Rochester Christian University has been awarded a $31,500 grant from 100 Businesses Who Care – Michigan to support The Click, a digital marketing lab presented by Chief Financial Credit Union, which provides free professional marketing services to local nonprofits across Oakland County.

One hundred percent of the grant funds are earmarked specifically for The Click. While the studio itself is already built and funded, this gift will support the people and tools that power the lab, including paid student interns, software licenses and professional mentorship. Through The Click, local nonprofits can apply to receive no-cost support for podcasts, videos, reels, social media campaigns and other digital content designed to help them better share their mission, reach new audiences and strengthen community awareness.

The initiative serves a dual purpose: giving students hands-on, real-world training while helping community nonprofits elevate their stories and expand their impact. Students working in The Click gain valuable experience in content creation, digital marketing, production, editing and client service under faculty supervision, building skills that prepare them for the workforce before graduation.

“Our students will gain genuine client experience that makes them employable before they even graduate, and our nonprofit community will gain a stronger voice for the good work they’re already doing,” said Dr. Dave Hutson, dean of the Schools of Business and Education. “That’s exactly the kind of community we want our students to step into and help build.”

Opened in April 2026, The Click enables students to produce podcasts, video, reels and social media content, handling everything from recording through editing. The lab was created to meet a growing need among local nonprofits that often lack the budget, staff or marketing expertise to consistently produce professional-quality content.

Amy Whipple, co-founder of 100 Businesses Who Care and the Midwest market growth and strategy leader at BDO, said, “At 100 Businesses Who Care, our members look for organizations that turn generosity into lasting community impact, and Rochester Christian University’s vision did exactly that. Funding a program that equips and pays student interns while lifting up local nonprofits multiplies the value of every dollar our members give. It’s collective giving at its best.”

Nonprofits interested in using The Click can apply or learn more at: https://forms.gle/7DBqYSdRjyBecxqW9