Missoula Community Foundation · 2020-02-26 · Additionally, community foundations are important partners in building and strengthening community, bringing together people and organizations

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MissoulaCommunityFoundation

StrategicFramework2020

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TABLEOFCONTENTS:

WHATISACOMMUNITYFOUNDATION? 3

WHOWEARE 4

GUIDINGOURWORK:MISSION,VISION,VALUES 5MISSION 5VISION 5VALUE 5

LOOKINGAHEAD:MissoulaCommunityFoundation2.0 6HOWWEWORK 8FOCUSAREAS 9OURROLES 11MEASURINGOURPROGRESS 12FundManagementandAccreditation 12EnhancingourExistingPrograms 12GrowingourImpact 12

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WHATISACOMMUNITYFOUNDATION?

CommunityFoundationsareonthecuttingedgeoftoday’sphilanthropy.Theyprovideawayforeventhesmallestfinancialdonortomakealastingdifferenceinthecommunitiestheylove,whileallowinglike-mindedinvestorstopooltheirresources–creatingagreaterfinancialimpactthantheycouldalone.

Communityfoundationsworkwithindividuals,families,businesses,andorganizationstocreatepermanentcharitablefundsthathelpimprovecommunities.Theyinvestandadministerthesefunds.

Additionally,communityfoundationsareimportantpartnersinbuildingandstrengtheningcommunity,bringingtogetherpeopleandorganizationsthatwanttomakeadifferencewithintheircity,county,state,andbeyond.Theyaretax-exemptpubliccharitiesthathelpguidephilanthropyandarecommittedtoimprovingthequalityoflifeintheareastheyserve.

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WHOWEARE

In2000,theMissoulianleda‘Celebrate2000’campaigntogivebacktotheMissoulacommunity.Thisresultedinapermanentendowmentof$45,000forMissoulatolaunchwhatwasthencalledCelebrateMissoula.TodayCelebrateMissoulaistheMissoulaCommunityFoundation.Duringtheinitial‘Celebrate2000’campaign,theMissoulianalsogiftedanother$25,000tobegivenoutinsmallgrants.Overtheyears,MissoulaCommunityFoundationhasfundedprojectssuchasthebenchesstructuresSilverPark,theprojectorfortheNorthMissoulaOutdoorCinema,andthebridgeatthefishingpondnearBancroftandSouthwestHiggins.Since2000,wehavegrantedout$155,000fromtheearningofourendowmenttoareanonprofits.

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• In2007,CelebrateMissoulahireditsfirststaffperson.• In2009,CelebrateMissoulamergedwithWesternMontanaCommunityFoundationtobecomeMissoulaCommunityFoundation.

• In2011,MissoulaCommunityFoundationlauncheditsScholarshipFund.Sincethenwe’vegranted42scholarshipstoMissoulahighschoolseniors.

• In2013,welaunchedtheMissoulaProjectforNonprofitExcellence(MPNE),whichhasdelivered$195,000worthofintensecapacitybuildingservicesto17areanonprofits.

• In2014,welaunchedMissoulaGives,anannual,26-hourcampaignthatcelebratesourcommunity.Ourplatformhashelpedraise$1.7millionfortheregion’snonprofits.Withmorethan160nonprofitsparticipatingand2,330donors.

Weareveryproudofourprogramsandthefundsthatwehavedispersed.Todaywehavetwostaffmembersandourendowmentisvaluedat$390,000.

GUIDINGOURWORK:MISSION,VISION,VALUES

MISSIONEnhancecommunityvitalitybyinspiringcommunitygivingandstrengtheningnonprofits

VISIONAthriving,unique,andengagedcommunity

VALUECommunityDriven.Webelievethatpeoplecomefirst;welistentoourcommunity,partners,nonprofits,anddonorstoinformourwork.

Integrity.Anabidingpledgetotrust,honesty,professionalism,civility,andrespect.Wesafeguardourdonors’intentinperpetuity.

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Innovation.Wewanttoapproachourworkwithanopenmind,invitingnewideasandpioneeringpractices.Wedemonstratecreativity,resourcefulness,andingenuityinachievingcommunitygood.

Impactful.Wewantourworktobeimpactful,tobeapartnerinshapingandinfluencing,andmakingalastingdifferenceinMissoula,thecommunityweserve.

Equity.Webelievethatequityisattheheartofallwedo,webelieveitshoulddriveourdecisions,ourprogramsandfunding,andiskeyincreatingathrivingcommunity.

