The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region ended 2013 by hitting a new high point in generosity. The Foundation awarded more than $4.87 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to local students in 2013, up from $4.45 million in 2012 and $3.3 million in 2011.
Not only did the Foundation provide more support to organizations and programs in 2013 than in years past, the number of grants also increased. The Foundation awarded 1,190 grants in 2013, compared to 1,101 grants in 2012 and 938 in 2011.
The Foundation also added 22 new charitable funds to its family of charitable support in 2013. These new funds, which are tailored to the donor’s philanthropic intentions and guided by the Foundation’s depth of nonprofit knowledge, will do everything from supporting local environmental protection work, arts and cultural collaboratives, capacity-building support for local nonprofit organizations, new scholarships for local students, and endowments to help ensure the sustainability of community institutions.
“The board and staff of the Community Foundation are deeply grateful to our donors and partners for helping us hit this new level of charitable support,” said Karen Bilowith, President and CEO for the Community Foundation. “The Foundation was heavily impacted by the recent recession, but through careful financial stewardship and the generosity of our donors, we’re now able to give more than ever before in our nearly 50 year history.”
“As the nonprofit landscape continues to evolve, we at the Foundation are proud of our role in encouraging collaborations between nonprofit organizations so that deep-rooted community issues can be addressed in new and effective ways,” continued Bilowith. “We’re grateful to our donors for their partnership in informed philanthropy, and grateful for the guidance we receive from some of our area’s top professional financial advisors, which ensures the Foundation operates from a stable, sustainable financial base.”