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From the President

Dear Friends, As we transition into a new year, an exciting transition is going on at the Community Foundation as well. This year marked the end of our most recent strategic plan and an opportunity to develop our plan for the next five years. It has been an exciting time to reflect back on our accomplishments and to look ahead to the next five years. This also marks a difficult time of year. In December, we awarded nearly $300,000 in grants to regional nonprofits accomplishing amazing things in tough economic times. Take for example the Boys and Girls Club—the recession has taken a toll on Northland families and the Boys and Girls Club is seeing this firsthand through increased enrollment.

Meantime, they are struggling with decreased funding. A grant for $12,500 from our Community Opportunity Fund for core mission support will provide some relief. At Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, a similar situation is underway. Despite this challenge, the organization is committed to increasing the number of people they can serve by finding new and creative ways to rescue usable food and distribute it to those in need. A grant for $8,000 will help in these efforts. In Superior, the Center Against Sexual & Domestic Assault is seeing an increase in women and children fleeing abusive homes. This increased strain on CASDA is to provide immediate physical and safety needs of domestic violence victims and hopefully facilitate the move from victim to survivor. This list of regional nonprofits seeing an increased demand for services is getting larger and larger.

Despite all that we can support, there are many strong programs in our region we couldn’t fund because of this unprecedented need and a limited capacity to give. Looking ahead to 2011 and beyond, we will need your continued support. The Community Foundation remains committed to its vision of fostering generosity, civic engagement, and inclusiveness through private giving for the public good.

Our vision is achieved thanks to generous donors who have created a substantial endowment that will serve this region’s needs in perpetuity. To date, we have granted more than $35 million out to regional nonprofits. Each year, hundreds of students receive scholarships from the Foundation totaling nearly $1 million. Strong community volunteers are actively participating and working with us on our Community Initiative efforts.  All of this is possible because nearly 30 years ago, a small group of concerned citizens believed they could make a positive impact on this community. This in itself is pretty amazing. But, as we look ahead, it is even more exciting to anticipate where we might be five years from now thanks to the momentum of caring, committed citizens in the Northland.

Happy Holidays!


Holly C. Sampson, president