MFF Community Trailblazer Award
Michigan Founders Fund is a network of trailblazers, disruptors, and problem-solvers in Michigan’s tech ecosystem who believe in the power of collective action. We are united by a common vision for Michigan to become the most successful and equitable state in the country – not only for startups, but for everyone who lives here. We also know we’re not experts in how to achieve this. We’re great at building technology but we’re still learning how to best collaborate with and support our neighbors to make Michigan the best place it can be.
That’s why we’re launching the MFF Community Trailblazer Award, to support the trailblazers, disruptors, and problem-solvers who are leading community-based efforts to advance our state.
The Community Trailblazer Award is a pilot that will help us learn, build relationships, and improve in future years. Our grantmaking fund will slowly grow as Michigan startups succeed so this pilot gives us the opportunity to learn how to be better civic leaders and philanthropists, but, like all trailblazers, we want to get moving now. Over the next three years, our goals are to:
- Financially contribute to the efforts of trailblazing leaders and initiatives;
- Learn more about community and social issues in our state;
- Inspire civic leadership across the tech ecosystem;
- Learn best practices and engage the MFF network to improve and scale our longer-term grantmaking and community impact strategy.
What does it mean to be a MFF Community Trailblazer?
We launched the first MFF Community Trailblazer Award in 2022 and you can learn more about our 2022 awardees here. In 2023, we received 30 applications from leaders across the state who were interested in becoming Trailblazers. All of our applicants are the founders of their community-based organizations, are working to advance one of MFF’s impact areas, are part of a socially and economically disadvantaged group, and live and work right here in Michigan.
MFF Community Trailblazers receive a $5,000 award from our Michigan Pledge Fund and become Trailblazer Members of MFF. This means:
Trailblazers benefit from the same opportunities as all MFF Members by creating opportunities for relationship-building, co-learning, personal support, program offerings, and other growth opportunities;
We Trailblazers and their organizations on our website, social media, and blog, including opportunities for the broader network to make personal contributions to their organizations at select times throughout the year;
We also co-create opportunities for Trailblazers to collaborate directly with the MFF network through volunteer days, problem-solving sessions, tech tool integrations, guest speaker opportunities, and more.
2022 Community Trailblazer Awardees
We’re honored to recognize and collaborate with three Michigan-based, Black Community Trailblazers who are advancing racial justice:
2023 Community Trailblazer Awardees
In 2023, we are recognizing three Community Trailblazers from across Michigan – nonprofit founders, organizers and movement builders – who are working within our impact areas to create change in our community. Each of our 2023 awardees are receiving $5,000 and the opportunity to join MFF as a Trailblazer Member. Our awardees were selected by the MFF Advisory Council’s Impact Sub-Committee and all MFF Members.
