Archive for Donor Advised Funds

Julia Roque hugging her son

The American Dream in Sussex County

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay 
· Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 
· No Comments

Delaware’s Latino population is growing and it’s growing fast. And that’s a good thing.

On Oct. 7, the DCF will be releasing a new report entitled Perspectives on the Latino Population in Sussex County, Delaware.

What we find is encouraging and inspiring. Now exceeding 20,000 people, Sussex County’s vibrant and diverse Latino community is bringing new passion to the belief in the American Dream.

The Roques are building the American Dream.“I raised smart and determined kids who don’t give up,” said Julia Roque, who immigrated from Puerto Rico in the 1970s. “They make me happy.”

Her children are now pursuing careers in communications, the military and nursing. Julia and her family are just one example.

The Sussex County Latino community contributes more than $50 million in tax revenue to Delaware annually. There are more than 800 Latino-owned businesses in the county. Nearly 25% of Sussex County Latinos aged 25 or older have earned college credits – 75% of them are women. They are learning English at breakneck speed, buying homes, holding down jobs, going to school and church, leading local sports leagues, and building community.

This is what America was built on. While many of us are grappling with whether the American Dream is still possible, the Latino community in Sussex County is living it. I’ve long expressed my continued belief in idea of the American Dream. This report gives me even more confidence that it has not vanished.

The report will be posted soon. In the meantime, you can sign up here for the Oct. 7 community conversation in Georgetown, where the report will be discussed.

This report, which was written by Drs. Jennifer Fuqua and April Veness at the University of Delaware, would not be possible without the support of a grant from CFLeads; the partnership and inspiration of Dr. Christine Cannon and the Arsht-Cannon Fund; the community leadership of La Esperanza and La Colectiva; and members of the Sussex County community.

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5 Questions with Stu: Dr. Christine Cannon, Executive Director, Arsht-Cannon Fund

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay 
· Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019 
· No Comments

Dr. Christine Cannon has been the executive director of the Arsht-Cannon Fund since its inception in 2004. With careers in nursing and education, nonprofit board leadership, and experience in grantwriting and program development, Christine partners with grantees to achieve the most effective program outcomes and impacts — with a particular focus on Delaware’s Latino community.  Through the inspiration of the Arsht-Cannon Fund (a component fund at the DCF), the DCF overall has increased its attention on these issues as well.

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Why is philanthropy important to me?

For me, philanthropy provides a powerful opportunity to change the lives of Delaware’s Latino families through close partnerships with community leaders, nonprofits, educators, and healthcare providers. At the Arsht-Cannon Fund, our grants fuel a variety of educational opportunities that drive English language acquisition, family literacy, early childhood preparation for kindergarten, year-round learning for English Learners in K-12, college access and graduation, career development, equity-focused educational advocacy and more.

What are the greatest factors influencing your decisions when you consider opportunities you could support?

The greatest factors influencing my funding recommendations include:
(1) Justification of the need for a program
(2) The nonprofit’s capacity to implement a bilingual or bi-cultural program, and to access, engage, recruit and retain Latino participants
(3) Evidence of collaboration between nonprofit partners and the Latino community
(4) The use of data/research-based evidence to develop and monitor the program
(5) Most importantly, the impact of the program

What community endeavors are you proudest to support or engage in?

While I am proud of our 11-year-history of supporting family literacy programs that provide educational support for children while their immigrant parents learn English, I am also proud to advocate for English Learners (ELs). I am a member of the Steering Committee of Education Equity Delaware, which currently advocates for an equitable student funding formula. Involvement with a group of EL advocates, including the Rodel Foundation, resulted in a series of five infographic English Learner Fact Sheets, including Spanish-language versions. The fact sheet series won first place prizes at the Delaware Press Association’s Annual Communications Contest, and at the 2019 National Federation of Press Women’s Annual Communications Contest.

Finally, I am proud to be engaged with a Sussex County-wide collaboration among more than 50 nonprofits who want to grow their capacity to engage with and serve Latino families. Called La Colectiva de Delaware, pilot programs are developing approaches to resource navigation, literacy, youth mentorship, and workforce preparation.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned through your work in philanthropy?

