Clemmons Community Foundation

”Unlockingthefullphilanthropicpotential of BY MEGHAN CORBETT Clemmons, Lewisville,andsurroundingcommunities. ”

The Clemmons Community Foundation has been positively impacting the local community since 2004 when it was created under the name of the Clemmons Rotary Foundation. “In 2011, its leaders felt that if the foundation were organized as a community foundation, it had better potential to grow as a local charitable vehicle to reach the full community (not just still including Rotarians), encouraging lifetime and legacy gifts,” said Sandi Scannelli, president and CEO of the Clemmons Community Foundation. “In 2012, the conversion to a community foundation was complete. Since that time, the foundation grew as envisioned under the leadership of its board of directors with several large bequest gifts. In April of 2018, thanks to a generous grant, the foundation hired its staff and opened an of ce.”

While the name and number of people involved in the foundation have changed since the beginning, the ultimate goal of what those involved wish to accomplish remains unchanged. “The fundamental goal of the foundation today has not changed…rather, we’ve enriched our work to provide additional service and support for our donors and broader community engagement and leadership in responding to community needs and interests,” said Scannelli. “One of our most recent funds established is the Burkel Family Foundation Fund, established by longtime resident and community leader, Ken Burkel. He established it for several reasons:

a) He’s always been involved in local causes as a leader and a contributor. Ken wanted to leave a legacy that re ected his life. He made a gift to start an endowed fund in his family’s name that would make community grants annually from the earnings on the investment – forever. Yes, even beyond his lifetime. During his lifetime, Ken will advise the foundation on where he would like to see grants awarded…which leads to his second reason for starting a family legacy fund.

b) Ken has two sons and grandchildren. His great hope and prayer are that his children and grandchildren will recognize, be inspired and emulate his model of giving and investing in the community. The fund is set up whereby his children will become the future advisors for the fund’s grant awards.

The latter is an amazing bonus. The community foundation, when setting up the fund and working with the donor, captures the donor’s intentions and some of the special life experiences that shaped the intention. Those stories are brought to life every year in perpetuity during grant-making.”

When Ken Burkel was looking to give back, the thoughtfulness and continuous nature of a foundation appealed to him. “I had a small business in Clemmons and felt the need to give back to the community,” said Burkel. “Community foundations provide a wonderful means by which to contribute to needs that can be either those of my own choice or those which have been vetted by professionals. Also, I want to be an example to others in the community and want to help the CCF gain additional signi cant donors. Being a donor demonstrates commitment and convictions to other potential donors. I feel that being a donor in the CCF is an investment, not just a donation. The principal will be there in perpetuity. This is a combination of good scal planning and compassion to worthy causes within the community.”

In addition to amazing funds like Ken Burkel’s, the Clemmons Community Foundation has formed strong relationships with other major organizations in the area to increase the positive impact it can make on the community. “The Foundation has had a wonderful relationship with the Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber with several partnership examples over the years,” said Scannelli. “Most recently, we’ve been working with them on two new initiatives. An exciting initiative that will bene t all residents who aspire to serve Lewisville and Clemmons in some community leadership capacity is Leadership Lewisville-Clemmons (LLC). Our board members are huge fans of the bene ts of leadership programs, and Leadership Winston-Salem is a fabulous example in which many of our board members have participated.

“Another partnership with the Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber is a fund to offer vocational education scholarships for our area’s high school graduates. Last year at a chamber luncheon, members learned that a high percentage of 12th-grade students had no plans following graduation. At the same time, many local employers are struggling to nd employees with the skills necessary for vocational and technical occupations. The Clemmons Community Foundation became involved because we offer the infrastructure to receive and manage charitable donations and the process of managing scholarship awards. An initial gift was made to start the scholarship fund with its rst scholarship named the Mason H. Hunter Vocational Scholarship. We have a donor interested in matching the funds raised. The scholarship will be up to $2,500 based on the cost of the program in which the student enrolls. Our hope is to raise enough to endow at least one scholarship – meaning that the scholarship will be paid every year from the investment earnings of the dollars raised.” What makes this scholarship unique is the pairing with Chamber employers to provide mentor and internship opportunities for scholarship recipients.

For more information about the Clemmons Community Foundation and to learn more about the various partnerships that seek to improve the Clemmons community, visit the website at clemmonsfoundation.org.

Ken Burkel

WORKING WITH THE CLEMMONS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION…

• We are your neighbors! We are a local nonpro t organization with deep roots in the communities of Clemmons and Lewisville.

• Your interests and causes matter to us – here and beyond.

While our focus is serving the needs in Clemmons and

Lewisville, individuals can use the community foundation to support multiple charities – locally and beyond. • Highly personalized. We are creative, exible and provide highly personalized service tailored to each individual’s charitable goals and nancial interests.

• Tax smart. We offer maximum tax advantages allowed by law.

• You can create a legacy. We build endowment funds that create a personal or family legacy bene tting the causes you care about. We document, honor and follow your goals and intentions, now and forever…and build in your succession plan, if circumstances of your initial intent change. • We follow up on grants awarded – monitoring program progress and outcomes, ensuring the dollars are used as intended and making the impact you intended.

• You make the difference. We make it easy. Even your biggest charitable ideas and goals become easier to accomplish and a rewarding experience – even fun! We serve you and bring the technical expertise to take care of all the pesky details.