Recognizing the impact of community foundations

Winnebago County Community Foundation celebrates national effort to highlight local impact of philanthropy
During the week of Nov. 12-18, the Winnebago County Community Foundation will join more than 780 community foundations across America celebrating Community Foundation Week. For more than 25 years, the effort has raised awareness about the increasingly important role of these philanthropic organizations in fostering local collaboration and innovation to address persistent civic and economic challenges.
Community foundations are independent, public entities that steward philanthropic resources from institutional and individual donors to local nonprofits. Since its establishment in 2005, the Winnebago County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA), has granted over $900,000 to nonprofit projects impacting nearly every aspect of life in Winnebago County communities, including art and culture, education, environment, health, historic preservation, human service, and general community betterment. In 2016 alone, the local committee members awarded 26 grants totaling over $95,000 to projects in these areas. Members of the Winnebago County Community Foundation governing committee are Jonathan Klaassen, Chair, Cheryl Benn, Brian Blodgett, Zach Dillavou, Lisa Durby, Paul Fitzgerald, Cassie Johnson, Ex-Officio, Jenny Kramersmeier, Cory Myer, Teresa Nicholson, Neal Sletten, Brian Vander Wilt, and Kari Wagner.
“Community foundations impact lives, solve problems, and improve futures,” said Kaye Englin, CFNEIA President and CEO. “The Winnebago County Community Foundation is connecting generous, community-minded people to nonprofits who are at the heart of doing good in Winnebago County, and is making grants to innovative and effective local projects crucial to creating stronger communities.”
 As an affiliate of CFNEIA, the Winnebago County Community Foundation offers unique tax benefits to making gifts that impact the local community forever. Gifts to endowed funds with the Winnebago County Community Foundation supporting Iowa charitable causes are eligible for the Endow Iowa 25 percent state tax credit in addition to federal tax credits. The Winnebago County Community Foundation currently holds over $575,000 in assets. These dollars are invested and professionally managed to achieve long-term growth by balancing principal protection with distributions to support local nonprofit organizations. Making an endowed gift with the Community Foundation means it will last forever.
Community foundations represent one of the fastest-growing forms of philanthropy. Every state in the United States is home to at least one community foundation—large and small, urban and rural—working to advance solutions on a wide range of social issues. Community Foundation Week, created in 1989 by former president George H.W. Bush, recognizes the work of community foundations throughout America and their collaborative approach to working with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to address community problems.
More information on the Winnebago County Community Foundation can be found at www.winnebagoccf.org.

Lake Mills Graphic

204 N. Mill Street
Lake Mills, IA 50450

Office Number: (641) 592-4222
Fax Number: (641) 592-6397

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