LOOKINGAHEAD:MissoulaCommunityFoundation2.0

In2019,thestaffandboardoftheMissoulaCommunityFoundationdecidedtolookinwardandthinkabouthowtheorganizationcouldbemoreimpactful,doabetterjobofgrowingphilanthropyinourcommunity,andcreateamoresustainableoperatingmodelforusmovingforward.

Weconductedresearchoncommunityphilanthropy,growingendowments,andcommunityfoundationoperations.Wedidascanofourcommunityandtheexistingresearch.Weheldstakeholderinterviewsacrossthecommunityandinterviewedourboardandstaff.Welearnedafewthings.

• Between1970andtodayrelianceonnon-laborincomehasincreased150%,thegreatestincreaseswereingovernmentfundedprogramsliketheSupplementalNutritionalAssistanceProgram(SNAP)andSocialSecurity.

• Ourunemploymentrateislowat3.4%.• Thelargestpopulationgrowthis65+.• Thecosttocareforouragingisincreasing.• Thereisagrowinggapbetweenincomeandhousingcosts.• Thenumberofhomelessyouthisincreasing.

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• Wehavethehighestjobgrowthinthestate.

• Ourcommunityhascometogethertobringbackourrivers,preserveopenspace,andsupportartsandculture.

• Ourfarmers’marketacceptsanddoublesSNAPbenefits.

Ourcommunitycares.Wearegenerousandwestandupforwhatwebelievein.

Aftercompilingallofourresearchandthedatawecollectedwesawclearlythatweneededtocreateanewstrategicframeworktohelpguideourwork.

CommunityphilanthropyhaschangedsignificantlysinceFrederickGofffirstcoinedtheterm,“CommunityChest”inClevelandOhioin1914.GofffoundedtheClevelandCommunityFoundationwitha$45,000donation.Hisideawassimple,acommunitychest(yesMonopoly!)forthefuture

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needsoftheClevelandcommunity.Asof2013,theFoundationhadaccepted$975millioningiftswithamarketvalueof$2.1billion.TheFoundationgrants$85millionannually.This‘chest’hasallowedthecommunitytofundandaddressmanyofCleveland’schallengesincludingeducation,affordablehousing,civilrights,neighborhoodrevitalization,women’srightsandartsandculture.

AttheMissoulaCommunityFoundationwewantthiskindofinvestmentinMissoula.Werecognizethatthisisanambitiousgoal,butfeelthatthedatasupportsthisshiftandweknowtheimpactofthiswillbesignificant.

Inawealthstudytransfer,commissionedbytheMontanaCommunityFoundation,by2060$14.26billionwillbetransferredfromonegenerationtothenextinMissoulaCounty.IftheMissoulaCommunityFoundationcouldcapturejustfivepercentofthesefunds,itwouldamountto$712.9million.Thiscouldtranslatetoanannualpayoutof$35.7milliontofundwhateverMissoula’sfuturechallengesmightbe.Thisrepresentsahugeopportunityforourcommunity.

HOWWEWORK

InordertobemoresustainableandtakealeadershiproleinaddressingtheneedsofMissoulawecreatedanewbusinessmodeltosupportourwork.WewanttogrowthephilanthropicpoolfortheneedsofMissoula.Wewanttohelpthehardworkingnonprofitsinourcommunityfulfilltheirmissions.Tothisend,wewillnolongeroperateasanaffiliateoftheMontanaCommunityFoundationandwillbegintomanageourownfunds.

Thiswillallowlocalestablishmentofdonoradvisedfunds,deferredgiftsannuities,fieldofinterestfunds,andunrestrictedgifts.Localmanagmentofthesefundswillallowustofocusontheneedsofourcommunityandcapturemorelegacygiftsbyprovidingexpertisetodonorsandtothenonprofitcommunity.

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FOCUSAREAS

Empoweredbyallwelearnedin2019,weidentifiedseveralareasthatwillallowustofocusonneed,opportunityandimpact.

Education:Educationisagatewaytoanimprovedfuture.Wewanttoimproveaccesstolifelongeducation,focusingonK-12,secondaryeducation,andopportunitiesfornonprofits.EducationisanintegralpartofMissoulaCommunityFoundation’swork.

ThroughourMissoulaProjectforNonprofitExcellence(MPNE)program,wehavehelpedidentifycapacitybuildingprojectsandfundedworktoenableareanonprofitstomoreeffectivelydeliverontheirmission.Thisworkisoftenanoverlookedfundingareathatsupportsthevitalnonprofitinfrastructureinourcommunity.

