of their work on the ground.
Last year, we partnered with the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) to design a customized Learning Journey for their board members. Using the foundation’s network of grantees and community partners, City Institute crafted an experience that connected board members directly to the organizations, neighborhoods, and people their funding supports.
The goal was not only to showcase individual projects, but to help participants understand the broader story of need, opportunity, and impact across the region. Throughout the day, board members visited nonprofit organizations, heard directly from community leaders, and gained deeper context around the challenges these organizations are addressing and the progress being made across Detroit.
One of the most meaningful parts of the experience was hearing longtime board members share that, despite supporting some of these organizations for years, many had never visited them in person before. Seeing the work firsthand and hearing directly from the people leading it created a stronger connection to the foundation’s mission and future impact.
The Learning Journey left participants feeling inspired, informed, and energized about the role philanthropy can play in strengthening communities across Southeast Michigan.
“City Institute designed a learning journey that helped our board truly understand the story of our foundation’s impact. By connecting us directly to our grantees and the people on the ground, they brought context, clarity, and meaning to the work we support. Some Board Members visited organizations for the very first time, and they left inspired, better informed, and eager to deepen their commitment moving forward.”
Itinerary Stops
Eastern Market One of the largest historic public markets in the country and a longstanding hub for food, entrepreneurship, and community gathering in Detroit. T
Detroit Horse Power A nonprofit organization using horseback riding and equestrian education to help Detroit youth build confidence, responsibility, and leadership skills while reconnecting communities to Detroit’s historic relationship with horses.
Fitzgerald / Live6 Corridor A neighborhood revitalization effort focused on equitable development, public space improvements, and supporting longtime residents and local businesses along the Livernois and McNichols corridors.
Forgotten HarvestA regional food rescue organization addressing hunger and food insecurity by redistributing surplus food to community organizations and families across Southeast Michigan.
Downtown Boxing GymA nationally recognized nonprofit youth program combining academic support, mentorship, and athletics to help Detroit students succeed both inside and outside the classroom.