The Community Foundation provides donors with an easy and convenient way to give back to our community with joy and impact.  We make grants to nonprofit organizations in support their efforts to strengthen our community.   From time to time, we initiate programs when it appears that leadership is required to focus attention on important community issues.   We also partner with local corporations, foundations and governmental entities to address specific needs in a spirit of collaboration and efficiency.

When a donor makes a gift to establish a fund with the Community Foundation, those assets become part of our pooled funds.  These funds are invested on a "total return" basis, which combines capital appreciation and earned income, and are managed by professional private investment managers.  To ensure that the Community Foundation's portfolio is managed effectively, the Foundation retains an independent investment consultant, The Russell Company, whose role is to oversee investment and manager selection, asset allocation strategies and appropriate benchmarks, and to monitor the performance of each of the fund managers.  The Foundation's investment activities are ultimately guided by the Community Foundation Board of Trustees and an Investment Committee consisting of Trustees and volunteers with extensive investment experience and perspective.

The community foundation seeks to leverage opportunities in the region where a moderate amount of grant money can achieve a significant result.  We look for proposals from organizations with a well-planned approach to issues and needs, with a demonstrated base of support, committed leadership, and the involvement of individuals with the skills necessary to carry out the work.

The Foundation's grants are generally not large enough to support any enterprise completely.  We use our finite resources either to enable nonprofit organizations to explore new undertakings or to find improved means of fulfilling ongoing projects.  The Foundation looks for projects where a grant will have both an immediate and lasting effect. We emphasize programmatic rather than continuing operating support.  We seek high impact/low cost solutions.