Newsletter spring 2015

the community foundation of western north carolina PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Spring 2015

The Community Foundation exists to create and support a culture of giving. Our reputation is largely based on two activities: how we work with people and the way that we invest resources across Western North Carolina.

We are privileged to support an array of innovative nonprofits working to solve problems, fuel the future, create opportunities and encourage philanthropy. We all benefit from their programs and dedication to a vision of a better world, and it’s important to acknowledge the challenges they face and the efforts they make. This newsletter highlights just a few of the organizations CFWNC has the honor of supporting.

In November, our board approved the largest People in Need slate of grants in our history – distributing more than $1 million to 76 nonprofits in 18 counties (see page 2). Wheels for Hope received a $20,000 grant to expand its program of repairing donated cars for sale to low-income families lacking reliable transportation. Board Chair Jim Stickney, ViceChair A.C. Honeycutt and I were privileged to be present when Asia Porter took ownership of her vehicle in December, truly a life-changing event for this working single mother.

We are in the fourth year of working strategically with a broad array of nonprofits through our focus areas. Collaboration and partnership underscore new Food and Farming grants, as nonprofits partner to support a sustainable local food system. Wild South is preserving natural resources and sharing Cherokee culture, with support from a Natural and Cultural Resources grant.

Through our Learning Links grant program, 110 classrooms in eleven counties received more than $84,000 for hands-on experiences to enhance learning. Classroom teachers submitted proposals to bring these opportunities to their students.

In November, ten nonprofits received nearly $300,000 from the Pigeon River Fund to address water quality in Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties. Fourteen projects were funded and include the repair of failing septic systems, stream bank stabilization and water testing.

Grants to schools and nonprofits in the Enka and Shiloh communities are filling gaps, changing lives and building community resources through grants from Biltmore Lake and Ramble charitable funds.

Elizabeth Brazas, President, working with a student at the Deaverview Learning Center, an afterschool safe-haven program of Children First/Communities in Schools.

Photo courtesy of the Asheville Citizen-Times.

The Community Foundation supports nonprofits through grants and with technical assistance. More than 130 regional organizations have chosen to place funds at CFWNC, enabling them to focus on their mission and goals. Management of endowments for nonprofits, including the North Carolina Arboretum (profiled in this issue), is another way that we partner with organizations planning for the future and their financial stability.

In December, Allison Jordan, Executive Director of Children First/ Communities in Schools, described The Community Foundation as a “thoughtful partner.” We were visiting an afterschool program funded by a People in Need grant in the Deaverview public housing complex (see page 2). I took this description as a compliment of the highest order. We don’t just make grants to nonprofits, we partner with them, we support them, we learn from them and we are inspired by their work.

After all, who among us is not touched by a nonprofit – a library, hospital, school, shelter, land trust – that makes a difference in your life? We are proud to be part of the culture of giving that supports this good work.

CFWNC couldn’t make a difference without our nonprofit partners and generous fundholders who share a vision of a better world and future ... for all of us.

PIGEON RIVER FUND

Pigeon River Fund Awards $299,356 in Grants Projects benefit Haywood, Buncombe & Madison counties

Fourteen water quality projects totaling $299,356 received grants from CFWNC’s Pigeon River Fund during its funding cycle in November 2014. The fund was created in 1996 to improve surface water quality, enhance fish and wildlife management habitats, expand public use and access to waterways and increase awareness of water resources through a Federal Energy Reglatory Commission agreement.

Recent grant recipients are: Asheville GreenWorks: $25,000 to engage Asheville public housing residents in water-quality testing, riparian zone restoration, educational programs and environmental cleanups of nearby waterways, including Reed Creek, Town Branch Creek, Buttermilk Creek, Moore Branch Creek and the French Broad River.

Environmental Quality Institute: $17,800 to support an AmeriCorps Project Conserve member to coordinate the Volunteer Water Information Network and Stream Monitoring Information Exchange projects.

Continued on page 4.

Masthead photo by Wes Harkins.

RiverLink works with more than 1,700 volunteers to clean streams and monitor water quality in the French Broad River Watershed. Photo courtesy of RiverLink.

PEOPLE IN NEED

People in Need Grants of $1,050,000 Awarded Largest Single Grant Cycle in Foundation History

Grants totaling $1,050,000 were awarded to nonprofits serving economically-disadvantaged populations across the Foundation’s 18-county service area. These awards, up to $20,000, were made in partnership with the Janirve Legacy Fund, CFWNC affiliate funds and fundholders. A complete list of grants can be found at www.cfwnc.org.

