A Community Conversation

With David Jones,
Executive Director
Petoskey Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation
EDITOR’S NOTE: Northern Michigan’s character is defined by both its natural beauty and its human element. In this occasional series, we’ll be checking in with community leaders, getting to know about the work they do and why they are passionate about this place, in their own words. Here, we present David Jones, executive director of the Petoskey Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation.
-Kate Bassett
Q: What does the word “community” mean to you?
Community to me is a sense of place and purpose. I think in really thriving communities the residents take a lot of pride in their community and they have a sense of ownership.

The Foundation just celebrated 20 years in this community. What are some of the goals for your organization moving forward? Have you received any sage advice from some of the founding members?
We’re still celebrating 20 years! It’s very rewarding and humbling to look back and reflect on the success of this organization. And it’s healthy to take that reflection time. So don’t put an end to our anniversary just yet.
Building trust within a community is paramount for any public charity. But I think it is even more incumbent on us as a community foundation. We are here to build and oversee a permanent resource of charitable dollars for now and for future generations. That can be a difficult concept to grasp so it doesn’t happen without a majority of people trusting in and believing in our mission. Earning that trust everyday has to be our number one goal.
The Community Foundation is in a pretty typical period of growth right now. Over the last few years we have started to see more bequest gifts come in and some larger gifts too. As our reputation as a community resource grows, more people and organizations will look to us for assistance. Not necessarily as the problem solver but as the organization that has the ability to bring the appropriate problem solvers together and perhaps offer some financial resources as well.
We want to continue reaching out to people and other foundations to let them know we are here to promote philanthropy and to help them with their philanthropy. Gifts coming into the Community Foundation are a win-win for everyone because they essentially get recycled. As our assets grow, so does our ability to improve the quality of life with our grantmaking. We have spent the last few years taking a close look at - and grantmaking in - the areas of youth substance abuse prevention, and the concept of creating an entrepreneurship friendly community. We are now turning our sights towards the issue of land use. Through just about every survey or report we see, we know that this community values the scenic views, the natural recreation areas etc. There is an important role for us on this topic. It’s just a matter of finding the gaps and where we can have the most impact.
Perhaps the most sage advice can be attributed to the late Jack Clark, who was very instrumental in founding the Community Foundation. He said it is not a race for the short winded. And he was right. One of our tag lines is “For good. For ever.” And forever is a very long time!
When it comes to giving back, how do you explain to people that any positive contribution-- be it time, money, or ideas-- makes a difference?
Luckily around here it doesn’t take much explaining or convincing. We live in a very generous community at all levels. But we do need to be diligent. In communities where you do have a lot of generous wealth it can become a problem. It would be easy to sit back and say let’s just let the high net worth folks make their donations and the rest of us can sit it out. The reality is every donation no matter the size makes a difference. And so does volunteering. Our goal is to promote philanthropy and we try to constantly remind people that you don’t have to be Bill Gates to be a philanthropist. The larger organizations, the larger projects, the larger donations get a lot of well deserved attention, but the reality is there are plenty of nonprofits in our community that need and would welcome a donation of any size or a few hours of your time every week. That’s what our Annual Report theme this year is all about. One drop really does matter and when many drops come together so much can be accomplished. Find something you are passionate about and get involved. It’s really that easy.
We talk a lot at the Harbor Light about northern Michigan’s “sense of place”-- where or when do you feel most tied to this area?
Everywhere and everyday. It’s hard to not feel a connection just about anywhere in the community. That’s what makes it a great community. Doing things as a family certainly brings it all together. Our two daughters make it pretty special. I did not grow up here and my wife grew up here most of her life but was not born here. Our two daughters were born here in Petoskey. That’s pretty awesome.
You’ve lived and worked in Washington, DC. Compare that to being in the non-profit world in a small community. What do you find more tangible about being here in this community, in your role? What made you choose to come here?
My wife, T, grew up in Petoskey. We met in college down in South Carolina. Ever since I have known T she wanted to move back to her hometown. About a year after graduation we moved to the DC area – Alexandria, Virginia – and got married. T and I spent just about every annual vacation coming up to Petoskey to have fun with family and friends. After about nine years of enjoying the city life we wanted to start a family. I guess I finally caved to the idea of moving to northern Michigan. And neither one of us has ever looked back. It was a great move.
When I think of comparing DC to Petoskey, the expression “small fish in a big pond” comes to mind right away. The DC area is a big pond and it is much more difficult to get involved and engaged. It is also a very transient area due to the politics. As I mentioned, my wife and I lived in Alexandria, Virginia and I remember trying to get involved on a local committee in our neighborhood. It was something similar to a downtown development board as I recall. We were new homeowners in the neighborhood, interested in making a difference and we both had good jobs. They didn’t pick me. I have to admit I was a little surprised and disappointed.
We are very fortunate in this area to have so many wonderful non-profit organizations. But there are wonderful non-profits in big cities too. I think the difference is that more often than not, they are fighting a battle against a lot of other “noise” and distractions. Everyone ends up rowing in different directions and it’s harder to see the progress. It’s easier in a small community to find one or two organizations that align with your interest and get involved.
Is there one particular project or set of projects the Community Foundation has shepherded that you are most proud to have played a role?
One of the key roles any community foundation can play is being a funder early in a project or organization when perhaps others would not. The Community Foundation has helped play a start up role in a few key areas. In the early days of the Top of Michigan Trails Council movement we took in donations temporarily and continued to provide funding along the way to keep it moving. Other start up funding has included the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Girls on the Run, Getting Kids Outdoors, the Hornet Health Center in Pellston, and Northern Lakes Economic Alliance’s Entrepreneurship Division. Of course, this does not imply that we will fund every new project or organization. Grantmaking certainly requires taking some risks but we do look at, and measure each opportunity carefully.
The Community Foundation boasts a remarkable cross section of community leaders, volunteers, contributors as part of its family. What is it about this community, and the Foundation, that draws such support and involvement?
It really comes down to quality of life. And I think many of the people who live here are here because they want to be. That can’t help but make a community stronger and more vibrant. We all know the attributes of this area that make it special. We also know that it is up to us to keep it special. The Community Foundation appeals to a large cross section of people because our mission really is to help improve the quality of life in whatever way you as an individual, a family or a company define it. Philanthropy is an important part of any community. But frankly for many of us it can be difficult. There are so many wonderful causes to support it can be overwhelming. The Community Foundation is here as that central gathering place if you will. We can be the resource to help many of those wonderful causes, but we can also be a resource for the donors to help them connect their interests with the community’s needs.
I think many of the people who live here are here because they want to be. That can’t help but make a community stronger and more vibrant. We all know the attributes of this area that make it special. We also know that it is up to us to keep it special.

This is part of the September 28, 2011 online edition of Harbor Light Newspaper.

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