Centre Foundation said that more than $2.3 million in grants and scholarships was invested in the local community in 2016, thanks to the donors that support the foundation’s various programs, online giving events and the hundreds of endowment and scholarship funds.
“This year has been a truly impactful year and we can’t thank the community enough for making this incredible investment in our local area,” Centre Foundation Executive Director Molly Kunkel said in a press release.
“Donors past and present, of all ages, and from across Centre County have demonstrated their commitment to our community through Centre Foundation. We are honored to be able to work with these inspired donors to achieve their philanthropic goals and make a difference in the community.”
According to the foundation, just more than $1 million was distributed among the more than 100 local organizations that participated in Centre Gives this year. This online giving event was held over two days in early May and touted more than 6,000 gifts to organizations working in every field imaginable: arts, animals, education, environment, and health and social services.
Each Centre Gives gift was stretched further thanks to the $100,000 stretch pool and $25,000 in prizes provided by Centre Foundation. The gifts were stretched again when an anonymous donor added $50,000 to the stretch pool.
Since Centre Gives launched in 2012, the program has invested more than $4 million into the local non-profit network thanks to more than 23,500 gifts.
Almost $300,000 in scholarships were distributed to more than 95 students this year. These scholarship and award funds were opened by community members who seek to inspire the next generation.
A total of $970,000 in grants were distributed to almost 100 nonprofit organizations.
“Endowment funds provide our local organizations with annual grant money that they can depend on every single year in perpetuity,” said Kunkel. “Additionally, when some donors establish their own family funds at Centre Foundation, they designate their favorite organizations to receive this same type of annual grant payments which also occur in perpetuity.”
Young philanthropists also made an impact with grants this year. Centre PACT (Philanthropic Actions Created by Teens) had a successful pilot program. These Centre County high school students raised their own money, did research, and then gave $5,000 in grants to four local organizations working toward the students’ theme of “setting students up for success.”
Engaged community members of all ages also made an impact in a social way. Giving Circle members met in August for their annual cocktail reception and to hear presentations from three local organizations. After members’ votes were counted, the group granted a total of $15,000 across the three health and social service organizations.
“Our local community is blessed with engaged donors who have a plethora of philanthropic passions,” Kunkel said. “At Centre Foundation, our staff is happy to help anyone who wishes to make a difference in our community.”
To learn more about setting up a fund, contact development and events coordinator Irene Miller at irene@centre-foundation.org or (814) 237-6229.
For more information about all of Centre Foundation’s granting opportunities, visit www.centre-foundation.org or contact grants and scholarship coordinator Ashley Pipe at ashley@centre-foundation.org or (814) 237-6229.
