Our Funding Priorities
Program Areas
Fred and Barbara Erb had a desire to create a better world for their grandchildren’s grandchildren. In its final decade, the Foundation will make grants that align with their deep commitment to giving back.
Great Lakes
We partner with people, organizations, and institutions working to improve the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem across the basin.
The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem–including both the natural systems and the people and economies that depend on them. We use a climate lens in our Great Lakes work, so that we can help prepare communities to adapt to climate change and support a more climate resilient Great Lakes. Our hope is to ensure that the current and future impacts of climate change on the Great Lakes are incorporated in planning and decision making at all levels of government–from local to state to federal–and including Tribal governments and First Nations. The Foundation also uses an environmental justice lens to guide its decision making across our funding for the Great Lakes so that the people and communities most affected by an issue have a voice in solving it.
Arts + Culture
We strengthen the resiliency of arts organizations and leaders in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties and Detroit’s jazz culture.
The Foundation supports the organizational health of theaters, symphonies, museums, and many other types of arts organizations that inspire, educate, and contribute to community wellbeing. These nonprofit organizations are also businesses that help drive local and regional economies. To help them do this, we support organizations in creating strong financial foundations, cultivating talented paid staff and artists, and building capable leadership and boards. The Foundation also supports Detroit’s incredibly unique and enduring jazz mentorship tradition by addressing the needs of students, teaching artists, and nonprofit staff–and the development of future audiences for jazz music in the region.
Alzheimer’s Research
Fred Erb and his family lived with Alzheimer’s for the last 12 years of his life. In honor of Fred’s experience, the Foundation invests in very targeted research aimed at finding a cure.
Alzheimer’s disease directly impacts almost 7 million people in the United States alone and is projected to increase to 13 million people by 2050. Millions more caregivers and family members are also impacted.
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for Alzheimer’s research.
Sustainable Business
We encourage businesses to consider triple bottom line approaches that balance social, environmental, and economic interests.
The Foundation promotes the growth of the sustainable business sector by creating favorable conditions for growth; strengthening the regional economy through the diversification of industries; and broadening opportunities for networking, resource sharing and leadership development. In its work in sustainable business the Foundation uses an environmental justice lens and considers issues related to climate resiliency.
Democracy
Achieving our vision in every focus area relies on a strong democracy and a trusted system of elections.
We are interested in ensuring that residents in Southeast Michigan register to vote and turn out to vote in every election. Our support also focuses on ensuring free and fair election administration statewide, and supporting legal issues and efforts to combat misinformation. Special attention is given to communities historically impacted by voter suppression, so that all voices are heard and represented.
Legacy Giving
All of the Foundation’s grantmaking looks to Fred and Barbara Erb for inspiration. Legacy Giving most directly reflects their personal passions and interests.
Legacy grants are co-developed alongside recipient organizations so that they can undertake transformational projects that could not otherwise happen without the Foundation’s support. They respond to the true needs of organizations–regardless of whether those needs are traditionally thought of as fundable.
The Foundation will not accept unsolicited requests for Legacy Giving.
Interested in Partnering?
If your organization also envisions a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem or a culturally vibrant, sustainable Southeast Michigan, let’s work together to create lasting change.
