NGCF 2023 Annual Report

2023 Annual Report

Built on a Legacy

Blair Diaz 2022-2023 NGCF Board Chair

A community built on a legacy of philanthropy is a community that not only grows but thrives. Serving as board chair for a second tenure, I have witnessed how people with a common passion for supporting our community can accomplish significant good. The growth of the Foundation from my first term as board chair in 2011 to my second term in 2022-2023 is remarkable. In 2011, our goal was to grow our assets to more than $50 million. At the end of 2023, our total assets under management were $104 million. Thanks to the diligent efforts of the board, staff and donors to grow our Community Fund, this year we were able to award more than $500,000 to support nonprofits across our region through our NGCF Grant Programs. To put that in perspective, during my first board term in 2011, we awarded $14,000 in grants.

In 2022 and 2023 we focused on capitalizing available resources to make the most powerful impact possible. Our board member representation expanded to reflect more communities; allowing us more insight and reach into the areas we serve. To learn and gain wisdom from others in the community foundation world, our team hosted the first Georgia Community Foundations Summit. Key members from 13 community foundations across the state spent two days sharing ideas and practices to best work with our fundholders, nonprofits, and local communities. Our board engagement, including past board chairs, the Community Foundations Summit, and other intentional interactions helped us gather fresh thoughts that were instrumental in the development of a new Strategic Plan for 2024-2026.

Reflecting on my second opportunity to serve as NGCF board chair, I am confident the growth from 2011 to 2023 is our continued trajectory. This report highlights the good we accomplished in 2023 with our fundholders and nonprofit partners. We are fortunate to live in a community with a heart of generosity. As we continue to focus on how to best serve our region, let us be reminded of the remarkable work we have accomplished together through the years and strive to create greater impact in the days ahead.

NGCF STORIES OF PHILANTHROPY

Together with our fundholders, we are strengthening our region. Whether we have worked alongside them for decades or for less than a year, each has a story and reason for giving. We encourage you to learn about some of them in our NGCF Stories of Philanthropy.

Scholarships

Scholarship funds at NGCF are designed to support students in perpetuity

Total number of scholarships awarded: 269

Total scholarship dollars awarded: $559,400

Total number of colleges: 59

NGCF Grant Programs Meet Needs Across North Georgia

A total of $541,617 was awarded to nonprofits in North Georgia through 3 different grant programs: Community Grants, Opportunity Grants, & Discretionary Grants

Community Grants

Application based, annual grants cycle

$492,922 awarded

46 organizations

17 counties served: Banks, Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Jackson, Lumpkin, Pickens, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White

Grant programs are funded through the NGCF Community Fund, a charitable endowment. Since 1999 $2,644,443 in grant funding has been awarded to nonprofits throughout North Georgia.

84% of the total grant amount awarded have been made within the past 5 years.

$2,644,443 $360,495 $2,283,948

Opportunity Grants

Identifying and supporting nonprofits with the initiation of new services, or the expansion of current services, that focus on addressing key community issues.

$107,000 in grants

4 organizations

4 counties

2023 Recipients were:

• Community Helping Place ($60,000)

Purchasing and remodeling a Mobile Service Unit, which will provide a new way to help clients overcome transportation barriers.

• Promise 686 ($20,000)

Implementing the Care Portal and Family Advocacy Program to create ‘wrap-around support’ for foster families in Rabun County.

• Open Arms Clinic ($15,000)

Enabling the expansion of their diabetes program, ‘Sweet Feet,’ to serve additional patients.

• White County Family Connection ($12,000)

Funding salary and supplies for a contract employee working with the new School Mentoring Program serving White County students.

Discretionary Grants

Grants to meet immediate, urgent needs. Applications available year-round. In 2023, Discretionary Grants totaled $4,695.

LUMPKIN

HALL

WHITE

RABUN

STEPHENS

Educational Programming for Nonprofit Teams & Boards

In 2023

219 participants from 121 organizations throughout 24 counties

participated in nonprofit education and leadership development programming

Community Nonprofit Center

In 2023, we provided affordable office space to 13 nonprofit organizations at our NGCF Community Nonprofit Center on Oak Street

NGCF

Meeting Spaces

NGCF provides 3 community meeting spaces for nonprofit and local organizations:

• NGCF Community Room

• 2 Conference Rooms at the NGCF Community Nonprofit Center

765 meetings took place in our community meeting spaces in 2023

Foundation Directory Online

NGCF provides nonprofits access to Foundation Directory Online (FDO), a research tool that helps nonprofits find gran opportunities through private foundations, corporations, and federal agencies.

ASSETS

Current Assets

Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2023

REVENUES, GAINS AND OTHER SUPPORT

Other receivables $346,939

Prepaid expenses & deposits $23,922

Total Current Assets $107,666,608

Property & equipment, net $2,286,026 Operating lease $1,739,270 right-to-use asset, net Cash held in trust $94,695 Investments held in trust $10,215,003 TOTAL ASSETS $122,001,602

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

Current Liabilities Accounts payable $48,157

lease liability $179,402

under split $565,145 interest agreements Total Current Liabilities $805,944 Long Term Liabilities Funds held as agency $24,141,292 endowments Operating lease liability $1,559,868

under split $2,517,188 interest agreements

Annuity liabilities $86,546 Total Long Term $28,304,894 Liabilities TOTAL LIABILITIES $29,110,838 Net Assets

$1,151,047

donor restriction $6,309,747

NET ASSETS $92,890,764

LIABILITIES & $122,001,602 NET ASSETS

realized/unrealized $9,133,223 gain (loss) on investments

in value of split ($180,942) interest agreements

Revenue, Gains $26,307,049 and Other Support

Net Assets Released from Restrictions $0 Restrictions satisfied by payments

REVENUE, GAINS, $26,307,049 RECLASSIFICAITONS EXPENSES AND LOSSES

$263,084

Expenses $11,201,789

Expenses $11,202,043 and Losses INCREASE (DECREASE) IN $15,105,006 NET ASSETS

NET ASSETS $77,785,758 ENDING NET ASSETS $92,890,764

2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BLAIR DIAZ | Chair

J. RANDALL FROST | Vice Chair

BRIAN D. STEINES | Secretary

KRISTI GRIFFIN | Treasurer

MARK BELL

CHAD BLACK

TAMMY CAUDELL

STEVE COOPER

CHARLIE FIVEASH

DR. MARY GOWAN

DON GRIMSLEY

LINDA HARDIE

BRIAN HORTON

TOM JOHNSTON

CHRISTINA JONES

MARY HELEN MCGRUDER

STEVE MICKENS

Our Mission

TRACY MOON

ANN NIXON

TATE O’ROUKE

LYDIA SARTAIN

ROBERT SHIPPEY, JR.

JOHN VARDEMAN

JASON VOYLES

BRIAN WHALEN

MARY HART WILHEIT

The North Georgia Community Foundation helps people and nonprofits invest generously in the lives of those who call our community home.

Standards of Excellence

We are committed to operating with the highest level of integrity to protect, steward and grow charitable resources for the North Georgia region.

2023 Executive Committee from left to right: Brian D. Steines, J. Randall Frost, Blair Diaz, and Kristi Griffin