For Tom Porter, Giving is a Family Matter

Instead of throwing a ball with his dad as a boy, Tom Porter and his father, a botanist, would go look at plants. They would garden. Young Tom didn’t love it at the time but it inspired and grew a lifelong love and appreciation of the natural world. So it is no surprise that today, the retired venture capitalist has focused his time and philanthropy on supporting environmental causes.

At a time in his life when he was easing out of his business career and transitioning to “the third act of one’s life,” Tom Porter joined the Environmental Council Board of Directors, driven by a belief that the environment should have a seat at the tables where policy decisions are being made.

“The Environmental Council is still the only voice of all of the organizations, the only group that really can bring them together.” Tom said. “The power of that is really terrific.”

Two decades after serving on our board, the Ann Arbor resident is still involved, supporting the Environmental Council through The Porter Family Foundation which he created in 1998. Together with the Foundation’s two other directors, Tom’s children, Jessica Porter and Jason Porter, the Foundation has made grants to 28 different organizations focused on environmental issues and climate action in Michigan.

“It is a family foundation in the truest sense of the word, Tom said. I truly wanted a family commitment to philanthropy and giving back, and this is a way for us to come together as a family to do some good.”

Tom also believed that as a small foundation, it was important to focus on a particular problem area in order to make the largest impact. After learning that less than ten percent of philanthropic dollars support environmental causes, he committed to doing his part to protect the Great Lakes and support climate action. The Foundation even helped found the Michigan Climate Action Network, an Environmental Council member that amplifies, connects and supports Michiganders who are fighting for a resilient climate future.

The Porter Family Foundation has also committed a minimum of 25 percent of its annual grantmaking to black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and disadvantaged communities, and made a grant to the Environmental Council to establish a Community of Practice for BIPOC Environmental nonprofit leaders. Why? Tom wanted to find a way to help environmental organizations attract and retain people of color to leadership positions.

“The environmental movement was not focused on diversity until relatively recently, so they didn’t work to ensure that all of the people they serve were represented in their teams or their advocacy,” Tom said.

This is problematic because BIPOC communities and leaders have been pivotal in Michigan’s environmental movement for decades. From fighting for environmental justice in Detroit’s most polluted neighborhoods to demanding clean water in Flint, BIPOC-led organizations and activists have long been at the forefront of the fight for equitable environmental policies.

Now in its second year, this initiative brought BIPOC executive directors of environmental organizations together to share best practices, identify common goals and learn from each other. This Community of Practice helps ensure the environmental movement is welcoming and accessible.

From his days of studying plants with his father to now running a family foundation that supports environmental work across Michigan, Tom is using his philanthropy to do, in his words, “what I think people need to do for one another.”

To build a powerful environmental movement here in Michigan, we need passionate people like Tom (and you!) to put critical resources in the hands of change makers. Together, we can turn passion into action and ensure Michigan thrives for generations to come.