On October 22, 1999, the President and First Lady, with the National Endowment for the Humanities, convened the first-ever "White House Conference on Philanthropy: Gifts to the Future."

Dottie Johnson, then President of the Council of Michigan Foundations, participated on the panel highlighting the work of Michigan YACs to donors, youth, policy experts, business leaders, educators and foundation and nonprofit organization representatives who were invited participants.