“Supporting nonprofits that help the region’s individuals and families in times of need will always be a critical component of our work,” said CFWNC President Elizabeth Brazas. “Money for more than half of these grants came from generous fundholders and our regional affiliate funds. This significant level of participation greatly increases our ability to provide access to health care, hunger relief, job training, child services, literacy programs and more. We are proud to support the nonprofits that work with our most vulnerable populations.”

Affiliate funds who partner with the Foundation to raise local resources contributed to these grants.

CFWNC funds that supported this grant cycle include the Mona Cornwell Memorial Fund, Connestee Falls Endowment Fund, De Land Family Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Ruth L. Yeager/ Nancy Yeager Cole Fund, Al and Polly LeFaivre Endowment Fund, Peterson Endowment Fund, Brown Family Fund, Delphinium Fund, Fidel Duke Fund, Mountin' Hopes Therapeutic Riding Fund, Lipscomb Family Foundation, Little Acorn Fund, Penny Fund, Brame Family Foundation and four anonymous funds. The Sutherland Foundation also participated.

Elizabeth Brazas with children at the Deaverview Learning Center, an afterschool safe-haven program of Children First/Communities in Schools that provides academic and social support to 60 economically-disadvantaged and at-risk elementary aged children. The children receive academic assistance, healthy snacks and enrichment activities in their neighborhoods through the Learning Centers, located in the Pisgah View, Deaverview and Emma communities—two public housing and one Section 8 apartment complex. The program received an $18,000 People in Need grant.

Photo courtesy of the Asheville Citizen-Times.

Charley Wilson, owner of the Organic Mechanic who donated time and skills to receive, inspect Jim Stickney, A.C. Honeycutt, Asia Porter and Elizabeth Brazas.

Photos by Michael Oppenheim. and repair the initial donated cars, presents the keys to Asia Porter.

Wheels4Hope Puts First-time Owners Behind the Wheel Asia Porter, a single mother working as a C.N.A., drove home in her first car in December thanks to Wheels4Hope, a car donation program launched in Asheville last year and funded in part through a $20,000 People in Need grant. “Receiving a Wheels4Hope car means independence, security and stability to me and my family. Not ever owning a vehicle before, this opportunity is special to me,” said Porter. “Having reliable transportation means caring for my son’s needs, getting him to and from school and creating a healthy life for my family.”

the Organic Mechanic and placed by referral through Community Action Opportunities. The cars are not “given away” – they are sold for $500 to promote ownership and accountability (the average value is in the $2,5004,000 range). The cars are a hand up, not a hand out.

Wheels4Hope accepts donated cars, repairs them with volunteers and works with community partner agencies to get them to people who need reliable transportation. Asia Porter’s 1995 Toyota Corolla was repaired by

The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and an anonymous donor partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.

Porter says that having reliable transportation will help her maintain her job and childcare and will create stability on her path to economic selfsufficiency. Learn more at www.wheels4hope.org.

A F F I L I AT E N E W S

CFWNC encourages the growth of affiliate funds to promote philanthropy and to raise local funds to meet local needs.

CFWNC provides investment, accounting, grant making, training and administrative support, allowing affiliate advisory boards to focus on setting priorities, attracting donors and supporting nonprofit organizations. The affiliate advisory boards, comprised of local leaders, provide a strong connection to needs and opportunities across our region and are a valuable resource.

All nine of CFWNC’s affiliates co-invested with the Foundation to fund People in Need grants in their communities. In addition, three affiliates have reached an asset level that allows them to award meaningful and significant regional grants through an independent grant program. These programs are more flexible and allow the affiliates to fund a wide variety of projects and nonprofits. The Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund and the Rutherford County Endowment will be announcing grants in April. Grants from the Cashiers Community Fund will be awarded in August.

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Marcus and I came to the Swannanoa Valley as a young couple with no resources, but lots of hopes and dreams. For us and our family, now four generations, this community has provided wonderful opportunities for family, business, faith, school, civic and cultural relationships. This special community has played a vital role in raising and shaping the life values of our family’s children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren. Promoting and supporting our local endowment is the very best way for us to pay our gratitude forward, so that many others in our Valley can thrive. — Ruby Begley Photo by Michael Oppenheim.

F O O D A N D FA R M I N G

Food and Farming Grants totaling $121,500 Awarded Six Food and Farming grants totaling $121,500 were recently approved that support a local food system, maximize opportunities for farmers and food entrepreneurs and support the sustainability and profitability of WNC Farms. With these grants, the Foundation has invested more than $550,879 in this funding focus area.

