January 2018 Newsletter

Welcome and Greetings from One of Our Newest Board Members, Sandra Flattery

 

Now that 2018 is underway, I hope all of you are as excited as I am about the fresh possibilities that await us as members of the Wood River Women’s Foundation. New inspiration, new education and new collaboration are three words that describe our mission going forward into the New Year.

After chairing and volunteering for many organizations in different communities over my teen and adult years, I am so pleased to now serve on the WRWF Board as Impact Team Co-Chair. Our Impact Team works with each of our grantees, after they are funded, to help them achieve their stated goals.

I am impressed with how our organization structures its grant giving in the community. The “pooled funds” aspect of philanthropy makes our impact so much greater, as in this way we are able to fund large-scale programs for our valley non-profits. Our grants are critical for sustaining and augmenting the work of many valuable organizations. I hope you, as I, am uplifted by all we do.

–Sandra Flattery, WRWF Board, Impact Team Co-Chair

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The Grants Process: A Brief Guide to Where We Are and How You Can Participate

The 2018 Grants cycle is well under way. This year, approximately 80 WRWF members are involved in reviewing applications from 33 nonprofit organizations that have requested a total of almost $542,000 in grants. We received multiple applications from nonprofits in each of our five eligible categories: Arts, Education, Environment, Recreation, Social Services/Health. Although all the applicants have proposed deserving projects that will benefit Blaine County, it is the task of the Grants Committee to review and evaluate all the applications and create a ballot of the most worthy. The entire membership will receive their ballots on March 7 and will have until April 6 to vote.

How do we develop the ballot? First, the Grants Coordinating Committee (GCC) reviews the applications to confirm that the applicants are eligible and that the applications are technically complete. The GCC then distributes the applications to the eight Chairs of four subcommittees for the first stage of review and evaluation. The GCC and the subcommittee chairs then meet and advance the most worthy of the applications to the next level of review. At this stage the applications are distributed to the subcommittee volunteers who evaluate them and conduct site visits with the applicants. The applicants can use this opportunity to clarify their applications and answer any questions the volunteers may have.

On February 21, the subcommittees will present their evaluations and recommendations to the entire Grants Committee. At that time the Grants Committee will vote on which applications should advance to the final ballot. According to Lynne Heidel, the GCC creates a ballot based on the vote and taking into consideration the amount of money in the pooled fund.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the process will occur on March 6 from 1-5:00 at the Community Library when the finalists will make brief presentations of their projects to the entire membership. We stream these presentations over the internet so that members, whether they are in town or not, may watch them online.

The Grants Coordinating Committee urges all members to watch the presentations before voting. You may be introduced to a nonprofit organization you did not know existed and you will learn about the good work they do in Blaine County. Our process may seem complicated, but our goal is to inform and engage as many of our members as possible and to create a level playing field for all our amazing nonprofits in Blaine County.

Lynne Heidel and Gina Wolcott, Co-Chairs, Grants Coordinating Committee

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The Endowment Fund Reaches A Major Goal!

At this time last year, the endowment was merely an idea. After a visionary donor launched the fund with a $25,000 gift, our Board assembled a task force to study its viability. One year later, here is where we are:

• 100 members stepped up to contribute more than $540,000, joining our Endowment Founders’ Circle
• The endowment governance is in place, and the funds are being managed by an outside investment advisor

This wonderful success story is a tribute to the unique nature of the WRWF – the tremendous generosity of its members, the dedication of its Board, and the leadership provided by the President’s Council.

The plans are underway now to evaluate the administrative support we require given the growth we have achieved and the elevated impact we expect. The endowment provides us with the flexibility we need to manage our organization and insures our future sustainability for the not-for-profit grantees that we serve.

–Gail Landis, Governance Chair, WRWF

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Member Events

Meet & Mingle, January 18th, at Wood River Fine Arts, 350 East Avenue, Ketchum. 5:00 to 6:30 PM. Members and their guests invited. No RSVP necessary; there is no charge for this event. Please bring beverages to share.

Apres Ski Tea, February 7th, 4:00 – 5:30 PM. Especially to orient and welcome new members, but current members and guests are also invited. Please RSVP to Maija Eerkes (meerkes@msn.com, or text to 206-999-7074). Gail Severn Gallery, 400 1st Avenue North in Ketchum. There is no charge for this event.

Executive Director of the David Rockefeller Foundation to Speak at our Winter Education Forum, Monday, February 26th, 5:00 – 6:30 PM.

We are extremely fortunate that Lukas Haynes, Director of the David Rockefeller Foundation, will lead our Winter Forum. Speaking on “Significant Change Through Philanthropy,” Mr. Haynes will deliver a wide-ranging talk on the opportunities and challenges of philanthropic giving for leveraged and sustainable impact. Mr. Haynes will share a wealth of experience developing grant-making programs in areas as diverse as community development, art for social impact, and climate change solutions.

Mr. Haynes served on the policy planning staff of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and has worked at the intersection of policy, philanthropy, donor education, and non-profit advocacy his whole career. He is also a trustee of Protect Our Winters, dedicated to saving the snow sports industry from climate change, and Lulu’s Fund, created in memory of his daughter.

Don’t miss this event! The Forum will be held in the Community School auditorium in Sun Valley. Members, non-profits, guests, and the public are all invited. $20 advance registration [click here to register].

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Closing Message from Peggy Grove, Ph.D., President of WRWF

The success of our WRWF Endowment that Gail Landis writes about in this issue equates strongly to the overall effectiveness of our organization in the future. The Endowment will have a tremendous impact in our ability to be able to support our members – all of us volunteers – as we work on committees and our ability to be able to maintain our continuing philanthropy to the community. These donations to our Endowment fund, plus other contributions to our Administrative fund, add a definitive reality to our ability to continue our organizational requirements throughout the coming years.

We are thrilled we have grown to over 340 + members in the past few months. With our growing membership in mind, a board task force was asked to begin a study. As our Foundation continues to grow and become more dynamic, it was apparent that not only our Board, but also our Committees, have a space to hold meetings and conduct work, while continuing to provide the confidentiality and security that we strive to maintain. Through generous anonymous donations to support this endeavor, the task force recommended and the Board unanimously voted to move forward with a work and meeting space. Eventually, the Endowment fund will also help support this. We now have rented a month to month shared office space that includes a workspace for typing and filing, plus a usable conference room for board meetings and private spaces for committee meetings.

We hope to serve both our growing membership and our community better in every aspect of philanthropy in the months and years to come.

Peggy Grove, Ph.D.
WRWF President