| Thank you, BlueCreek Investment Partners | |
Many thanks to
Robert Mayes and our friends at BlueCreek Investment Partners for hosting a wine-tasting reception spotlighting the work of the Community Foundation. We are grateful for their support.
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Support from Birmingham's
Daniel Foundation |
The Community Foundation of Huntsville/Madison County was recently selected to receive a $30,000 grant from the Daniel Foundation.
The Daniel Foundation, based in Birmingham, Alabama, has as its mission to strengthen the communities within Alabama and improve the quality of life for citizens from all regions of Alabama through the support of quality educational programs, arts and culture, civic and community programs, and medical care and research.
Community Foundation Board Chair James Gilbert stated, "These funds from the Daniel Foundation enable us to continue the work of growing the community foundation while minimizing competition with the non-profits we serve. It will be a few more years before our fees cover our operating expenses. Until then, we rely on donations to cover the majority of our operating expenses. The Daniel Foundation has made a wonderful investment in our sustainability. Their help will enable us to grow our community foundation so that it can be to our community what our sister community foundations in Alabama are to their communities." |
| New Managed Funds | |
Donor Advised Funds
Jerry & Nancy Fishman Charitable Fund
Holley-Wood Family Fund
Non-Profit Funds
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| Upcoming Events |
April Lunch & Learn for Nonprofits
(click link above for more information or to register)
Come learn more about how the Community Foundation works to increase giving in our community.
April 20, 2012
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Community Foundation
659 Gallatin Street
Huntsville, AL |
| Recent Statistics | |
Since obtaining our nonprofit status in September 2009, the Community Foundation of Huntsville/Madison County has established
73 donor advised funds, 12 non-profit funds, and 2 fiscal sponsorships totaling over $7,400,000. The Foundation has distributed nearly $900,000 to nonprofits and churches on behalf of donors. |
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Information Needed | |
Do you represent a
non-profit organization
in the Huntsville/ Madison County area? If so, we want to learn more about you.
Please take three minutes to complete this
NON-PROFIT SURVEY
so that we can have your information available for our donors.
Thanks for your help. |
| Legacy | You can make a positive difference in the lives of people in your community.
Gifts of endowment keep on giving and support the causes you care about most. Turn your gift into a lasting legacy.
Anyone can be a philanthropist; let us show you how. |
| Board of Directors and Staff | |
James Gilbert, M.D, Chair
Bob Ludwig, Vice Chair
Liz Abel, Secretary
Rusty Stephenson, Treasurer
Chris Russell, Past Chair
John Baggette
Ken Barnett
Bill Fleming
Elizabeth Fleming
Margaret Ann Goldsmith
Jeremiah Knight
Sandra Moon
Anne Marie Reidy, M.D.
Dianne Reynolds
Gary Saliba
Sarah Savage
Staff:
Lynne Berry
Executive Director
Melissa Thompson
Director of Community Relations
Kim Arnold
Financial Administrator |
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Social Networking | |
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Alexanders continue their legacy of support
Joe and Pam Alexander made it possible for the Community Foundation to move from concept to reality. In fact, Executive Director Lynne Berry lovingly refers to them as the "parents" of the Community Foundation. Their $100,000 contribution provided the seed money that enabled the Foundation to hire staff and open an office in August of 2009. They established the Foundation's first donor advised fund and its first bequest.
Pleased with the work accomplished by the Community Foundation in the past 2 1/2 years, Joe and Pam have once again stepped forward with a generous $75,000 commitment - $25,000 annually for the next three years - for operating expenses.
The Alexanders shared, "We are delighted to be able to provide additional support for the continued operation and successful growth of the Community Foundation. Since 2009 when we donated the initial funding for its launch, the Community Foundation has continued to fulfill our vision of providing an outstanding means for philanthropic giving for everybody."
Community Foundation Board Chair, Dr. James Gilbert, expressed his thankfulness to the Alexanders as well, "It is wonderful that Joe and Pam Alexander have chosen to use their blessings to give back to the community. They have provided the backbone of our initial support. Many community foundations began this way - with belief and financial support from foresighted individuals. We are very grateful." |
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Triple E Fund provides generous monthly gift | | |
The Triple E Fund was established by an anonymous donor in May of 2011. This fund-holder is making an impact in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, and the environment.
