Community Foundation Case Statement

Case Statement – The Community Foundation Hawke’s Bay.

What is a Community Foundation?

Community Foundations are charitable trusts that support local community causes. There [Their] role is to manage donor funds and build endowment as well as make grants to charities and community groups, linking local donors with local needs. Created by and for local people they help donors express their long-term interest in an area and its needs.

Community Foundations are one of the fastest growing forms of community philanthropy worldwide. 1* Within New Zealand, Community Foundations have been established in the Bay of Plenty, Northland, Whanganui, Wellington, Ashburton and Manukau, as well as in Hawke’s Bay.

What do Community Foundations do?

Community Foundations bring people together who care about their communities. They are independent, volunteer driven, charitable organisations that aim to strengthen their communities by:

Facilitating philanthropy,
Partnering with donors to build permanent endowments and other funds,
Supporting community projects,
Providing leadership on issues of broad community concern.

The times are changing

Most of us grew up at a time when government took care of our social and health needs. We all know this is diminishing. At the same time, many of us have the means and desire to do something for our community, to better the place where we live and where our families will live for generations to come. We need to start thinking of how we want our communities to be now and in the future.

The charitable impulse – the willingness to help others – is a universal human instinct. Community Foundations, both here in New Zealand and around the world, can provide the opportunity for people to act on that impulse.

Need for strong local action.

What came first, the chicken or the egg? I don’t know!

In this case of the Community Foundation Hawke’s Bay what comes first, the creation of a strong endowment fund or meeting the ever increasing needs of the many regional community organisations? The endowment fund of course!

For the Community Foundation Hawke’s Bay, early success will guarantee ongoing success.

Please work with us to ensure we meet this local need.

Visit the Community Foundation Hawke’s Bay website at www. thefoundation.co.nz

1*   More than 600 Community Foundations in the United States now have at least $70billion in permanent endowment assets. There are 120 Community foundations in Canada. In the United Kingdom there are more than 95 Community Foundations monitoring $350million in endowments and there are 30 Community Foundations in Australia.