Sponsorship
Corporate & Community Partnership Program
Corporate and Community partners have been essential to building Groundwork's legacy of innovative solutions that protect the environment, strengthen the economy and build livable, thriving communities. Learn why dozens of businesses and organizations support Groundwork's mission through this important program.
(Already know you'd like to join? Just complete this simple form.)
Corporate & Community Partnerships
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Groundwork’s Corporate and Community Sponsorship Program?
This is an opportunity for local business and community partners whose missions align with Groundwork to offer financial support to further great work and advocacy across a multitude of communities. As a sponsor partner, you are creating an impact in this work while distinguishing your business or organization as a supporter and change-maker with like-minded audiences. Additionally, this program is a way to share more about your business’s values with your customers, clients, and partners, including expressing your commitment to philanthropy.
What’s different about being a member of this program over just making a donation?
All donations help Groundwork tremendously and are appreciated, however, Groundwork’s Corporate and Community Sponsorship Program was developed to support Groundwork programming while offering specific benefits to this group of community heroes at various levels to co-support brand recognition and build awareness. Groundwork has a dedicated group of supporters who are passionate about protecting the environment, strengthening the economy, and building community. This program connects a match of mission, publicly.
What are partners saying they like about Groundwork’s sponsorship program?
- Directly support programming and communities
- Feel closer to the organization, the work, and staff
- Brand recognition and acknowledgment
- Public connection to causes to expand audiences
- Co-support shared missions
- Networking opportunities with like-minded businesses
How will my donation to Groundwork be used?
Sponsorships go right to work into Groundwork solution-focused programming. When you join our list of community heroes, you select your program of choice that directly impacts that work. Partners choose from the following program areas:
- Climate & Environment
- Food & Farming
- Transportation & Design, or
- Groundwork’s General Fund, which can support a nimble need, like growing a new program, or serve a timely need, such as the Local Food Relief Fund, which at the onset of the pandemic linked farmers, pantries, and so many in need.
What are the sponsor levels?
- $10,000 Resilience Partner
- $5,000 Community Partner
- $2,500 Neighborhood Partner
- $1,000 Block Partner
What special benefits are included in my sponsorship?
- Recognition in Groundwork’s annual report
- Invitations to a private Corporate and Community Sponsor event
- Recognition in an email newsletter series highlighting Groundwork programs in conjunction with the annual report
- Quarterly updates from Groundwork program directors about how your gift has impacted the community
- Resilience and Community level partners receive a special showcase Q&A interview about their company or organization that will be shared via email to all Groundwork donors and followers and across social media.
What are some ways that my sponsorship can make a big impact?
Our partners are part of the following great work and now that work is part of their story.
For 27 years, supporters have empowered Groundwork to push forward with solutions based on the principle that a clean environment, strong economy, and healthy communities can all rise together—and a more resilient, thriving Michigan will come of it.
Along the way supporters have teamed with us and ...
- Helped pass improved rules for oil and gas exploration in Michigan
- Stopped sprawl-generating road projects that would have cut through beautiful countryside
- Created one of the nation’s leading programs to get locally grown food to schools for children meals—available to every school in Michigan
- Helped launch the call for shutting down Line 5 oil pipeline in the precious waters of the Mackinac Straits
- Played a pillar role in advocating for a Net Zero Carbon pledge established by Gov. Whitmer
- Led the drive for north-south passenger rail
- Used private funding enabled us to give small grants to 26 sites, including farms, schools and food pantries, to expand local food access and the local food economy in northwest Lower Michigan. AND the impact is just beginning.
- Assisted 18 Petoskey families in purchasing home solar arrays through the Grow Solar initiative. AND we're expanding it to the Traverse City area next spring.
- Inspired 500 people to attend the Michigan Climate and Clean Energy Summit—sharing hope, successes, and strategies for the essential work ahead. AND planning is underway for the 2023 Summit.
- Made dramatic progress and are close to launching a teaching kitchen in Traverse City, where we’ll focus initially on culinary medicine instruction for health care professionals. AND community access will be available.
- We’ve joined with partners in the accessible housing movement, to help families and individuals live decent lives in northern Michigan. AND we're just getting started!
How can I learn more about becoming a Corporate and Community Sponsor of Groundwork?
Contact Stephanie Prall: stephanie.prall@groundworkcenter.org or call 231.941.6584 x 716.
Or join today using this simple form.
GET INVOLVED!
Resources

Program Overview

2021 Annual Report

2020 Annual Report
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?
Groundwork News
Speak to FDA about food safety rules
Nov. 15 is the deadline for the public to comment on rules developed by the Food and Drug Administration to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act. It’s imperative that those who want to buy or sell locally grown produce weigh in.
Healthy Living Begins With Morning Commute
In the Grand Traverse region, our long-distance commutes are having a big impact on our health. In fact, most Grand Traverse area workers spend about 46 minutes a day sitting alone in their cars traveling to and from work.
Five Ways to Beat Traffic in Traverse City
We also know we can’t build our way out of congestion. No city in the world has ever done this, and Traverse City will not be the first. But what we can do is this: Manage regional traffic and reduce in-town, peak-hour commuter traffic. We’ll explore these proposals in detail in an upcoming blog post series titled Five Ways to Beat Traffic in TC.
