Community Foundations - Growing Impact, Nationally and Locally

The Council on Foundations just released the findings from the 2013 Columbus Survey on Community Foundations and the news is fantastic.  US based Community Foundations total assets are up from $58 billion in 2012 to $66 million in 2013, and even more important, grants increased to $4.9 billion, an 11% increase over 2012.  The Community Foundation of Western Nevada’s 2013 grants increased 17% over 2012.  Since we started in 1998, our growth and commensurate grants and benefit to the community have outpaced the national average every year.  We are fortunate to be part of such a generous community. With the support and vision of the board the Foundation is beginning to fulfill our role in the region. One of my favorite events each year is the Scholarship Ice Cream Social.  The Social is a wonderful occasion for the donors of the Foundation’s 34 scholarship funds to meet some of the hundreds of recipients each year.  Many other scholarship programs do not provide an opportunity for the donors to meet and talk with the students. That is a shame. Donors, staff and Board have found this to be one of the most meaningful events of the year.  The members of the scholarship selection committees also attend and take great joy in meeting the students they selected to support.  My writing pales to the wonderful descriptions and photos shared about these students in the Annual Report, which our Communications Director, Margaret Stewart, is creating for publication in a couple of months.  When that comes out please be sure to check out the scholarship pages. On a final note , on July 17th about 30 volunteers, including a couple of dozen struggling youth, gathered at the TMCC computer lab to test the You’N-I online service search tool. WOW, it is amazing! We are working on the final touches and will release the website to the public in August.  I will include a link in this column at that time, so you can check it out and share with others! During the summer we are working with a surprising amount of people particularly on estate gifts and bequest arrangements.  This is a good time to get started if you or a client wishes to have plans in place by the end of the year.  If you would like to meet to discuss a charitable gift,  please give me a call. We connect people who care with causes that matter. Chris Askin, President & CEO,