Duane Hicks
A community foundation to build endowments and disperse grants for local projects could be in the cards for Fort Frances after town council agreed, in principle, to creating one at its regular meeting last night.
The ball’s now in the court of the Economic Development Advisory Committee, which will seek out a small leadership group to determine the community’s interest in creating a foundation and taking the steps necessary to getting one going.
Rainy River Future Development Corp. consultant Tannis Drysdale took time to speak to council last night, outlining what a community foundation is, how it would work, and what the town would have to do to support it.
“I think [a community foundation] would be an excellent way to help our community to grow in a variety of different ways,” she told council.
In simplest terms, a community foundation is an independent, volunteer-driven, charitable organization which partners with donors to build permanent endowments.
These funds then are invested back into the community in the form of grants to support community projects, she noted.
The idea of a community foundation for Fort Frances stems back to the town’s 2011 strategic plan.
Since then, it has been the topic of discussion for the Economic Development Advisory Committee on several occasions, which, in turn, recommended council approve the development of such a foundation.
Drysdale explained a community foundation does several things:
•It’s a granting resource, including scholarships, endowments, and grants for community services, health and wellness, welfare, arts and culture, or the environment.
Projects could range from after-school projects for children, new flooring for a women’s shelter, and food banks to art fairs, festivals, and other events.
•It’s a match-maker between citizens of the community and various charities.
For example, an individual may wish to give to the Riverside Foundation for Health Care or “Community Chest,” and the community foundation would match that donation.
•It is there to answer donors’ questions, making sure that people are aware of all the different charities in the community.
It also provides leadership and resources to all new charities.
“Their role is larger than simply making donations and grants,” said Drysdale.
She noted community foundations are separate from the municipality and run by an independent board of directors.
They usually are started by a group of citizens aiming to realize a particular project, such as building an arena, or to invest a large sum of money to be dispersed for charitable use.
Once established, a community foundation would be free to meet, set priorities, and independently make requests of council for in-kind and monetary support.
Should a community foundation be formed, the town could assist with the incorporation costs and bookkeeping, or providing meeting space.
Drysdale said EDAC “has some individuals on that committee who we think would be happy to volunteer to go out in the community and see if they can’t find a team of individuals who’d want to set up the beginning of a foundation, and then perhaps come back to you for further support.”
Coun. Andrew Hallikas gave his thumbs up to the idea of a community foundation.
“At first, I thought the concept of a community idea might compete with existing foundations, like Riverside or ‘Community Chest,’” he admitted.
“But what I think I heard you say is it’s more like a central area for the community to give, and then the community foundation could actually go and give to ‘Community Chest’ or Riverside or any other good project.
“So it’s not really in competition with any other funds.”
Drysdale affirmed this, noting that quite often a community foundation refers people to other charities, in addition to being a charitable organization itself.
If someone wanted to donate to health care, for instance, the foundation would direct them to the Riverside one.
Mayor Roy Avis asked whether a community foundation would bring other groups, such as the “Friends of the Fort Frances Museum” or “Friends of the Library,” under one umbrella.
“I believe that would be a long-reaching conversation that the community foundation, once established, would have with those groups,” Drysdale replied.
“In some cases, they may see administrative and tax benefits to participating as part of the community foundation.
“In other cases, groups may be independent and well-funded already with a great group of volunteers, and decide to go on their own,” she added.
But even in the latter situation, Drysdale said a group can work with its community foundation, such as in Ajax, Ont., where a project is underway to digitize records at its public library.
