Accelerating small business recovery

Island chamber hires critical staff member through CFI grant

The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce has hired a member services manager, a position critical to helping the chamber support businesses as they rebuild following Hurricane Ian.

Alex Bustamante began work May 15.

The position was made possible by a $75,000 grant from the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) through its Sanibel-Captiva Recovery Fund.

The member services manager serves as the point of contact for island businesses – existing chamber members, new ones and even non-members – to connect them to the resources they need to reopen.

See full story

Grant helps chamber provide ‘open’ signs to businesses

Tall signs now identify open businesses on Sanibel and Captiva islands, thanks to a joint effort of the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI), The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce and the City of Sanibel.

With a $16,450 grant from the CFI Sanibel-Captiva Recovery Fund, the chamber purchased 100 signs and provided them to open businesses without charge.

*The Sanibel City Council approved the 5-foot-6-inchtall feather signs in place of the 3-foot-6-inch-tall signs previously allowed.

Donor Advised Funds play key role in islands’ future

In 2022, CFI’s Donor Advised Fund (DAF) partners recommended grants totaling close to $682,000, with more than $400,000 (60%) earmarked for the SWFL community.

CECI artist’s painting serves as thank you to generous DAF donors

Beau Gales, a young artist from Children’s Education Center of the Islands (CECI) recently painted a picture for Liz and Jim Birmingham, who generously donated to the preschool through their donor advised fund with CFI.

CECI board President Andrea Murphy presented donors Liz and Jim Birmingham with the painting created by Beau Gales to thank them for the donation from their donor advised fund with CFI.

Sanibel residents Bill and Laurie Harkey establish $2 million DAF

Laurie and Bill Harkey have embraced philanthropic causes in multiple locations as they moved for Bill’s Army career. When they moved to Sanibel 4 years ago, they became involved with local nonprofits that matched their interests. The next logical step was to invest in those causes.

So, they recently created a $2 million Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI), as well as a legacy commitment by naming CFI as a successor trustee. “This is our home now,” Laurie said. “We’re shifting our support and our interest here. Now it’s time to shift our focus.”

Exploring Options

Bill said they looked at various local organizations before deciding to establish the fund with CFI. A donor advised funds is a simple and tax efficient way to give to your favorite charities. They are also the fastest growing charitable giving vehicles in the United States and one CFI has offered to its donors since 2011.

“CFI is still relatively young as an organization and needs to grow,” Bill said. “I would encourage anyone within earshot that is looking for a philanthropic way of doing things to consider CFI as a very good place to start. Donor advised funds help your money grow.”

HEALING ISLAND’S HEART

The couple made additional lead gifts recently to other island nonprofits, including a $500,000 matching gift challenge grant to repair the Sanibel Community House.

“If the Sanibel Lighthouse is the physical symbol of the soul of the island, then the Community House is its beating heart,” Bill said.

Bill, who is from California, spent almost 30 years in the U.S. Army, primarily in public affairs and instructing at the Army War College. Laurie was a medical social worker, originally from Akron. They traveled extensively for his job.

Now fulltime Sanibel residents, they volunteer with CROW, Ding Darling, Sanibel Captiva Rotary Club, and other wildlife, environmental, education and veteran affairs causes. The Harkeys were recently named the 2023 Volunteers of the Year by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce.

At one time they planned to set up their own foundation, then found out about DAFs and realized they require far less maintenance on the donors’ part.

“You don’t need to start with a big sum,” Bill says. “You can let it grow with CFI (or the organization managing it) and recommend grants to the nonprofits you want to support. We let the people who do this for a living handle it. It’s a no brainer and it’s so easy.”

A donor advised fund can be established with CFI for a minimum of $25,000.

For information on donor advised funds, visit mycfi.org or contact Dolly Farrell at dfarrell@sancapcfi.org or 239-322-3818.