Recently, this generous individual volunteered to support the operation of the Community Foundation with a donation of $800 per month. When asked about her motivation, she replied, "The Community Foundation was the perfect answer for what I wanted to do with a block of funds committed to the support of various non-profit causes. As I approached retirement and the sale of my business I began to explore ways of doing this and soon realized that establishing and operating a private foundation could get expensive in both time and money, with the requirements for legal assistance, a trustee, accountants, financial advisors, and board members, and with the possible relinquishment of control over how and to whom the funds would be granted. When I learned about  the Community Foundation, and that all of these requirements and issues would be handled for me, it was almost too good to believe. But when I tested it and established the Triple E Fund and saw how easy and trouble-free it is to make donations to causes I want to support, I realized there is no other cause more worthy of support than the one making this service available to me and others who want to enjoy hassle-free giving through the Foundation's donor-directed grant procedure. I am happy that I can help to support the staff and the system that IS the Community Foundation, to help sustain the operation so that I and others can continue to enjoy the professional services the Foundation provides, so that we as donors can focus our time and energy on the charities and causes we want to support rather than on the administrative mechanisms of delivering the support. I thank the Foundation for being there, for the warm and personable way the staff interacts with the fund donors, and I am grateful to my attorney for informing me of the Community Foundation's existence upon learning of my desire to establish a charitable fund. I heartily recommend the Foundation's service to anyone who is desirous of an efficient, inexpensive, and care-free way to handle their charitable giving." |
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Ludwigs establish Foundation's first
externally-managed fund |
Bob and Cindi Ludwig recently established a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation of Huntsville/Madison
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Bob and Cindi Ludwig |
County entitled the Caring C's Family Fund. Cindi, a community volunteer, and Bob, retired publisher, The Huntsville Times, have played a vital role in our community for many years. This fund allows them to continue their legacy of giving. The Caring C's Family Fund is the Foundation's first externally-managed fund.
When asked why they established their family fund, Cindi shared, "As Bob and I were reflecting on how we want to be remembered and on where we believe that we have made a difference, we realized that giving to the community of our time, talents, and funds has been a big part of our lives. We wanted to continue this pattern of giving, and the Community Foundation seemed to be a good fit."
So, where did the name "Caring C's" originate? All of the Ludwigs' children's names and grandchildren's names begin with the letter C, and hence the fund name was born. "I would like to think our most important and best legacies are our children and grandchildren. We are comfortable they will be good stewards of the funds, and we hope they pass the gift of giving on to their children," said Cindi.
A donor advised fund is a special fund set up and named by the donor. The donor receives the tax benefits in the year the fund is established. The Community Foundation holds and invests the fund and all income accrues to the fund. The donor may make donations from the fund to charity over a period of years or even generations with the Community Foundation handling the administrative details.
Funds of a certain value may be placed with a professional advisor recommended by the donor. These are called externally-managed funds. This allowed the Ludwigs to maintain the long-standing relationship that they share with their financial advisor while facilitating their giving goals through the Community Foundation.
Dr. James Gilbert, chairman of the board of directors of the Community Foundation, added, "Thanks to the Ludwigs, we now have policies and procedures in place so that we can utilize the services of a professional advisor recommended by the donor. The Ludwigs were most accommodating throughout this process. They have set and continue to set a wonderful example of philanthropy in our community." | | |
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Helping the blind function in a sighted world | | |
People often ask what inspires donors to give to the causes that they do. The reality is that the stories that motivate their giving are as varied as the donors themselves. The donor who created the Visually Handicapped Teacher Fund in honor of her mother shares her heart-warming inspiration.
Late in my mother's teaching career with the El Paso Independent  School District, she went back to college to get her certification to teach the visually handicapped and the hearing impaired children in Texas. Mother remained committed to her students and only relinquished her teaching position for the physically handicapped children when she was assured that their needs would continue to be addressed. Her goal was for her students to be "main streamed" into El Paso schools.
In the early 2000's while I was seated on a flight taking off from Dallas to El Paso, a discussion between a flight attendant and passenger seated directly behind me ensued. The flight attendant addressed the passenger and assured her that she was getting assistance to help her get to her seat on the plane. The passenger pointed out the obvious that she was already seated in her seat on the plane. Flustered, the flight attendant could not figure out how that happened though her white cane was very obvious. The passenger's seat mate by the window confirmed the passenger in question was in the right row and seat. As the discussion continued that it could not possibly be happening, I entered the conversation by saying that it appeared the passenger in question was obviously functioning very successfully in our sighted world. I then introduced myself to Olivia as Mother's daughter, and we together talked about how much we respected and appreciated Mother's determination to "mainstream" her students, like Olivia, from the first grade into sighted society.
I inherited the money that I donated to The Community Foundation. I established a donor advised fund so that Mother's devotion can continue, through the Community Foundation, to support other educators of the visually impaired and those children having visual problems.
This summer two students from the Alabama Institute for the  Deaf and Blind will have the same opportunity to learn more how to function in our sighted society. I thank the Community Foundation for making it happen.
Would you would like to set up a fund to honor someone special in your life? If so, please contact Lynne or Melissa at the Community Foundation. |
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The Community Foundation of Huntsville/Madison County
659 Gallatin Street, First Floor
Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 489-2281
info@communityfoundationhsv.org
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