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) received $34,500 for its Incubator Farm, launched in 2014, that serves beginning and limited resource farmers. The USDA awarded $100,000 to SAHC for 2015 in part to support the Farm and to develop a regionwide Farmers Training Program in coordination with the Organic Growers School (see below) and WNC FarmLink. CFWNC funds will purchase equipment and build infrastructure that the farmers need now in order to succeed and to facilitate on-site training for others. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and an anonymous fund partnered with CFWNC to support this grant.

The Organic Growers School received $15,000 to support the development of a comprehensive, regionally-informed farmer training curriculum tailored to maximize economic possibilities for WNC farmers. The proposed program, Farm Pathways: Access to Land, Livelihood, and Learning, will cover all facets of whole-farm business planning—from fiscal management and marketing to sustainable production—and will pull together best practices and training components of regional organizations into a “school-and-field” educational program.

An anonymous fund partnered with CFWNC to support this grant.

“While there are many good training resources for farmers, the region lacks a coordinated, one-stop program that is responsive to the multi-level needs of agricultural entrepreneurs,” said Senior Program Officer Tim Richards. “This effort is a great opportunity to develop a collaborative region-wide program that will significantly support success and preserve working farmland.”

In the past year, TRACTOR connected 37 small growers from Avery, Mitchell, McDowell, Buncombe and Yancey counties with 38 markets. It has contributed to the revitalization of a local food system by selling more than $135,700 in local produce in 2014 with a combined sales total since opening of $189,631. Photo courtesy of TRACTOR.

The Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC) received $25,000 to support the “Growing Our Food and Farming” component of the Scaling WNC AgriVentures project. This effort builds on work of the initial multi-year WNC AgriVentures project, scheduled to end in September 2015.

AdvantageWest applied for $500,000 over three years from the Economic Development Administration, and CFWNC funds will be part of the required first-year match. LOSRC, in partnership with Southwestern Commission and UNCA’s National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center, will complete asset mapping and multi-media tools and host workshops to further develop the agricultural sector.

The Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council received $22,500 to support a project to introduce “high tunnel” production as an economic opportunity for family farms. High tunnels are specialized greenhouses—plastic hooped structures in fields that can extend growing seasons. USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service is funding the installation of high tunnels (55 to date and potentially 100 by 2016) in Clay, Cherokee, Graham and other far west counties. CFWNC funds will support an interagency effort to provide training and technical assistance in commercial production, marketing and business management necessary to maximize the economic benefit for the small-farm families participating in the program. The Dr. Robert J. and Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund and an anonymous fund partnered with CFWNC to support this grant.

Toe River Aggregation Center Training Organization Regional (TRACTOR) received $20,000 to secure new markets and expand its core group of larger growers to increase the volume of produce aggregated and distributed through the food hub in Burnsville. High-volume deliveries to Ingles require significant quantities of specific produce consistently aggregated, and this requires food hub staffing to support production planning and follow-up quality control with growers. The Cabochon Fund and the Brown Family Fund partnered with CFWNC to support this grant.

Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development Council (MVRCDC) received $4,500 to research and define a grazing strategy for reclaiming and regenerating mountain pastureland. The grazing strategy, while unique in our region, has its origins in pre-fertilizer practices. Many parttime farmers use small cow-calf production to supplement their income and to take advantage of Present Use Value Tax strategies. High cattle prices and the opening of the WNC Livestock Auction facility in Canton have recently revitalized interest in livestock production by small farmers; however, mountain topography limits hay production and uninformed grazing negatively affects streams. This project would support efforts originating in Madison County to help prospective or practicing livestock producers acquire access to underutilized land. MVRCDC will coordinate the programs with NC Cooperative Extension, WNC FarmLink, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service.

A F F I L I AT E N E W S

The Yancey Fund The Yancey Fund has set a goal to raise $1.5 million by 2020. Recent corporate donations are bringing the goal closer. In the past few months, Glen Raven committed $75,000 over three years, while Altec and The Rogers Group are each contributing $40,000 over four years. Since inception, the Fund, in partnership with CFWNC, has made more than $725,000 in grants while growing its endowment to more than $750,000. For perspective, in 2010 when the advisory board committed to growing the endowment, its total balance was $275,000.

