“So what is a community foundation?”
Having joined Kern Community Foundation almost one year ago, this is the question that comes up most frequently in conversations.
The community foundation model was born more than 100 years ago by banker Frederic Goff in Cleveland, who realized the value of creating a permanent fund that would benefit citizens in his community for generations to come. One effort even helped create a system of public parks and open spaces that increased access to nature for all city residents.
Today, more than 800 community foundations around the country help build and strengthen their communities and bring together people and organizations that want to make a difference in the world. They are tax-exempt public charities that guide philanthropy and are dedicated to improving the quality of life in the areas they serve.
Individuals, families, businesses and organizations work with community foundations to create permanent charitable funds that help meet community challenges.
For donors, community foundations offer a range of charitable giving options that provide tax benefits and strategic advice about philanthropy. For the geographic region they serve, community foundations provide leadership, expertise and capital to address social issues and serve as a resource for nonprofit, civic, government and philanthropic organizations.
For the past 16 years, Kern Community Foundation has worked to bring together people and organizations that want to make a difference in the community. The donors behind these funds represent a rich and diverse cross section of our population from newly married couples and working professionals to community icons, civic-minded groups and even publicly traded corporations. Clearly something we are quite proud of and hopefully something that more folks can realistically see in their future.
In coming months, I look forward to sharing more about the Kern Community Foundation and the importance of community philanthropy so that one day, people will know their community foundation as a resource for organized, impactful giving, making our community a better place to live, to work and to visit.
Kristen Barnes is the president and CEO at Kern Community Foundation.
Contact her at Kristen@kernfoundation.org or 616-2601.