I have learned the value of investing time in developing partnerships with, and between, grantees. There is so much to learn from each other, including members of our Latino communities. Latinos engaged in identifying issues important to them are more likely to be involved in developing long-term approaches. Building understanding, trust, and collaboration results in new opportunities and collective impact.

If you could do one thing to increase equity in Delaware, what would you do?

Equity would increase if we could educate more Delawareans about our Latino youth and families. Increasing awareness and understanding of Latino culture and communities within our state – such as those illustrated in the English Learner Fact Sheets – can lead to actions that increase equity. Education Equity Delaware provides opportunities to learn how to advocate for children (K-12) who are English learners, have disabilities, or who are from low-income families. I also believe a continuation of the Delaware Community Foundation’s Book Circles with an additional focus on opportunity gaps may bring people together to discuss new approaches.

There are many ways to learn more about Delaware’s Latino population. The 2009 Delaware Hispanic Needs Assessment (partially funded by the Arsht-Cannon Fund) helped funders, community leaders and nonprofits focus their work. Results from a 2019 DCF study of Latino families in Sussex County are due to be released in the fall. These results will help shape La Colectiva’s work.

But ultimately, the best way to learn is by creating one-on-one connections with our neighbors

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About 5Qs: Each month, we ask local philanthropic leaders to answer five questions about how they view philanthropy in their work, their lives, or their organizations. It’s a chance to hear from people we all know, and some you may not know – but in a different way. 

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5 Questions with Stu: Talking Philanthropy with Nick Moriello from Highmark

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay 
· Monday, May 6th, 2019 
· No Comments

I’m very pleased to introduce a new element to my blog.  Each month – beginning today – I’ll be posting another in a new series we’re calling “5 Questions with Stu.”

Each month, we’re asking local philanthropic leaders to answer five questions about how they view philanthropy in their work, their lives, or their organizations. It’s a chance to hear from people we all know, and some you may not know – but in a different way. I hope you like it.

We begin with Nick Moriello from Highmark Delaware. Highmark has proven to be an important player in the state’s philanthropic landscape, with their attention to healthy communities. They have been major supporters behind important work in the area of opioid addiction, and many other things. Nick has served as market President for Highmark Delaware since August of 2018, after serving for over 25 years in other healthcare related positions.

5 Questions with Nick Moriello
President, Highmark Delaware

Why is philanthropy important to you?
As a native Delawarean and President of Highmark Delaware, a company that traces our Delaware roots back more than 80 years, supporting our community through philanthropy and events like the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community inspires me. Whether it is helping a Delawarean overcome addiction or breaking down the barriers to quality health care, our philanthropy makes me proud of what we do. We make a difference, and we see it every day as we work in partnership with so many stakeholders to build a stronger, healthier community.

What are the greatest factors influencing your decisions when you consider opportunities you could support?
Two of the most important factors we consider are overall community impact and the capacity of our nonprofit partner to reach the goals they have set.

The large majority of our giving is through our BluePrints for the Community Fund. Since its inception in 2007, BluePrints has made over $13 million in grants and served nearly 100,000 Delawareans. More than 10 percent of Delawareans have been impacted by a BluePrints grant.

Our BluePrints grants focus on four main areas:

•Increasing access to health care for the uninsured/underserved
•Reducing health disparities in minority communities
•Supporting early childhood development with initiatives focused on health
•Recruiting and training health care professionals.

What community endeavors are you proudest to support or engage in?
I am equally proud of two initiatives. First, I am extremely proud of our efforts to combat the opioid crisis. In 2018, we announced $325,000 in grants to four community organizations that are fighting the opioid epidemic in Delaware. Our nonprofit partners are reaching every corner of our state and taking a multi-faceted approach to addressing the opioid crisis.

My second point of pride is our annual Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community. Last year, our fifth annual walk included 20 local nonprofit partners and more than 1,300 walkers who raised over $186,000 – a new record. Highmark Delaware completely underwrites the cost of the walk, which means 100 percent of the funds raised goes directly to our nonprofit community.

In five years, the Highmark Walk has raised over $600,000 for Delaware nonprofits.

