Building a Permanent Resource for the LGBTQ+ Community

When Michael Mirto and Paul Hayes relocated to the Great Lakes Bay Region in 2019, they wanted to find a meaningful way to become involved in the community they now call home.

“Paul and I have always believed that the communities we call home deserve our time, talent, and treasure,” said Mirto. “When we relocated to the Great Lakes Bay Region in 2019, we wanted to find a meaningful way to get involved and help give back to a community we have enjoyed exploring.”

Their experience as longtime supporters and volunteers of The HOPE (Helping Others through Partnerships and Education) Fund in Southeast Michigan, a fund created to strengthen organizations and programs that support LGBTQ+ individuals and families through targeted grantmaking, projects, and technical assistance, showed them the powerful impact an endowment fund can have in creating lasting support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Before becoming involved with The HOPE Fund, Mirto was a dedicated Development Director with Affirmations, an LGBTQ+ community center in Ferndale, Michigan, that provides programs, services, and resources for LGBTQ+ individuals in the Detroit area. Through his work there, he guided the organization through a transformational capital and endowment campaign and was later invited to support the first and second comprehensive philanthropic campaigns at Wayne State University. That experience eventually led to an opportunity to assist with The Hope Fund through the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

Through these experiences, Mirto saw firsthand how philanthropy and endowed funds can create lasting resources for communities. He believes that when a community has strong endowments dedicated to causes that require long-term support, it helps people feel heard, seen, and valued. Having witnessed that impact in Southeast Michigan, he wanted to help create the same opportunity for the Great Lakes Bay Region, which he and Hayes now proudly call home.

“We wanted to establish a permanent resource that could continue supporting LGBTQ+ people not just today, but for generations to come,” Mirto said. “Endowments are powerful because it allows a gift to work forever, creating impact year after year while adapting to the evolving needs of the community.”

As they explored opportunities within the Great Lakes Bay Region, Mirto and Hayes recognized what they believed was a missing philanthropic resource.

“While the Great Lakes Bay Region is home to many caring organizations and dedicated leaders, we didn’t see any visible permanent philanthropic resources specifically dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ community,” Mirto said. For him, visibility is an important part of philanthropy.

“When communities see themselves reflected in philanthropy, it sends a message that they belong here and that their experiences matter,” he said. “We wanted to help create a resource that not only provides financial support but also demonstrates that LGBTQ+ people are valued members of our community.”

The Great Lakes Bay LGBTQ+ Community Fund was created with a focus on belonging and community building.

“We hope to support programs and organizations that help LGBTQ+ individuals and families feel safe, valued, connected, and empowered,” Mirto said. He noted that the needs of the LGBTQ+ community are diverse and continue to evolve.

“Our goal is not to prescribe solutions but create a permanent philanthropic resource that can respond to those needs over time.”

Looking ahead, Mirto hopes the fund will strengthen the network of organizations and programs that support LGBTQ+ people throughout the region.

“Success would look like more opportunities for connection, stronger support systems for individuals and families, increased visibility, and a community where LGBTQ+ people know where they are welcomed and valued,” he said.

The couple intentionally established the endowed fund without attaching their names to it.

“We hope our initial gift is only the beginning,” Mirto said. “We intentionally created an endowed fund without our names attached to it, not out of secrecy, but because we hope our friends, family, and other community members interested in this cause will continue to contribute and expand its impact over time.”

Mirto credits the Bay Area Community Foundation’s stewardship and community knowledge as key advantages of establishing the fund through the Foundation.

“The Bay Area Community Foundation has deep roots in this region and an exceptional understanding of local needs and opportunities,” he said. “They bring credibility, stewardship, grantmaking expertise, and relationships that help connect philanthropic resources to meaningful impact.”

He also values the permanence that the Foundation provides. “Long after Paul and I are gone, the fund will continue serving the community because of the Foundation’s stewardship.”

When reflecting on the legacy he hopes to leave, Mirto points to inclusion, generosity, and leadership.

“I hope people remember that we cared deeply about the communities we’ve called home and wanted to help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” he said.

Recently becoming grandparents has also shaped their perspective.

“We are lucky enough to have recently been made grandparents, and simply put, we’d like to leave a better world for our granddaughter, Luna , and others in her generation.”

Mirto also hopes the fund demonstrates the importance of leading by example.

“I think it’s important that board members lead by example and philanthropically support the groups we serve,” he said. “If our gift encourages even a handful of others to establish their own funds, support causes they care about, or perhaps support this fund, that would be a wonderful legacy.”

For Mirto, inspiring generosity means helping people understand that everyone can make a difference.

“Every person has the ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others and in the future of the community they call home,” he said. He believes generosity also requires courage.

“Sometimes it means standing up for people who many feel unseen, underserved, or marginalized. If we truly want a stronger, more inclusive community, we all have a role to play in building it. That doesn’t happen by accident, and it doesn’t help through words alone. It requires action, investment, and commitment.”

Through the Great Lakes Bay LGBTQ+ Community Fund, Mirto hopes not only to provide grants, but also encourage conversations, inspire others to give, and create partnerships that strengthen support for LGBTQ+ individuals and families throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region.

“If our gift encourages others to step forward and invest in the causes they care about, then its impact will extend beyond the grants themselves.”

A Chance to Double Your Impact

In June 2026, community members have an opportunity to help grow the Great Lakes Bay LGBTQ+ Community Fund and extend its impact for future generations.

Throughout Pride Month, gifts to the fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000, thanks to a generous matching gift. Contributions made during the campaign will help build the fund’s permanent endowment, increasing the resources available to support LGBTQ+ individuals and families throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region for years to come.

For Mirto and Hayes, the matching opportunity reflects the very spirit of the fund: inspiring others to invest in the community and helping create a lasting legacy of inclusion, generosity, and belonging.

To make a gift and have your donation matched, visit www.bayfoundation.org/pridemonth or contact the Bay Area Community Foundation at (989) 893-4438 or bacfnd@bayfoundation.org for more information.