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The Lombardi Method
Vince Lombardi was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1959. It was his Rookie season. He went on to win five NFL Championships, including Super Bowls I and II with the Green Bay Packers. “Hope is not a strategy,” he said. "Hard work, dedication, and collaboration win games." And, while his brilliant leadership played out on the gridiron, The Lombardi Method scores touchdowns off the field as well.
Lombardi believed, “The individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
He certainly got that right. That’s why we’d like to tell you about one individual who made a commitment to the Foundation that will advance our mission now…and in years to come.
Recently we received a bequest—almost $6 million—from a man we never met. Let’s call him Mr. Lombardi. We don’t know much about him. He lived in Chatham for some time, liked watching sports and CNN and followed politics closely. A friend told us he was a private person who lived modestly. She said he was smart and “did his research,” so he obviously trusted us to steward his significant gift.
The bequest is the largest, single unrestricted gift we’ve received to date. Unrestricted gifts give us flexibility, sustainability, the ability to innovate, and support for the unexpected. They allow us to strategically deploy resources wherever they’re needed and to respond to community needs as they change over time. They allow us to do things we may never be able to do otherwise.
Our 2025 Flexible Funding Grant Program is a perfect example. Last year, shifting federal priorities deeply impacted the nonprofit sector. As our community navigated these sudden and unexpected changes, we were able to distribute $973,000 in grants to 53 organizations to help those working to meet increased demand for services and those planning for change, creating new partnerships and collaborations to maximize impact, and building organization resilience in other ways. Similarly, during the “pandemic years,” we raised and deployed over $5.6 million for relief and rebuilding efforts.
Many committed individuals contributed to these past efforts—a true demonstration of collective impact, the hallmark of a community foundation. Mr. Lombardi’s bequest will make our team even stronger. It will exponentially increase available resources for our community by enhancing key elements of our strategic plan and funding priorities for 2026, which include:
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Emergency Needs. We have allocated funds from this bequest for current use to support our community during this uncertain time. Food and housing security, healthcare, childcare, and education will be among our top funding priorities.
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Capacity-Building Initiatives. Armed with the results of our external program evaluation, we will relaunch our Competitive Capacity-Building Grant Program, incorporating new elements designed to help nonprofit organizations reach the next level of operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity. We've allocated a significant portion of this bequest to seed a specific capacity-building fund, ensuring sustainability and expansion of the program to provide grants and other resources to nonprofits poised for growth.
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Civic Leadership Initiatives. While our work as a funder is critical, we will continue to invest time and resources in initiatives that build a community of support, such as convening nonprofit partners and other funders around key community needs and opportunities.
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Current and Future Needs. We also allocated funds from this bequest to an unrestricted fund, increasing the amount we have available annually to invest in the community both now and well into the future.
No, “hope” isn’t a strategy. Hope is aspirational. Mr. Lombardi undoubtedly hoped to strengthen our community with his gift. However, he recognized the power of working together strategically for the collective good. We are honored he entrusted us to be a catalyst for community change. If you are interested in learning more or contributing to one of the initiatives above, please contact me.
We’ll also keep you posted on the impact of Mr. Lombardi’s gift. For more inspirational legacy stories, visit our website. To create one of your own, let’s schedule a time to chat.
Kristin O’Malley
President and CEO
508.790.3040, Ext 115
komalley@capecodfoundation.org
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