KidSenses KidSenses Children's Museum was awarded $20,000 to implement the Y.E.S. (Youth Engaged with Science) Discovery Program serving Rutherford, Polk, Burke, McDowell and Buncombe counties. The goal is to provide STEM experiences to approximately 8,000 low-income and at-risk youth through multiple hands-on workshops and assembly-style programs. Partners include the Burke County Library System, Polk County Library System, Rutherford County Library System, McDowell County Library System and the Buncombe County Library System. Programming will take place at twenty branches multiple times throughout the year, at no cost to the libraries or participants.

The Y.E.S. Discovery Program received a $20,000 People in Need grant funded in part by the Rutherford County Endowment. Photo courtesy of KidSenses.

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N AT U R A L A N D C U LT U R A L R E S O U R C E S

Grants to Wild South Document, Protect and Share Cultural Resources of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians In 2014, CFWNC made a $40,000 grant to Wild South to hire a Cultural Heritage Assistant for its Cultural Heritage Program. Paige Tester was engaged to identify, archive and make available documents related to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and to ensure that cultural areas, particularly historic trails, were documented and protected in the new NantahalaPisgah Forest Management Plan Revision, which also received support from CFWNC. Paige graduated from Western Carolina University Summa Cum Laude in December 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology. Based on the success of her first year’s work, a second grant of $50,000 was approved in February to continue the project, which directly affects communities throughout WNC by seeking permanent protection for cultural resources on public lands and educating people about the rich history of the EBCI. Paige grew up in Cherokee and is a respected young community leader. “As Wild South’s Cultural Heritage Assistant, I have three major roles: to collect digital images of historic documents related to the EBCI and make them accessible to the Tribe; to work closely with local organizations and institutions, such as the U.S. Forest Service, the EBCI Tribal Historic Preservation Office and the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership to make sure that cultural areas, particularly historic trails, are documented and protected in the new Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Management Plan Revision; and to edit and maintain the Cherokee Journey website, which makes our research available to the public.

Wild South used historic maps, surveys, and other documents, paired with field research, Google Earth and GIS mapping to document the location of historic Cherokee trails, settler trails and early wagon and army roads, many of which are located on public lands. Paige presented groundbreaking research to the U.S. Forest Service regarding more than 100 miles of Cherokee trails. This work led to special management prescriptions for cultural corridors, resulting in the protection of tens of thousands of acres in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.

The project will upload 94,513 archival document files, resulting in a digital archive focused on Cherokee towns and farms, lawsuits, treaties, surveys, maps, family records and historical events.

The collection is maintained on PastPerfect, a museum-grade record management database, in the Qualla Boundary Public Library. “Though many historic documents are available to the public, they are often inaccessible to our community members, as the repositories are located in urban hubs,” explained Paige. “Having a database located on the Qualla Boundary provides much needed documents for community members to research their own genealogies and histories.”

Paige Tester (top) exploring Max Patch Bald in Madison County. Paige (bottom) with EBCI member Robin Swayney who is showing her Cherokee archival items at Qualla Boundary Public Library in Cherokee, NC. Photos courtesy of Wild South.

Wild South’s Cherokee Journey website ties together the archival and trail research. It allows users to learn about Cherokee geography, view both historic and contemporary maps, watch narrated videos featuring mapped trails, explore interactive Google Earth maps and discover how field research is conducted. “Our goal is that this research reconnects today’s generation with our natural and cultural landscapes, inspiring people to get outside and explore these historical areas, while strengthening sense of place, community, and self,” said Paige.

www.cherokee.wildsouth.org

Pigeon River Fund continued from page 1.

Haywood Waterways Association: • $55,000 to continue coordinated community efforts to implement the Haywood Watershed Action Plan and increase public appreciation of water resources through educational programs and publications.

• $31,000 toward the costs of repairing failing septic systems for low-income homeowners identified by the Haywood County Environmental Health Department.

• $17,650 for stream bank stabilization and low-impact development improvements to reduce storm water runoff problems at East Street Park in Waynesville.

Madison County School System: $20,000 to help mitigate a fuel leak at Brush Creek Elementary School and avoid degrading the water quality of a nearby stream.

Madison County: • $10,000 toward engineering design and permitting of stream bank improvements, including a boat ramp to improve river access at Redmon Park near Marshall.

• $5,000 to support a Boy Scout project to remove trash and debris from the Baltimore Branch Waterfall in Spring Creek.

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RiverLink: $23,978 to purchase canoes, waders and related equipment to facilitate stream cleanup, water quality monitoring and educational programs in the French Broad Watershed.

Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council: • $15,460 toward the 2015 Envirothon and Youth Environmental Stewardship Camp programs that engage middle and high school youth from Haywood, Madison and Buncombe counties in hands-on learning about water quality.

• $8,468 to support demonstration conservation practices addressing livestock impact on water quality in the Dotson Branch Watershed.

The Conservation Fund: $20,000 toward costs of the 561-acre Sheepback Mountain conservation project to protect the headwaters of Carpenter Branch, a tributary of Jonathan Creek in Maggie Valley.

Town of Black Mountain: $25,000 in matching funds for the Swannanoa River Watershed Restoration Plan that will identify sources of impairment, develop strategies for mitigation and support efforts to secure funding for implementation.

Trout Unlimited: $25,000 to plan, engineer and permit an Aquatic Organism Passage culvert on Little Creek to enhance trout habitat on one of the remaining native brook trout streams in Madison County.

Since 1996 the Pigeon River Fund has invested more than $5 million to support grant projects addressing water quality in Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties.

GIVING BACK

Funds Created between July 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 Designated Funds

A designated fund supports specific nonprofits, named by the donor when the fund is established.

• George and Diana Bilbrey Fund 2014 • Broadwell Designated Fund 2014 • Burgin 2014 Charitable Fund • Marilyn and Larry Fogdall Designated Fund • Dr. Alexander Maitland III Scholarship Fund • Chris McMillan Designated Fund 2014 • Robinson 2014 Charitable Fund

Donor Advised Funds Betty Doll, Doll and Associates Long Term Care Insurance Services, with her financial advisor, Al Davis, Davis Financial Planning. Photo by Michael Oppenheim.

In my work, I help people plan for long-term care. I know how important it is to think carefully about your life and legacy. I included The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina in my estate plan. They helped me create a fund agreement that defines my wishes. After my lifetime, an endowed fund will support the causes I believe in, including community music, the theatre arts and services for the elderly. I’m at ease knowing that the Foundation will steward my legacy for the good of the community, forever. —Betty Doll

Betty is a valued client and colleague. When we discussed her desire to give back to the causes she loves in our community, I knew The Community Foundation was the right choice. Their guidance helps people define their charitable values. My clients value the Foundation’s flexibility, personal approach and professionalism, and so do I. — Al Davis In partnership with professional advisors, CFWNC helps fundholders develop plans for the future. We care about our donors and their charitable goals and giving. We are here to create plans that are a reflection of a person’s values, interests and hopes.

CFWNC is pleased to announce the newly-created Fund for Animal Welfare. This fund will make grants to programs across our region addressing the care, welfare and well-being of domestic and companion animals. Gifts in any amount are welcome, as are gifts in honor or memory of a loved one or furry friend. www.cfwnc.org/communityendowments.

A donor advised fund allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and recommend grants over time.

• Anonymous Fund • Falling Creek - It Only Takes a Spark Fund • Durkin Family Fund • FAITH Fund • Ted and Nancy Humble Fund • Scott Alan Lawrence Foundation Fund • June Litchfield Charitable Fund • Painter Family Fund • Skip and Gael Paschall Charitable Fund • Sally Rhodes Flexible Endowment Fund • Samsel Architects, PA Fund • Tatanka Endowment for Lake Lure Classical Academy • Eric Anderson Weigel Memorial Fund

Expectancy Funds

An expectancy fund will receive assets at a later time, typically through an estate plan, charitable gift annuity or charitable trust.

• Betty Doll Charitable Fund • Clementine Gregory Endowment Fund • Rodney and Phyllis Hamm Charitable Fund • Jim and Katie Ray Fund • Gayle Shelton Charitable Fund • St. Paul Lutheran Church Fund

Field of Interest Funds

Make CFWNC Part of Your Team Maybe you’ve never thought about them this way, but you probably have a team of professionals . . . your attorney, accountant, financial advisor and insurance broker. They’re the people you trust to help manage your portfolio of assets, from the income in your bank account to the plans for your estate.

If you’re including philanthropy in your portfolio, please consider CFWNC as part of your team. Our goal is to be your philanthropic consultant. We can bring valuable information about charitable planning to the larger picture.

The Foundation is knowledgeable about charitable giving, including community issues, complex gifts and how to include giving in tax planning, retirement or the sale of a business.

Maybe you want to structure a charitable gift to provide current income to you or a family member, or to provide another generation with the means for charitable impact. Maybe you’d simply like to ensure that your gift – of any amount – will benefit Western North Carolina forever. We can help.

