As the Michigan Architectural Foundation begins a new year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on where we are at in January of 2022. As I look inward, I am inspired by MAF’s programs, program beneficiaries, and all of those committed to learning more about Michigan architecture. My impressions and thoughts of our foundation can be summed up in three simple words: gratitude, humility, and excitement.
First of all, MAF is extremely grateful for our generous donors. Donors are the backbone of every foundation, and we have some of the best. Through a combination of personal contributions and a variety of fundraising events, we raised over $220,000 of income in 2021, which was $50,000 more than was anticipated in our budget. This is an unprecedented increase and must be attributed to the generosity of our friends and supporters. To our donors, many thanks for your contributions and dedication.
As I prepared for my role as the Foundation’s 2022/2023 President, I have come to the very uplifting realization about our Board and its leadership over the past years. I am truly humbled by the efforts of those that have come before me and that now serve alongside me on the Board, and their tireless dedication and commitment to our mission is unsurpassed. As well, the amount of volunteer effort I have witnessed is an inspiration to me and my fellow Board members, and is a key reason the Foundation is successful today. I would be remiss if I did not express a special thank you to Tim Casai, FAIA, for his outstanding leadership as MAF President for the past two years. Tim led us through the uncertainties of the pandemic and still managed to grow the Foundation to its highest level, ever! Thank you, Tim, for a fantastic job at the helm.
As we look forward to 2022, we are thrilled to share some of the exciting news ahead. The Foundation is working on developing several new scholarships and also increasing the dollar amounts of our existing scholarships, to help students offset rising educational costs and recognize hard work in pursuit of their architectural education. At the same time, the Board acknowledges the need to expand outreach into our surrounding communities and in response, has increased funding for our grants and awareness programs by 80%. That increase will help expand our programming reach, and continue to advance our mission of increasing awareness of how Architecture enriches life. Despite the continuing challenges of the pandemic, all of us continue to find new ways to learn, communicate and interact, and to connect both in person and virtually with program participants and architecture fans across Michigan.
During the year ahead, please continue to keep watching our newsletter, website and social media for news and announcements about the programs, activities, and people that show us the impact of architecture in our daily lives, and why architecture matters. I look forward to hearing from our readers in the coming year regarding what you would like to see in our communications and programming efforts, and I welcome your input.
Doug
Douglas W. Kueffner, AIA 2022/2023 MAF President