What is the Greater Round Rock Community Foundation all about?
February 2007 - The Greater Round Rock Community Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity created in 2004 by and for the people of Round Rock. The Community Foundation enables people with philanthropic interests to easily and effectively support the issues they care about-immediately, or through their will. Donors can establish a charitable fund at the Community Foundation by contributing a variety of assets and may also recommend grants-in their name, if they choose-to nonprofit groups they want to support.
The Greater Round Rock Community Foundation offers: Personalized service: Community foundations help individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit agencies achieve their charitable and financial goals by providing tools and resources that make giving easy, flexible, and effective. Local expertise: Community foundations have an in-depth understanding of the community's challenges and the groups and individuals addressing them. Community leadership: Community foundations play a key role in addressing community needs, now and in the future.
The Founding Board of Governors are: Charles N. Avery, III, John S. Avery, Sr., Bruce Bessner, Ashley Blake, Jim Boles, Holly Coe, Charlie Dromgoole, Mark Fritz, Chaz Glace, Travis Lucas, Nyle Maxwell, Nancy Rabb, Jon E. Sloan, Mike Swayze, and Shevawn Walzel. The Community Foundation currently administers five funds: The Leading Ladies and Future Fund Giving Circles, the Crossing Project, Hands on Housing and the Cris Love, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The first community foundation was established in Cleveland, Ohio in 1914.Within five years, community foundations formed in places like Chicago, Boston, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Rhode Island, and Buffalo. In the years that followed, other local community foundations were established, and hundreds of thousands of individuals across the United States - from all economic backgrounds - joined with their local community foundations to create permanent charitable funds to meet the needs of their communities. Today, community foundations make up one of the fastest growing sectors of philanthropy in the United States. They build and strengthen communities by making it possible for a wide range of donors to create permanent, named funds to meet critical needs. Community foundations have become catalysts for improvement within urban centers and in rural settings. There are now more than 650 community foundations in the United States. The idea has spread throughout the world, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. It has been estimated that there are at least 365 community foundations outside the United States and Canada. Community foundations offer donors many services and benefits. They routinely work with families, individuals, attorneys, and estate and financial planners to design gift plans that fit every economic situation, ensuring that donors receive the most benefit from their charitable contributions and that their philanthropic dollars are used to the fullest extent. Community foundations accept gifts of various sizes and types from private citizens, local corporations, other foundations, and government agencies. Nearly every type of gift - real estate, closely held stock, artwork, and insurance - can be contributed to a community foundation. Gifts are made during donors' lifetimes and through bequests. According to Nancy Rabb, the Founding Chair:
"I and other community leaders are very excited about the Foundation and its potential impact on our community. By giving to the Greater Round Rock Community Foundation, you have the ideal opportunity to create a legacy for yourself and for Round Rock."
For more information, contact Kami Barron at kami@rrcommunityfoundation.org or 255-5805. Also, please see http://www.rrcommunityfoundation.org/ or http://www.communityfoundations.net/.