Levels of Giving

The Michigan History Education Fund

Michigan Historical Center education experiences are filled with sound, touch, movement and even smell—activities that reach students who may struggle with lectures and text books. The programs focus on real-world skills that future leaders will need throughout their lives—asking questions, researching answers, analyzing information, drawing conclusions and presenting those conclusions. They align with the Content Expectations established by the Michigan Board of Education. Whatever the specific subject matter, the primary goal of all programs is to stimulate the love of learning that is fundamental to educational success.

Michigan Historical Center education experiences reach over 80,000 young people visiting with their classes, families, pre-schools, home school groups, scouts and other youth organizations. The Center has been particularly successful in reaching elementary students in grades 3-5, where most schools have some focus on Michigan history. The Center is now working to expand its offerings for pre-school and secondary school youth. 

The David and Betty Morris Learning Center

Thanks to the generosity of David Morris, September 2011 will see a new learning center for high school students at the Michigan Historical Center.  Modeled after the Decision Room at the Harry S.Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri, the David and Betty Morris Learning Center will be only one of two in the country.

Students play the role of the Governor and the Cabinet as they examine actual reports placed before state leaders in times past. The issues will be tough ones, such as the events of the 1967 Detroit Riot or the PBB disaster in the 1970’s.

In three pre-visit modules, students learn about the role of government officials, key situations and review documents leading up to a particular crisis or event. In the culminating experience, students travel to the Governor’s Decision Room at the Michigan Historical Center (for a five hour session) and deal with the crisis as it unfolded in real time using newspaper articles, letters from the public and reports from government inspectors and advisors. Then they will make a decision on the best course of action to follow and present that decision in a press conference and submit to various mediums.

Through this real-life exercise, students gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of government, as well as its basic structure. They also leave with increased knowledge of civic strategies for the future. The program is designed to respond to education standards, which emphasize information gathering and analysis, problem solving, decision making, leadership, communication, group learning, the interpretation of original historical documents, and knowledge of history and government.

The Michigan History Foundation is seeking funding to cover the cost of instructors to facilitate the programs in the Learning Center.  We will draw from a team of professional retired history teachers to support the daily needs of the program.  A $24,000 contribution will allow up to 5 high school classes per week to visit the Center to participate in the Governor’s Decision Room. Donors will be recognized in all Learning Center materials, listed on both Center and Foundation websites, publicly recognized at the dedication ceremony and on the Foundation Donor Wall inside the Historical Center.

The Gift Fund

With multiple historic sites, collections of more than 100,000 objects, one million archival items, and education programs serving 80,000 students each year, work never ends at the Michigan History Foundation.

The Gift Fund  underwrites a considerable percentage of the Michigan History Foundation’s day-to-day general operating expenses, though donations may also be designated to specific historic sites, programs, or projects.

Tax-deductible donations may be matched by your employer. Check with your company's matching gift program for more details.

Donate now on our secure site by using your credit card or make your check payable to Michigan History Foundation and mail to:

Michigan History Foundation
P.O. Box 12331
Lansing, MI 48901

For more information about the Annual Fund, or if you are interested in gifts of stock or any other information regarding stock gifts, please contact us. Consider a planned gift. Make a commitment today that will become history for the future.

Provide Access to MI Civil War Battleflags

To commemorate the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War in Michigan, the Michigan History Foundation in partnership with the Archives of Michigan presents a unique donor campaign behind the continued preservation of Michigan’s historic Civil War Battle flags.

Donors are invited to make a minimum $250 sponsorship of a flag of your choice. Your flag will be moved to a dedicated website showcasing the flags, and Michigan’s important role in the Civil War. Donors will be acknowledged with their name and address city along with their sponsored flag. Sponsored flags may be in memory of someone, in honor of someone or to show your support of Michigan's heritage.  Each donor will receive an archival color print of their flag and be part of providing access of Michigan's Civil War flags to the public. 

Michigan’s Civil War battle flags are conserved at the Michigan Historical Center in Lansing, where experts are able to provide the conditions necessary to preserve them and halt disintegration. Currently, flags may be viewed only by appointment with curators.

Conservation Trail Expansion

The Michigan Conservation Trail   commemorates and promotes awareness of the State’s conservation history, making it vivid and meaningful to citizens and tourists.

The Trail is a series of linked historic sites and associated promotional and educational materials. When complete, it will include 10 new State historical markers on key events and people, brief biographies of Michigan’s conservation pioneers, photos and images illustrating landmarks and turning points in the State’s conservation history, interactive features, and an annual observance of Michigan’s conservation heritage.

The final phase of the project will publicize some dozen other existing but little-known State historical markers on environmental and conservation landmarks.

Although start-up funding enabled a launch that included the first three markers -- on the Detroit River Recovery (Trenton), the Kirtland Warbler (I-75 rest area near Grayling), and Genevieve Gillette (near Sleeping Bear) -- seven remain to be funded along with the resources, both print and online, needed to publicize the Trail.

A total of $50,000 is required for the seven remaining markers along with print brochures, online web-based resources, and other related media to educate Michigan citizens and visitors of all ages.

Donate now with your credit card on our secure website or for further information, please contact us.

Leavenworth Collection Project

R.C. Leavenworth started out photographing lumbering and mining camps in northern Michigan, using a horse-drawn darkroom. He relocated to Lansing, Michigan, in 1919 to document Lansing's transformation into a major industrial city and automotive capital. The R.C. Leavenworth Photograph Collection spans many years. Through Leavenworth's photos, one can "travel" from the horse-and-carriage days to the age of the automobile!

This Collection holds more than 200,000 negatives telling the story of Michigan's past. All needs immediate conservation because their base material are chemically unstable. Until recently, poor storage conditions have accelerated deterioration of the negatives. It is estimated that 10% of the collection will be lost each year if we don't act now.

75% of the funding needed to save this collection has been raised. Additional funding is required to purchase conservation equipment, supplies and provide public access on-line.

We need your help to save the Leavenworth Collection.