You and your advisors can depend on CFWNC. We will help customize your current giving and your future plans. We want to understand your interests and goals to ensure how your charitable dollars are used, now and in the future. A consultation with us is confidential and complimentary. Contact Sheryl Aikman (aikman@cfwnc.org) or Becky Davis (bdavis@cfwnc.org) or call CFWNC at 828-254-4960.

A field of interest fund supports broadly defined causes, using CFWNC’s expertise to identify worthy grantees.

• Fund for Animal Welfare

Nonprofit Funds

A nonprofit fund is created by a nonprofit to invest and steward long-term or endowed assets.

• Altapass Foundation Fund • Asheville Humane Society Adoption Fund • Black Mountain Town Square Fund • Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust Fund • Hugh P. Garner Scholarship Fund for First Baptist Church, Waynesville • Great Tree Zen Dana Fund • Living Gifts Fund of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit • NC Poetry Society Fund for the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series

Scholarship Funds

• Dorothy Peek Scholarship Fund for New Morgan Hill Baptist Church

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NORTH CAROLINA ARBORETUM

The North Carolina Arboretum promotes the stewardship and enjoyment of Southern Appalachian plant life through world-renowned gardens and natural landscapes. A dedicated professional and volunteer staff creates innovative experiences, fosters regional and global partnerships and stimulates economic opportunities.

Photos courtesy of the North Carolina Arboretum.

CFWNC Helps NC Arboretum Grow its Resources As The North Carolina Arboretum and its 501(c)(3) Society continue to grow private resources, the staff and board manage these funds to maximum effect. “We presumed that CFWNC might be the right relationship for this purpose, and we have not been disappointed,” said George Briggs, Executive Director. “The quality and qualifications of CFWNC staff and volunteer leadership are superb.”

The Arboretum opened its fund in 2013. Placing assets at the Foundation gives the Arboretum access to layers of supervision, diversity of investments and standards that allow them to operate in an improved investment environment. Working with the Foundation also means that Arboretum donors have access to sophisticated giving tools, such as charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities.

“CFWNC will manage your endowment funds and help you earn more from those funds so that you can spend more time, energy and money focusing on your core mission,” said Briggs. “Given the Foundation’s size and breadth, we have been surprised by the responsive and accommodating service they have consistently provided. They more than live up to their reputation for sound financial management, transparency and record keeping excellence.”

"The Foundation board and staff understand that the ultimate goal is not simply more money, but achieving a greater positive impact on the people and places of WNC. We share that philosophy and appreciate their partnership."

—George Briggs

We always feel welcome in seeking counsel from CFWNC,” he concluded. “They offer tremendous knowledge and expertise and a genuine commitment to making the Arboretum – and our entire region – an even better place.”

More than 130 nonprofits have chosen to secure all or part of their endowments with the Foundation. Placing endowment funds at CFWNC ensures long-term stewardship and objective fiscal management. It also frees staff from the burdens of endowment management and reporting. If you are interested in learning more about the Foundation’s services for nonprofits, contact Marcia Whitney at 828-367-9916 or whitney@cfwnc.org.

PROFESSIONAL SEMINAR

24th Annual Professional Seminar featuring Samuel Donaldson

May 5, 2015 Registration 1:00pm; Seminar 1:30pm – 4:45pm Lioncrest at Biltmore, Asheville, NC Federal Tax Update: New Planning Paradigms for Your Clients Focusing on recent developments in federal income, gift, and estate taxes of interest to estate planners, the session will cover fundamental and advanced tax strategies for affluent clients by recapping important cases, Photo courtesy of Samuel Donaldson. rulings, regulations and legislation from the past year and explaining how those developments impact the new planning paradigms applicable in advising high net worth individuals. Specific topics include the application of the net investment income surcharge to trusts managing rental property, new perils in the transfer of closely-held business interests and strategies for insuring a complete step-up in basis on the death of a surviving spouse. Special attention will be given to charitable planning strategies that make sense under the new regime.

Samuel Donaldson has been a professor of law at the Georgia State University College of Law since 2012. Previously, he served as a professor and associate dean at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle for 13 years, where he was a five-time recipient of the Philip A. Trautman Professor of the Year award from the law school’s Student Bar Association. A member of the Bar in Washington, Oregon and Arizona, he has written and co-written many books, including the Price on Contemporary Estate Planning treatise published by CCH and the forthcoming West casebook, Federal Income Tax: A Contemporary Approach. Professor Donaldson is also an amateur crossword constructor, and his puzzles have been published in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and other outlets.

