2013 Annual Report Northern Indiana Community Foundation Starke Fulton Miami President’S Message
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2013 Annual Report Northern Indiana Community Foundation Starke Fulton Miami President’s message... Dear friends and supporters Our Mission is to improve the of the NICF, quality of life in our communities by assisting donors in fulfilling As President, I am proud their charitable wishes. to say that 2013 has been yet another year in which the Foundation has gone above and beyond our hopes as compared to our original projections for the year. To say we had an exceptional year from our 1 Preschool Scholarship Program investment advisors would be 3 Starke County an understatement. 5 Starke Donors 6 Starke Funds The Finance Committee has continued to monitor and 7 Starke Scholarships follow the suggestions provided by these advisors, and through their efforts, they were able to provide superior returns on the 8 Starke Grants investment pool this year. This year, between excellent returns, 9 Fulton County increased donations, and new funds being established, the 11 Fulton Donors Foundation was able to provide a distribution that was higher 14 Fulton Funds than normal for our many scholarships, grants, and special 16 Fulton Scholarships projects. 17 Fulton Grants 19 Miami County None of this would be possible without the foresight of our 21 Miami Donors many trusting donors and countless hours from our staff and 23 Miami Funds county volunteers. To say ‘thank you’ is inadequate, but it is 24 Miami Scholarships truly my heart-felt desire to express my deepest appreciation to 25 Miami Grants each of these necessary entities. 26 Seeds for Tomorrow 27 Financials / Board of Directors I would like to thank you once again for choosing the 28 Northern Indiana Community Foundation Support Community Foundation to assist you in fulfilling your chari- table wishes for the benefit of our communities today and We made every effort to ensure that this forever. We all look forward to continuing to grow stronger annual report is an accurate and in order to ensure that we are here to serve our communities complete representation of 2013. forever. Any omissions are accidental. Ron Douglas NICF President Create a legacy to benefit the community now and forever. Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Inc. Jay Albright, Executive Director P.O. Box 807 715 Main Street Rochester, IN 46975 phone: 574.223.2227 toll free: 877.432.6423 Nature photographs © 2014 Martin R. Lucas, used by permission. email: [email protected] For more information: [email protected] Ways of Giving Types of Funds UNRESTRICTED FUNDS Unrestricted funds allow for the greatest flexibility when donating charitable gifts. These types of funds give local communities the opportunity to assess their greatest needs and assist the community’s individual programs. AGENCY FUNDS Agency funds are for any nonprofit organization or agency that wishes to establish endowment funds with the Foundation for management and investment purposes. The Community Foundation regularly distributes the annual income back to the organizations and agencies for operating their programs. FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS Field of interest funds allow donors to respond to certain program areas, such as youth, education, health, environment, arts, culture, etc. Grants created from these funds specify the field of interest but not the charitable agency. DONOR ADVISED FUNDS Donor Advised Funds give the donor the advantage of assisting in charity selection each year, but allows the donor exemption from federal restrictions placed on private foundations. The Foundation’s Board of Directors, however, makes the final decision for the grants in accordance with Federal Tax Code regulations. DESIGNATED FUNDS Designated funds not only give donors the opportunity to support their favorite charity but also provide the means necessary for perpetuity. The donor simply selects the charity to support when the fund is created. SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS Scholarship funds may be established in memory of a loved one or to honor a friend, family member, or local hero to give deserving students the education they might not otherwise receive. NON-PERMANENT FUNDS Non-permanent funds are typically established at the request of a donor or agency to provide support for charitable projects and recipients as recommended by the donor. The recommendations must be advisory only, and the Community Foundation may reject a recommendation. Preschool Scholarship Program Starting out Strong At NICF, we strive to make a positive impact on the communities we serve; grant dollars are one of the main tools we use. In 2012, NICF looked at ways to make a substantial current impact that would also bring long-lasting benefits to Starke, Fulton, and Miami Counties. At the time the crucial role of preschool education was in the news, prompting NICF’s leadership to consider early child- hood educational opportunities here. With the support of a Lilly endowment grant, NICF employed college interns to assist. They reported that 85% of