One of the biggest questions we get asked when we’re out and about in the community is, “What exactly do you do?” Many of you have heard the name “Community Foundation” either in a newspaper article or through a nonprofit organization you’re involved with, but beyond that, the details get a little fuzzy. Not to worry…you’re not alone in your confusion.
So what exactly do we do here at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne? We are a not-for-profit organization working to inspire philanthropy in Allen County in three ways:
- We help people make their charitable giving more impactful.
- We connect funding to nonprofits through effective grantmaking.
- We provide leadership to address community needs and improve quality of life.
So now that you know what we do, let’s talk a little bit about what that all means.
We help people make their charitable giving more impactful.
Charitable giving is a deeply personal activity – you might support a special organization that’s made a difference in your life or a cause that you feel deeply passionate about. You might feel drawn to give back in order to address the most significant needs in our community.
But regardless of why you feel personally motivated to give, our goal at the Community Foundation is to help you make your philanthropic giving as impactful as possible. Giving away money is easy; giving it away wisely requires intentionality. Our vast community knowledge and nonprofit expertise allow us to help people make charitable gifts that maximize impact and make a difference.
We connect funding to nonprofits through effective grantmaking.
Grantmaking is the piece of our operations that people are most familiar with…but there’s a lot more to effective grantmaking than meets the eye. In 2017, the Community Foundation awarded $8.2 million in grants to the nonprofit community.
Some of our grants, like the competitive grants that we make from our Community Impact Fund, are only available for nonprofits that serve Allen County and its residents, but others – like the grants our donors request to make out of their donor advised funds – are able to go to any 501(c)3 organization, anywhere the donor wants!
We provide leadership to address community needs and improve quality of life.
The Community Foundation is committed to creating a better future for us all by pursuing the community’s greatest opportunities and addressing our most critical challenges. We continue to develop partnerships with local community leaders from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to seek innovative and effective solutions, creating a more vibrant community.
Our goal is to connect people, institutions and resources from throughout Allen County to produce significant, widely-shared, and lasting results. When we work together, we are able to move our region forward.