Officials at Blue Grass Community Foundation can blow out 45 birthday candles this year — quite an accomplishment.
The foundation, in its own marketing words, “is where people go to give — of their passion, money and ideas — to enhance the quality of life in our region.”
“For several decades we were a modest, volunteer-led effort with no professional staff. That’s changed over the last 15 years,” said Lisa Adkins, president and CEO of the foundation. “A lot has happened in the last three years, with the foundation’s assets growing from $30 million to more than $55 million today.”
Adkins said the tax-exempt, nonprofit foundation, one of nearly 700 such community foundations across the country, was created in 1967 by a small group of local business leaders. They felt that people who loved the Bluegrass region should have a simple way to give back to it.
Benefactors large and small can be part of this public charity by establishing their own funds or endowments. “We have 320 individual funds. People with a charitable dream or asperation come to us. We help them turn a charitable idea into charitable action. We organize their giving into really effective vehicles,” explained Adkins.
That could mean someone whose passion is basic and emergency-oriented, like helping to offer food and shelter for the poor. Or it could be an interest in animal welfare or horticulture, or any cause people imagine and care about.
“You need all those things flourishing to have a really vibrant, dynamic, thriving community,” said Adkins.
Last year, 2011, was the highest year for grant dollars distributed by BGCF. Roughly $3.14 million in grants were made to support needs in 31 Kentucky counties.
“The real beauty of it is that [the money] doesn’t go to just 10 causes but to hundreds. We really help charitable givers connect,” Adkins said.
Adkins describes this region as a diverse giving community. She wants charitable giving to be simple, organized and accessible.
A bit surprisingly, Adkins also feels that philanthropically, the area is undercapitalized, with vast untapped potential.
“There are people who give nothing who could give a little and other people and businesses with great capacity whom we haven’t yet engaged,” she said.
The Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank, conducted philanthropy analysis and estimated that 46 percent of Kentuckians gave $25 or more to various nonprofits in 2011.
“That means 54 percent didn’t even give $25,” said Adkins. “When I talk about untapped potential, that’s what I mean.”
Adkins believes those who gave at least $25 could give a little more, and the 54 percent who gave nothing could start giving something.
“We want to make charitable giving engaging, accessible, rewarding and even fun,” she said.
Ryan Koch is executive director of Seedleaf, a nonprofit recipient of funds managed by BGCF.
“Our mission is to nourish communities by growing, cooking, sharing and recycling food,” said Koch.
Since 2007, Seedleaf has started 16 community gardens in Lexington. Many are located in “food deserts,” areas of Lexington, primarily in the north and east ends of the city, where there are no grocery stores for people to buy nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables. Seedleaf teaches people to grow, harvest and cook healthier food.
The other eight gardens are market gardens where produce is raised for sale to help support the programs.
Koch, with a graduate counseling degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, credits BGCF with helping Seedleaf to access the community contributions it needs to continue its work.
“They’re a wonderful partner, helping us build relationships with funders. They’ve also helped us access online giving. Everything I read says that online giving is the next big wave and the thing we need to get ready for,” said Koch.
The second annual GoodGiving Guide Challenge, a partnership between BGCF and Smiley Pete Publishing, which produces Business Lexington, is underway. It continues through Dec. 31. In 2011, the challenge provided 58 participating nonprofits with more than $204,000 in donations from the community. This year, 68 nonprofits have signed up.
To coincide with its 45th anniversary, BGCF is putting up $45,000 in matching endowment funds for the nonprofits to access and win during the challenge. Portraits of all 68 nonprofits are available so the public can learn more about the work they do.
Another new feature at BGCF is charity gift cards. The Giving Card program uses cards that are similar to retail gift cards and can be redeemed to benefit any charity in the country. They come in denominations of $25, $50 or $100.
To continue its 45th birthday theme, BGCF will randomly give away a handful of charity gift cards with giving amounts of $45 or $450 already on them.