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Cost: $110, $120 after April 27 Details at www.cfwnc.org.

B I LT M O R E L A K E A N D R A M B L E C H A R I TA B L E F U N D S

Building Community by Giving Back While the Biltmore House is what many people associate with the name George W. Vanderbilt, the family’s legacy of giving back and building community extends far beyond the Biltmore Estate grounds.

“People are drawn to the iconic aspect of the house, but not everyone appreciates the community building aspect of it,” explained Jack Cecil, a fourth-generation family member who serves as President and CEO of the community development company Biltmore Farms, LLC. “From the early 1900’s, our family has been an integral part of the WNC community, being involved with Biltmore Industries, the Biltmore School of Forestry, the YMI Institute, Clarence Barker Hospital and much more.”

Opening funds at The Community Foundation that would grow through sales at Biltmore Lake and Ramble Biltmore Forest was just one way George Cecil, the third-generation family member and Chairman of Biltmore Farms, LLC, and son Jack have continued that legacy. The company seeded the funds with the initial land transfer and successive sales of residences have added to the corpus. “We wanted a charitable vehicle that would continue and build over time,” said Jack. “We asked local residents to serve as advisory board members to encourage community involvement and effective grantmaking.”

Biltmore Farms communities are bringing families into the area. The charitable funds allow the company to give back and embed philanthropy into the business model. “Building community is important to us as a family and a company,” said George. “Our charitable work is central to the company’s ethos and means we can help provide children with access to excellent health care, good education and the opportunity to train for a well-paying job.”

Both Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund and Ramble Charitable Fund place significant emphasis on schools and education and, in 2014 alone, awarded $87,000 to enhance instruction in several neighboring Buncombe County schools.

“The demise of traditional manufacturing wiped out many of the PTA associations that were supporting local schools,” said advisory board member and attorney Jim Edmonds, who has

lived in Enka for 38 years. “These grants have gone a long way towards rebuilding parent connections and supplementing what school budgets alone cannot do.”

“The grants awarded to Enka-Candler public schools since the 2008 recession have served as beacons of hope for our students and teachers in an otherwise dismal financial environment,” added advisory board member Lee Loy. “They have contributed to innovative and creative approaches to learning in our classrooms, particularly in vital areas such as technology, science and math.”

Shad Waters, who grew up in the Shiloh community and worked for many years with CP&L, said that he can see first-hand the benefits of educational programs funded by the Ramble Fund. “I look forward to the day when the fund can do even more to address economic development and build job skills within my community.”

Bob Washel, an educator with Buncombe County Schools and a member of the Ramble Charitable Fund advisory board, said “It is rewarding to work with an organization that funds educational programs, such as the bilingual kindergarten classes at Avery’s Creek Elementary, that directly impact our students and strengthen connections in our communities."

The funds have allowed the Cecil family’s history of giving to continue with convenience and professional support. “We couldn’t do it as effectively without the assistance of The Community Foundation,” said advisory board member Paul Szurek and CFO with Biltmore Farms. “The Foundation has been flexible and creative in working with us, and we benefit from the Foundation’s structure and regional knowledge.”

“Grants from the Ramble and Biltmore Lake charitable funds connect the communities to the broader populous in unexpected ways. I have observed the impact of the musical programs on the students at Valley Springs,” added Brad Galbraith, another advisory board member and Vice President of Communities with Biltmore Farms. “The grants are purposeful and meaningful, and I celebrate what is happening here.”

Ramble Charitable Fund Advisory Board: Paul Szurek, Bob Washel, George Cecil, Shad Waters, Jack Cecil and Brad Galbraith; not pictured: David Swann.

Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund Advisory Board: Paul Szurek, Jim Edmonds, George Cecil, Lee Loy, Jack Cecil and Brad Galbraith. Photos by Michael Oppenheim.

Both the Biltmore Lake and Ramble Charitable Funds were created to improve the quality of life in their respective surrounding communities by supporting education, economic development, the environment, the arts and health care initiatives.

Since their inception, the Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund and Ramble Charitable Fund have distributed more than $500,000 and $132,000, respectively, in grants in the Enka and South Asheville areas.

Students at Hominy Valley Elementary experiment in the Science Lab, funded in part by the Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund. Photo courtesy of Hominy Valley Elementary.

