In This Issue
Note from the President/CEO
Disaster Fund Grants Available
Competitive Grants Awarded
Upcoming Grants Information Sessions
Grant Opportunities
The Giving Marketplace
Lowcountry Volunteer Connections
In Other News
Connect with Us!
Community Foundation Board and Staff
Board of Directors
John Weymouth
Chairman
 
Jim Allhusen

Donna R. Bafundo

Sandra Benson 
 
Brad L. Bloom
 
Denis C. Bonnett
 
Marva J. Brooks

Cheryl Comes 
 
Jerilyn A. Farren
 
J. Dudley King Jr.

Kimberly Kord 
 
Michael J. Marks 
 
Elizabeth B. Mayo

Allen Ward

David Wetmore 
 
J. Eric Woods
 
Staff 
President and CEO

Grantmaking and Scholarship Administrator
 
VP for Finance and Administration

Donor Services Associate
 
  VP for Marketing and Communications
 
Communications Associate

  Donor Services Associate
   
  Administrative Assistant
 
VP for Development and Donor Services
 
Service Area Liaison

VP for Grantmaking and Community Leadership
 
December 2016
 
Note from the President/CEO

   
Denise photo
Hurricane Matthew caused us all to rethink our priorities.
 
In the case of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, we had a carefully constructed disaster plan. We knew what we had to do, and we implemented those parts of the plan that needed implementation. We had established a disaster fund in 2004. We had memoranda of understanding with three first responders in the area (we'll be better prepared next time with a larger service area and more MOUs) so that we could get immediate dollars out the door. We had a place to operate in Columbia if we needed it (I'm so glad we didn't.). We had emergency contact information for all board and staff members so that decisions from our evacuation locations could be made by conference call. We had alternate plans for technology, and had safely handled back up data. And we were lucky, in that other than a few trees down on our building and the usual grounds/parking lot mess, we had no flooding, no significant structural or roof damage, and so the significant work of fundraising and deployment of grant dollars could be undertaken swiftly.
 
A priority for the next quarter will be to consider all we have learned from this experience, and to make some minor modifications to the plan.
 
Is this a priority for you? Did you have a plan for evacuation, operations away from your home location, and business resumption? Do you have a plan for assuring that whatever your organization may have learned from this experience is captured before it fades into the fog of the current workload? If not, please add this to your priority list. The fact that we had a solid plan in place paid dividends not only for us, but also for those we serve. Questions? Let us know how we can help.

 
- Denise K. Spencer, President and CEO

Disaster Fund Grants Still Available

Community Foundation is accepting Disaster Recovery and Rebuilding Fund grant applications from regional, community-based 501(c)3 nonprofits, faith-based organizations or equivalents for up to $20,000 for recovery and rebuilding efforts related to the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Organizations may be eligible for multiple grants from the Disaster Fund based on documented community needs, and may apply for a grant to cover expenses already incurred. Learn more about Disaster Fund grants on our
Web site
  and re ad about our most recent grant awards here  .  
 
Competitive Grants Awarded



Community Foundation of the Lowcountry recently awarded over $93,000 in grants to four local nonprofit organization: Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse, Family Promise, Memory Matters and Programs for Exceptional People. The awards were presented at a luncheon held on November 30th. You will find additional information about these grant awards here.


Upcoming Grants Information Sessions

Are you interested in applying for a grant from Community Foundation? The first step is to attend a Grant Information Session. Upcoming 2017 sessions are:
  • Thursday, February 9th
  • Thursday, April 20th
All sessions are held at our offices from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Note that these sessions are for nonprofit organizations whose clients live and/or work on Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island and greater Bluffton.

To find out if your organization is eligible to apply for a competitive grant, take a look at our grantmaking guidelines. Call us to register for a Grant Information Session 843.681.9100.
 
Current & Upcoming Grant Opportunities 

The Giving Marketplace

The Giving Marketplace continues to grow and has recently added the following organizations:

Welcome to the Marketplace! 
We have received inquiries about organizations from local grantmakers who utilize data on the Marketplace as part of their grantmaking due diligence process. We have also received inquiries from businesses who sponsor nonprofit fundraising and access the Marketplace to identify suitable organizations. While we are excited to be a resource for these organizations, we have not forgotten the primary goal for the marketplac: to be a resource for our community to learn about local nonprofits. This function is even more relevant at this time of year as donors consider their year-end charitable giving.

Our goal is to provide a comprehensive directory for the entire community ---   including donors, volunteers, funders and businesses ---   and we need all Lowcountry nonprofit organizations to participate in order to accomplish that. If you are not familiar with
The Giving Marketplace , please contact us and we will provide an overview. If you have started, but not yet completed your profile, we are here to help you finalize the process. If you have an existing profile, be sure to verify that the information is complete and up to date.
 
Lowcountry Volunteer Connections

New Software with Enhanced Functionality 
Lowcountry Volunteer Connections is transitioning to a new software platform that is more user-friendly for both nonprofits and volunteers. The software is fully mobile enabled and offers enhanced functionality, allowing for a more interactive experience for agencies and volunteers alike.

We're very excited to roll out the software before the end of 2016 and will offer training for registered nonprofit agencies in January 2017. In the meantime, folks interested in volunteering can continue to connect with us and agencies can share their opportunities by
e-mailing Debbie Cahoon. 
 
In Other News

Upcoming Conferences & Events  
 
If you have information about an upcoming educational event that you would like to share in Nonprofit Connections, let us know!


What is SCAVA?
SCAVA is the South Carolina Association for Volunteer Administration , a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities and professional development to individuals with an interest in the field of volunteerism. Membership is extended to individuals in the public and private sectors who wish to learn more about volunteerism, develop new skills, or shape the future of volunteerism in South Carolina. SCAVA offers conferences and workshops focusing on information and issues pertinent to volunteers and volunteer administration.

There are several local affiliates across the state, but none in the Lowcountry. If you would be interested in learning more about SCAVA and helping to organize a local affiliate in the Lowcountry, e-mail Kevin Smith.

Connect with Us!

We'd like to hear from you. Have an idea that you'd like to share with us? Do you have suggestions about Lowcountry Volunteer Connection? Do you want to learn more about how to get the most out of your Giving Marketplace profile? E-mail Kevin Smith or Debbie Cahoon.

Stay up-to-date with the most recent happenings at Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

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Sincerely,
 
Kevin
VP for Grantmaking and Community Leadership