Just like it sounds, a community fund is a pool of money dedicated to benefiting a particular place.
Community Funds are typically held by a community foundation. In community foundation language, they are considered “place-based, field-of-interest” funds. The money is restricted to a defined geographical area to support that place in ways that the community decides is best for them.
While the funds can’t go to individuals or for-profit organizations, there is lots of flexibility in where they can be put to work, including nonprofit groups, such as a food bank, church, or arts organization, and other community assets like libraries or parks.
It’s our 30th birthday! We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than taking “local” philanthropy to a new level.
We’ve learned a lot over the last three decades, chief among them that, as humans and as communities, our deepest wellbeing lies in connection, and those connections start close to home. We’ve also learned that no-strings giving is the best way to help communities help themselves.
The more people and organizations are empowered to look out for each other in ways that work best for them, the better.
Let us count the ways!
More parks and playgrounds, stronger local nonprofits, lively festivals, historic preservation projects, youth leadership programs, small business support, public art installations, mental health resources, community gardens, safer crosswalks, upgraded community centers, trail improvements, early learning opportunities, grants for emerging organizations, main-street revitalization, emergency assistance for families, volunteer programs, expanded childcare options, environmental restoration, senior services, creative placemaking, broadband access, school enrichment activities, community clean-ups, local history projects, job training and mentorship, neighborhood events that spark connection, arts and culture programming, ADA accessibility upgrades, rapid-response crisis funding, watershed protection, food bank support, inclusive gathering spaces, leadership development for residents, beautification projects, energy-efficiency upgrades, youth recreation opportunities, shelters and basic-needs programs, and a permanent philanthropic resource to meet future community needs.
The research confirms what experience, and common sense, tells us: individual and community health and wellbeing is linked to how connected people are to their neighbors, from the family next door to the person who rings you up for your groceries. There are many reasons people live in this beautiful county, and chief among them is chance to live in ways that are less anonymous and more engaged in your community than the big city offers.
Blaine, Point Roberts and South Fork Valley already had community-based funds established.
From there, we used school district boundaries where it made sense and then opted to define others (e.g. Sudden Valley) based on what we knew about these communities.
You may disagree with some of the boundaries, and that’s OK, just choose the community that you most identify with to participate!
It’s up to the people in each community.
We’re supporting the formation of a local advisory board or committee that can solicit ideas and make recommendations or decisions.
But if that’s not in the cards for your area, then Whatcom Community Foundation will ensure the funds are dispersed with local input.
Our goal is to create a lasting, flexible resource that will continue strengthening this community for generations.
We would love to see each community create local advisory boards to direct these funds, build them to the point that they sustain themselves and disperse money to whatever matters most to community members.
We’d love to hear from you!
E-mail us at whatcomtogether@whatcomcf.org or give the Whatcom Community Foundation a call at (360) 671-6463.
