2024-2026
Strategic plan Executive Summary
n g c f . o r g
2024-2026 Strategic plan
mission
The North Georgia Community Foundation helps people & nonprofits invest generously in the lives of those who call our community home.
vision
North Georgia: A caring community where giving is a way of life.
essence
Invested in North Georgia.
who we serve & our desired impact
FUNDHOLDERS value their relationships with NGCF because they receive effective, personalized service, access to community expertise & leadership, tax advantages, and solid investment strategies. NONPROFITS have access to financial and educational resources to fulfill their missions and develop stronger, more effective teams, boards, and volunteers.
national accreditations community foundations national standards
Achieved each accreditation cycle since 2005. *NGCF was the first Community Foundation in Georgia to receive this accreditation. All community foundations receiving accreditation must meet 26 National Standards. Updated in 2014, these standards show that the community foundation strives to achieve operational excellence.
candid platinum seal of transparency
Annually recognition since 2019. Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. By sharing metrics that highlight progress the Foundation is making toward its mission, the organization is helping donors move beyond simplistic ways of nonprofit evaluation such as overhead ratios.
charity navigator 4-star rating Endorsed with 4-Star distinction since 2016. Charity Navigator evaluates a nonprofit organization’s financial health including measures of stability, efficiency and sustainability. They also track accountability and transparency policies to ensure the good governance and integrity of the organization.
n g c f . o r g
2024-2026 Strategic plan
a note from our ngcf president & ceo
I am excited to share NGCF’s 2024-2026 strategic plan. After completing our 2020-2024 strategic plan a full year early, our board, stakeholders, and partners recommended we assess our current position and use the momentum we have built to keep moving forward. This 3-year plan serves as a roadmap that honors our organizations history of growth and resilience, and eagerly embraces the path ahead.
Since NGCF’s inception in 1985, we have awarded more than $149M in grants and scholarships (through year-end 2023). This serves as an outstanding testament to the generosity of our fundholders who believe in the power of philanthropy. I am honored to have led this incredible organization since 2015, experiencing first-hand, outstanding milestones along the way. In 8 years, the number of funds we administer and our assets under management have both tripled. We moved into the first year of the new strategic plan administering 515 funds and stewarding over $119.5 in charitable assets.
NGCF COMMUNITY FUND GRANTS TO NONPROFITS 2015 2015 2016 2016
2019 2019 2020 2020 2021 2021 2022 2022
*Added Opportunity Grants Program
$1M in COVID-19 Relief *Started Match Madness Campaign *Added Discretionary Grants Program
0
$110 000,00 $220 K0 000,0 K00 $330 000,00 K0 $4400 00,00 K0 5 $500 00,00 K0 $6600 00,000 K $7700 00,000 K
2023 2023
NGCF Community Fund has blossomed; with over $2.6 million in grants awarded through the NGCF Community Fund – astonishingly, $2.5 million of
2017 2017 2018 2018
The other area to highlight is how the
that since 2015 – with that growth we have strategically established new grant programs to better serve the evolving needs of our community.
In addition to the quantitative analysis of the past 8-years, we established our nonprofit educational series - GROW, moved office locations to accommodate a team that tripled in size, created a new meeting space for nonprofits to grow and thrive; all while consistently achieving recording-breaking scholarship amounts, clean audits, and renewed accreditations. As we embrace our new 3-year strategic plan, we are committed to continuing this trajectory of investing in our community with intention and purpose. I am profoundly grateful for our fundholders, community partners, and board of directors who are an integral part of our journey and supporting our efforts to expand our reach even further.
Michelle R. Prater
n g c f . o r g
2024-2026 Strategic plan
strategies for growth FUNDHOLDERS Educate, nurture, and develop relationships with fundholders and future fundholders to grow funds and giving potential.
programs Expand programs and educational opportunities for all NGCF audiences.
community Increase community awareness and understanding of NGCF.
organization Commit to providing an organizational culture for board and team that ensures a collaborative environment, which results in a highly effective, mission-driven, and passionate team.
service excellence Continually strive to exceed expectations and provide the highest level of service to NGCF stakeholders.
n g cngcf.org f . o r g