Where do you see the greatest potential for philanthropy to drive change in Delaware?
Our greatest potential to drive change will come through partnerships. There’s not one organization or donor who can be the sole driver of impactful change. If we are going to truly impact our communities and make real change, we need to collaborate and align our funding decisions. Government, foundations, corporations and nonprofit partners all need to work in unison if we are going to drive real change. A great example of the power of partnership is how the Delaware Center for Health Innovation (DCHI) engaged health care stakeholders, which has led to Healthy Communities Delaware, built on the foundation of DCHI’s initial work.

If you could do one thing to increase equity in Delaware, what would you do?
Increase access to high-quality health care. As a health and wellness leader in our state, increasing access to health care is a priority that Highmark is deeply committed to advancing in meaningful, community-focused ways. We work with our members every day to remove barriers and align our philanthropic giving with nonprofit partners who support those efforts. From supporting more accessible transportation for seniors in Sussex County or funding scholarships for preventative care initiatives like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, our philanthropy is another way we are helping to increase access to care and build a healthier Delaware.

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Donor Advised Funds at the DCF: Make a Difference that Lasts Longer than the Latest App

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay 
· Tuesday, June 19th, 2018 
· 1 Comment

I usually write in my blog about trends and activities in Delaware and the country. But with this blog, and some others to come, I am going to explain a bit more why working with the DCF can be a great way to achieve their charitable goals…in this blog, I talk about Donor Advised Funds at the DCF.

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Technology allows us to do almost everything in an instant — order groceries, stream our favorite shows, even pay a parking ticket.

But not everything is meant to over in a flash, especially if you want to give with lasting impact.

For those who are looking to make a difference with their charitable dollars, a donor advised fund at the DCF remains a great way to make meaningful contributions to the causes and organizations that personally matter to you while also taking advantage of significant tax benefits. And donors who work with the DCF also get the benefit of the expertise and experience that DCF staff have about organizations and initiatives that are making a difference in Delaware.

Every year, our donor advised fundholders give away millions of dollars (almost $8 million in FY 2017 alone) to help important causes in Delaware and around the world, ranging from the 1916 Fund’s gifts to the Delaware Theatre Company and the Delaware Humane Association to the Charles C. Allen Jr. Family Fund’s support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Seaford and Nanticoke Health Services.

Every day at the foundation, our staff works with donors to help them achieve their greatest charitable goals. For instance, you may want to help with efforts to improve literacy but don’t know which nonprofits are doing the kind of work in Delaware that is making a difference.

Our staff at the DCF does.

Whether your interest is children’s issues, the arts, the environment, education, health or more…by working with us to create a donor advised fund, you can get help developing a plan that allows you to directly invest in meaningful programs and projects that benefit the community. We welcome the opportunity to work with you to identify meaningful grant making opportunities.

Quite simply, donor advised funds are an efficient way to leverage your personal resources to help others while also enjoying an immediate tax benefit.

Compare a DAF to a private foundation – it provides many of the advantages without the cost and time-consuming administrative responsibilities.

As the donor, you direct where you want your money to go. Of course, you don’t have to decide right away which nonprofits to support, but know that your gift rests with a local staff keenly aware of the needs of the community and the best way to create impact within it.

Donor advised funds aren’t a new idea — they were first established in the 1930s — and they provide community foundations like ours with a means to address some of the critical challenges in our area by putting resources where they are needed most. They’ve gone through some changes in recent years, but when coupled with a strong local organization like DCF, they remain a powerful tool for meaningful giving.

Donor advised funds are just that — donor advised. You choose what organizations to support. When you want to recommend a grant to be dispersed from your fund — either to an organization in Delaware (most grants given through DCF funds are to local organizations) or around the world — you can do so at any time by contacting us.

Philanthropy, like volunteering, is a way to feel good about helping others. It can be an empowering experience, but it doesn’t have to be over in the same amount of time it takes to download a new app.

A strong donor advised fund can provide an opportunity to strategically link philanthropic giving with community needs.

We’d love to talk with you to learn more about how to make that happen.

Delaware Community Foundation
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