a child’s brain growth happens by the age of five, and that quality preschool education is key to healthy brain development and scholastic awareness of their benefits, should become $2,500. and the Community Foundation success, and to sustaining prosperous and a priority in grant making decisions. In Service Committee contributed $10,000, healthy communities. response, each of the three NICF county providing scholarships allowing 26 children foundation boards established a Preschool to attend preschool at a cost of $705 per year. Early learning is the most important learn- Scholarship Program supported by unre- ing of a lifetime and preschool education To follow-up, NICF staff visited each pre- stricted funds. The program goal: affordable provides profound benefits. Children who school while in session, and observed the preschool for every four-year old. attended preschool arrive at kindergarten children and their teachers in classroom ac- ready to learn and are more likely to read As we explained the critical importance of tivities there. Each scholarship recipient was at grade level. Those first few years of early education for every child, we found assessed in the beginning of the school year healthy brain development build a strong this message resonated in the hearts of our and again at the end. The children’s progress neural foundation upon which all future donors. Their generosity, coupled with fund- was amazing, and confirmed that this pro- learning is built. ing from NICF’s unrestricted funds, made gram is an excellent investment of precious the first year of the Preschool Scholarship NICF grant dollars. The benefits of preschool education extend Program a success. NICF believes that the Preschool Scholarship throughout the community. Long-term In Fulton County, donors gave $14,250 and Program is community foundation work at its benefits include lower costs for remedial the Fulton County Community Foundation best, and plans to continue in 2014/2015, and and special education, less grade rep- contributed $5,000. Eighteen four-year-olds for as long thereafter as needed. The benefits etition, better job preparedness, higher in Fulton County attended preschool on these for students and the entire community are educational attainment and hence higher scholarships, at an average cost of $82 per clear. The program shows the true meaning of incomes, lower rates of criminality, and month. a community foundation: making an impact fewer welfare payments. Studies show that on our communities not only today, but every dollar invested in early childhood In Miami County, donors gave $6,940 and tomorrow and forever. education for low-income children yielded the the Miami County Community Founda- a future savings to the community of tion Service Committee allocated $5,000. The between $4 and $9. United Way of Miami County made a gener- ous grant of $30,610. These grants allowed 24 Despite the value of early childhood educa- children to attend preschool at an average cost tion, it receives little governmental support. of $119 per month. Local kindergarten teachers told NICF about the low rate of preschool attendance among In Starke County, donors (including the their students. NICF concluded that support Psi Iota Xi Sorority) gave $2,684, Kankakee Valley REMC’s Operation RoundUp granted Jay Albright, Executive Director of the NICF for preschool programs, and for public reads to a very attentive preschool class. 1 | Preschool Scholarship Program Before Preschool After 1yr of Preschool 1 2 3 1 An incoming and outgoing assessment was given to the children who received a preschool scholarship. This graph shows the progress the students made after one year of preschool and how they are more prepared for a kindergarten experience (before 1 yr of preschool light green; after 1 yr of preschool dark green). 2 The United Way of Miami County presented $30,610 to the Miami County Community Foundation (MCCF) to provide preschool scholarships to local children, thanks to a Indiana Association of United Way INvest1213 grant. This is a matching incentive that the United Way of Miami County was awarded due to the diligence of the United Way staff and the scores of local residents who continue to invest in the future of Miami County through the United Way. Left to right: Jay Albright, Executive Director NICF, Patrick Close, 2013 Director of Development. MCCF, Deb Wal- lick, Executive Director United Way of Miami County; and Dr. Dave Thompson; 2013 Co-Campaign Chair for United Way of Miami County. 3 The Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation’s (KVREMC) Operation Roundup Board granted $2,500 to the Starke County Communi- ty Foundation Preschool Project. KVREMC members were eligible to receive these scholarships. The Operation Round-Up program is made possible by participating customers’ allowing their monthly bills to be rounded up to the next dollar and added to the Operation Round-Up Fund. The money collected is then granted to worthy causes throughout the area. Left to right: Sarah Origer, Director of Development for the SCCF, Amanda Steeb, Director of Marketing & Communications for KVREMC and Jay Albright.