The Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) is the fiduciary for the Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison and handles all fiscal and administrative functions for the office. The staff supporting the office are employed by CMF.

About OFL

Created in 2003 at the suggestion of Michigan philanthropic leaders, the Governor’s Office of Foundation Liaison (OFL) currently operates with the support of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and is located in the governor's administrative offices. The foundation liaison is a cabinet-level position and helps to identify and broker innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations between the executive branch of state government and foundations to encourage programs or policy reforms that would improve the lives of all Michigan children, families and residents.  

Since its inception, the OFL has brokered investments in initiatives to increase Michigan's economic competitiveness through reforms in early childhood development and education, K-12 education, college and career readiness, health and well-being and workforce development, with an emphasis on equity and safety net issues.

The Michigan OFL is the first cabinet-level position in the nation designed to help identify and broker innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations between the executive branch of state government and foundations. The creation of this nonpartisan position marked the state's first formal partnership with the foundation community. 

Karen Aldridge-Eason, a loaned executive from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, serves as the foundation liaison where she works with the governor, the executive branch of state government, foundations, and the nonprofit community to help bring about positive, effective change.  

We are driven by our staff developed CMF Community Agreements.

We value our people. In honoring a healthy workplace that offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits and a supportive working environment. For this position, the salary range is $90,000 - $100,000. Benefits include health, dental and vision insurance; participation in a 403b plan with employer contribution and a contribution match; life insurance; short and long-term disability insurance; paid time off; technology reimbursement; and a generous holiday schedule as well as opportunities for professional development. 

The Council of Michigan Foundations is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, both through our work and within our workforce. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to moving our work forward and we aim to diversify the voices of our staff to best reflect the people and communities that we serve. 

The Council of Michigan Foundations is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people of color, Indigenous people, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, people experiencing disabilities and members of marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Summary: The program officer will work in collaboration with the governor’s foundation liaison, the director of research and planning and the office’s senior program coordinator to advance OFL’s work to identify and broker innovative funding partnerships and strategic collaborations between the executive branch of state government and philanthropy to improve outcomes for Michigan residents, especially those that are most vulnerable and marginalized. The program officer will provide significant input and support in the design, development and implementation of OFL programs to advance its mission and goals. The program officer will report to the foundation liaison.

OFL’s work is guided by the belief that we must remove the barriers of access and opportunity for communities with limited resources and for communities of color. And we will only do this by targeting our collective resources, time and attention – and with an emphasis on changing systems so they are more responsive to the needs of families and communities, particularly the most vulnerable. This position seeks to operationalize equity across all our programs, structures and services, making our commitment to equity more proactive, dynamic and specific to our work with the philanthropic sector and state government. 

COMPENSATION

90,000 - 100,000

HOW TO APPLY

Click here for more information or to apply. We are driven by our staff developed CMF Community Agreements.

We value our people. In honoring a healthy workplace that offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits and a supportive working environment. For this position, the salary range is $90,000 - $100,000. Benefits include health, dental and vision insurance; participation in a 403b plan with employer contribution and a contribution match; life insurance; short and long-term disability insurance; paid time off; technology reimbursement; and a generous holiday schedule as well as opportunities for professional development. 

The Council of Michigan Foundations is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, both through our work and within our workforce. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to moving our work forward and we aim to diversify the voices of our staff to best reflect the people and communities that we serve. 

The Council of Michigan Foundations is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people of color, Indigenous people, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, people experiencing disabilities and members of marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Application Process:  

To be considered for this position, please send the following two items to [email protected] by Friday, Feb. 17, 2023: 

• A thoughtful cover letter that explains your interest in the role and our organization, how you qualify and when you would be available to start. 
• A resume. 

Thank you in advance for your submission. Due to the high volume of applicants, we can respond only to those who BEST match our needs. All correspondence will remain confidential.