Founded in 1988, the Cadillac Area Community Foundation is dedicated to creating a permanent philanthropic endowment for the Cadillac Area. It aims to serve the community by receiving gifts from various sources to support charitable activities through grants and technical assistance. The Foundation emphasizes philanthropy, stewardship, and leadership to enhance community resources to meet citizens' needs. It seeks to develop endowments for future challenges, offer expertise to donors, manage philanthropic funds, support local nonprofits, and act as a catalyst for philanthropy in the community.
The Cadillac Area Community Foundation awards grants in six areas: culture and the arts, economic development, education, environment and recreation, health, and human services. Its grant making focuses on improving life quality through creative and innovative programs. Priority is granted to applications demonstrating potential impact, imaginative problem-solving, volunteer involvement, organizational commitment, cooperation with local entities to avoid service duplication, fiscal responsibility, potential for matching funds, sustainability, new solutions to community needs, nonprofit effectiveness increase, and encouragement of civic development and volunteerism. The Helen & Harvey Pell Education Fund, established by its namesakes, supports grants for student scholarships, educational institutions, and innovative educational projects or programs aimed at nonprofits and/or educational institutions.