An old idea in philanthropy is getting a new start in Sitka.
A reception for anyone interested in learning about forming a community foundation is planned for Friday evening (9-7-12, 5:30-7PM) at Braveheart Volunteers, in the Pioneers Home Manager’s House.
Lily Herwald is a grant writer and non-profit consultant. She’s been one of a half-dozen or so people meeting informally to discuss creating a Sitka Community Foundation. Herwald says every community has needs – in health and social services, the arts, education – that may be better served by a mechanism above and beyond routine charitable giving.
That’s where a community foundation comes in.
“It’s really an avenue to give individuals who have the resources a safe place to invest, and to have a safe place for their philanthropy, that can be targeted toward the things that they care about. More often than not, philanthropists really want to invest in their local communities.”
Philanthropists, in other words, have the big bucks, and what separates philanthropy from charitable giving is scale and structure. A community foundation would be managed by a director, and governed by an investment board.
Herwald, whose long career in Sitka includes serving as general manager of Raven Radio, says a community foundation can attract and reinvest money that might not ordinarily find its way into non-profit development.
“One of the things with a community foundation is that it’s not meant to give competition to existing non-profits, and that sort of thing. It’s not as if say, with the example of Braveheart Volunteers, the individuals who contribute would suddenly put it into the community foundation. They would still help support that non-profit. Quite often community foundations are looking at larger gifts or bequests, or estate planning, things like that.”
The Rasmuson Foundation is Alaska’s largest and most well-known philanthropy. Representatives from Rasmuson will be in Sitka with the Anchorage-based Alaska Community Foundation later this month for a public meeting (Friday, September 21, 10:30 – noon at the Hames Center) to discuss the ACF’s affiliate program. At this Friday’s reception at Braveheart, noted Juneau philanthropist Sam Skaggs will give a presentation on the benefits of an independent community foundation.
Herwald says the Sitka group has no agenda at the moment but to learn what model might work best here – if one is needed at all. In fact, Herwald is perfectly willing to admit that the status quo might suit Sitka just fine. However, philanthropy is a reflection of a community’s maturity, it’s economic and social growth. She thinks Sitka might be ready.
“One of the things that’s interesting about Alaska, and Sitka in particular, is that there hasn’t been an ingrained sense of philanthropy on the larger levels. We have a lot of individuals who are giving to Raven Radio, to Braveheart Volunteers, to the Science Center, to any number of non-profits. But sometimes the people with more resources are not necessarily going into philanthropy. So, how can we help show them that they can make a lasting impact on the community’s needs, and have a family legacy.”
The reception with philanthropist Sam Skaggs will be from 5:30 – 7:00 PM at Braveheart Volunteers. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments and dessert will be served.
