Connections Spring 2014
www.nebcommfound.org
Celebrating 20 Years: Moving Forward Start small…think big…work hard and build trust. It’s the formula for almost every entrepreneurial endeavor. For the nine visionary founders who welcomed NCF’s first affiliated funds 20 years ago, the formula worked beautifully. Established with no major gifts or source of support, our fledgling foundation set out to create a statewide movement of volunteer community builders. From the beginning the founders recognized the extraordinary opportunity and threat of Nebraska’s intergenerational transfer of wealth. The mission in 1994 remains the same today: Give people the tools they need to harness local wealth for charitable giving, and support decision-making at the local level. By the end of its first year of operation, more than two dozen communities and organizations had signed on as affiliated
funds to benefit from NCF’s tax-exempt status, training, fundraising assistance and financial management – all provided by a part-time staff and a dedicated board of directors. In the early years most of the dollars were raised and then spent for projects and programs. By 1996 total assets approached the $1 million mark. More importantly, the first endowed funds were established. Permanence and progress are how we measure success. Grants made by affiliated funds will have a long-term positive impact for everyone in the community. Donors can be confident that when their gifts are endowed their charitable dollars will multiply and go on giving for generations. Our communities
$140
Estimated Planned Gifts
$130
Non-permanent Assets
$120
Endowed Assets
$110 $100 $90 $80 $70 $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 $10
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
(Assets in Millions as of 6/30)
will become more and more self-reliant through strong local and regional partnerships. And NCF will continue to advance our culture of giving throughout the state. Together we are changing the way people think about the future of their hometowns! n
The people of Brown County were early adopters, establishing the Brown County Foundation Fund in March 1995. More than half of the Fund’s nearly $800,000 in assets is endowed. The Fund has awarded 123 grants to 41 entities, and nearly $1.5 million in planned gifts are in place for the future.