A Community Comes Together

It is not often that a community recognizes a long-term challenge, rallies around a plan to address it, and builds a new institution designed to sustain that effort for generations. The volunteers and supporters who established Friends of Lake Leelanau did exactly that—in just three years.

Together, they brought to life a practical solution to a complex problem—one that will provide the resources needed to protect the waters of Lake Leelanau not only from current threats, but from those that may emerge in the future.

The catalyst for this effort was the discovery of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) in Lake Leelanau in 2019. This aggressive species—widely regarded by scientists as the most invasive aquatic plant in North America—had already overtaken lakes across the continent. Thanks to the decisive and coordinated response of the Lake Leelanau Lake Association, the spread of EWM has been contained. However, the rapidly escalating cost of that work soon exceeded the Association’s capacity to fund it. It became clear that a reliable, long-term source of support would be essential to address this and future challenges.

The groundwork for Friends of Lake Leelanau, an independent public foundation, began in late 2021. Fundraising accelerated in January 2022 with the formation of a Campaign Committee. Together, the Board and Committee set an ambitious goal: to build an endowment of $5 to $8 million, generating income to safeguard the lake for years to come.

That goal was not only met—it was surpassed. Thanks to the commitment and generosity of hundreds of community members, Friends reached its campaign target by December 2024. Including investment returns, assets totaled $9.1 million at year-end.

In January 2025, Friends made its first grant to the Lake Leelanau Lake Association in the amount of $291,380, supporting the Association’s lake stewardship program. These funds enabled continued monitoring and control of invasive species, evaluation and enhancement of water quality programs, and ongoing education for residents and visitors about practices—such as boat washing and shoreline protection—that help preserve the lake’s health and clarity.

The community’s response has been both broad and deep. To date, 575 donors have contributed gifts and pledges. As of December 31, 2025, Friends’ assets had grown to approximately $9.9 million—positioning the organization to protect Lake Leelanau for generations to come.