LEARNING LINKS

Learning Links – Small Grants Fund Big Ideas The Learning Links grants program awarded its largest slate of grants in 2014, awarding more than $84,000 to more than 110 projects in eleven counties. The program offers grants up to $800 to public school teachers to provide hands-on learning opportunities for their students. Applications are due in September and grants are awarded in November.

Joelle Poore’s students at Cranberry Middle School in Avery County received MaKey MaKey kits to create computer-programmed musical instruments. By running alligator clips between an object and a computer keyboard, the children turn any object into a computer key, allowing them to create musical instruments from found objects. The high-performing sixth and seventh graders are part of a Computer Science enrichment class and a Computer Science Club. However, many lack enrichment activities outside of school. “The students love the kits,” said Poore. “They are learning a lot and having a great time.”

Cranberry Middle School students learn a variety of skills and develop an understanding of design and research processes as they create an instrument and write a computer program.

Photo courtesy of Cranberry Middle School.

These grants are made possible by the Ben W. and Dixie Glenn Farthing Charitable Endowment Fund and the Cherokee County Schools Foundation.

7

CFWNC

Our Affiliates

Photos courtesy of Mainstay.

Phone: 828-254-4960 Fax: 828-251-2258 www.cfwnc.org

Janirve Sudden and Urgent Need (SUN) Grants Awarded Between July 2014 and January 2015, SUN grants totaling more than $91,000 were awarded to fourteen human service nonprofits experiencing an unforeseen crisis impacting their ability to continue to provide critical services.

The Dandelion Eatery, the job training program of Henderson County’s Mainstay domestic violence crisis and service organization, received a SUN grant to install a mini split air conditioner, two air handlers and an exhaust system for the kitchen. The need for the replacement was unbudgeted. The heat meant that the program could not serve customers effectively and comfortably and that job trainees were at risk of leaving the program. Mainstay's mission is to build safe, self-sufficient families through services, shelter and hope. Mainstay’s programs include safe shelter, adult and child counseling and job training and the Dandelion Eatery.

Management Team

Sheryl Aikman, Vice President, Development Philip Belcher, Vice President, Programs Elizabeth Brazas, President Lindsay Hearn, Communications Director Graham Keever, Chief Financial Officer

Officers

Black Mountain–Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund Cashiers Community Fund The Fund for Haywood County Highlands Community Fund The McDowell Endowment The Fund for Mitchell County Rutherford County Endowment Transylvania Endowment The Yancey Fund

Board of Directors 2014-2015

James W. Stickney, IV, Chair A.C. Honeycutt, Jr., Vice-Chair Laurence Weiss, Secretary G. Edward Towson, II, Treasurer

Board Members Maurean B. Adams William Clarke Jennie Eblen Ernest E. Ferguson Charles Frederick Howell A. Hammond

Darryl Hart Susan Jenkins Stephanie Norris Kiser Tina McGuire Lowell R. Pearlman Ramona C. Rowe

George W. Saenger Anna S. (Candy) Shivers Jerry Stone Sarah Sparboe Thornburg Stephen Watson

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300 Asheville, NC 28803

Asheville, NC Permit No. 518

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Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations

POWER OF THE PURSE

Sold-Out Power of the Purse®

to feature Orange is the New Black author Piper Kerman Bestselling author, memoirist and prison reform activist Piper Kerman is the featured speaker for the 11th Annual Power of the Purse®, taking place on Tuesday, May 19, at the Expo Center at the Crowne Plaza in Asheville.

In her memoir Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison, Kerman recounts the year she spent in the Danbury Correctional Facility for a drug trafficking crime committed ten years prior. The memoir was adapted into a Peabody Awardwinning Netflix series. The show has been called "the best TV show about prison ever made" by The Washington Post and was lauded by Time's TV critic James Poniewozik for "the stunningly matter-of-fact way it uses the prison to create one of TV’s most racially and sexually diverse – and as important, complex –dramas [and] contrasts the power and class dynamics inside Piper Kerman the prison with those outside the prison." The show received 12 Emmy nominations for its first season. Kerman now advocates for prisoners’ rights and sentencing reform.

Proceeds from the event benefit The Women’s Fund, a permanent endowment that supports the unmet needs of women and girls across the region. Spendable income from the endowment is granted through the Women for Women grant program.

The 2015 Women for Women grant recipients will be announced at the luncheon. The giving circle expects to award $250,000 to nonprofits working to addressing issues of violence against women and girls in Western North Carolina including domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, elder abuse, bullying and sexting.

The Women for Women giving circle always welcomes new members. Learn more at www.cfwnc.org.