Community
foundations bring together people who care about their communities. They are
independent, volunteer-driven, charitable organizations that aim to strengthen
their communities by facilitating philanthropy, by partnering with donors to
build permanent endowments and other funds from which they support community
projects, and by providing leadership on issues of broad community concern. A
Community Impact Grant from the WindsorEssex Community Foundation supported the
re-establishment of the Group Program and expansion of the Big Brothers Big
Sisters Windsor Essex Go Girls! program in our community.
Founded
on trust, community foundations help donors achieve their charitable goals and
invest financial capital in their communities. But they also stimulate and
nurture the relationships that link us to others and that create our sense of
belonging to a community. Social scientists call these vital connections
"social capital" and have found that they are linked to many measures
of community and individual well-being. Community foundations, experienced in
building financial capital for their communities, also have a leadership role
in building social capital - the glue that holds communities together.
The first
Canadian community foundation was created in 1921 in Winnipeg. Today community
foundations are the fastest growing form of philanthropy in North America.
Strengths
of a Community Foundation
A
long-term view
Community
foundations focus on building permanent endowments, therefore they are able to
tackle long-term community challenges as well as immediate needs.
A
WindsorEssex Community Foundation grant has allowed for a weekly visit by 2
Clown-Doctors at the Complex Continuing Care units at Windsor Regional Hospital
and Malden Park, Western Campus.
Permanence
Gifts to
a community foundation endowment meet community needs in perpetuity.
Community-based,
personalized donor service
Community
foundations are uniquely equipped to help individual donors meet their
particular philanthropic goals by providing in-depth knowledge of community
opportunities along with expertise in a wide range of flexible charitable
giving options.
A broad
perspective
Community
foundations make effective grants and develop networks in a wide range of
sectors. With this in-depth community knowledge, they can identify
opportunities in many fields and build on existing community strengths. They
are also well placed to make simple, but often powerful, connections between
people and organizations in the community.
Commitment
to community service
Community
foundations are broad-based, volunteer-driven local organizations. Because
their view of community issues and priorities is independent and crosses many
sectors, community foundations have an opportunity for collaborative leadership
that transcends “special interests” and reflects the interests of the community
at large.
Accountability
Community
foundations believe that their values and way of working, not just their work,
can be a powerful tool for building social capital. As responsible members of
the voluntary sector, community foundations strive for flexible, transparent
governance and leadership practices that welcome volunteer involvement,
encourage dialogue among diverse voices in the community and inspire commitment
to philanthropy.
For more
information, visit out FAQ section.
The
WindsorEssex Community Foundation is a proud member of Community Foundations of
Canada — representing the 163 community foundations across Canada.