“Capacity building helps organizations obtain, improve, and retain the skills, knowledge, tools, equipment and other resources needed to do their jobs competently or to a greater capacity”

- Julie Osborne MPNE Advisory Committee

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Movingforward,wewillexpandourexpertisetobearesourcefordonorstomaximizetheirgivingimpactandtononprofitstoincreasetheirplannedgiving.

ArtsandCulture:Missoulaiswhatsomepeoplecalla‘citytown’.Smallenoughtoseeyourneighborsatthegrocerystore,butbigenoughtooffersignificantopportunitiesinartsandculture.Aswegrowthereisaconcernthatwelosethesethingsthatmakeourcommunityspecial.Wewanttoenhanceappreciationoftheartsandparticipationinculturalexperiences.

MissoulaCommunityFoundationhaslongsupportedtheartsandcultureintheMissoulacommunity.Wehaveseveralorganizationsthatwefiscallysponsor:OpenA.I.R.,TellUsSomething,PreserveHistoricMissoula,andLakeMissoulaOldTime.WehavealsohadorganizationssuchasARTSMissoula,TheRoxy,andotherentitiesparticipateinourMissoulaProjectforNonprofitExcellence.

Movingforwardwewillcontinuetodothiswork,butwilllooktobuildfundsandinitiativesdrivenbydonorsandcommunityneeds.

CommunityCare:Wecareforourcommunityandsodomanyofthepeoplethatlivehere.Wewanttocreatefundsthatreflectthegenerosityandcarethatisevidentinthisplacewecallhome.Severaloftheareasthatwereidentifiedinourresearchandstakeholderinterviewswereaffordablehousing,mentalhealth,addiction,andaging.

Donorsmaybepassionateaboutaffordablehousing,agingpopulations,orpublicspaces.Inthatcasewemaywanttocreateafundfor:

• Onetimefundforindividualsincrisis• Addressingaginginplace• Publicspaceprojects

Aswegrowwewanttoserveourdonorsandaddressourchallengesasacommunity.Asourvaluesstate,wewanttobeCommunityDriven.

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OURROLES

Asweworkinthesefocusareas,wewillplaythreemajorrolesinthiswork.

Funder:AsweworktobuildfundsfocusedontheMissoulacommunitywewillpursuecivicandphilanthropicfundsthatreflecttheintersectionofdonorinterestandMissoulaneeds.Asafunderwewilltakein,manage,grantandmeasureimpactoffunds.

Managingourownfundswillallowustomorecloselyworkwithdonors,tobeavoicefortheirinterests,andworkattheintersectionofdonorpassionandcommunityneed.

Connector:Wewillconnectdonorstocausestheycareabout.Wewillconnectnonprofitstofunders.Wewillconnectoutsidefunderstoourcommunity.Wewillconnectnonprofitstotheresourcestheyneedtobesuccessful.

MissoulaCommunityFoundationisanadvocatefortheneedsofourcommunityandwillworktoincreasethecapacityofthosedoinggoodworkinourcommunity.

Educator:Wewillhelpeducatedonorsaboutthemechanismsforcharitablegiving.Wewillprovideeducationtononprofitstomoreeffectivelyfulfilltheirmissionsandstrengthentheirwork.Wewillhelpeducatethecommunityonissues,trendsanddata.

Ineachoftheseroleswewillbefocusedonourmissionandvisionforourcommunity.Wewillworktoengagethecommunityinaconstructivewaytohelpaddressproblemsfromthegroundup.

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MEASURINGOURPROGRESS

Aclearworkplanwillbeapprovedbytheboardandusedtomeasureourworkmovingforward.Someofourprioritiesin2020include:

FundManagementandAccreditation WewillworktowardmeetingthestandardsrequiredtoapplyforcertificationforaccreditationbyNationalStandardsforUSCommunityFoundations.Thisaccreditationshowsourcommitmentofintegritytoourdonors,community,andthepublic.

EnhancingourExistingProgramsWewillcontinuetodeliverandstrengthenourexistingprograms.ThisincludesMissoulaGives,MPNE,MissoulaCommunityFoundationScholarshipProgram,FiscalSponsorships,andWomen’sGivingCircleofMissoulaCounty.Westrivetobeefficient,innovative,andimpactful.

GrowingourImpactIn2019weidentifiedthefocusareasofEducation,Arts&Culture,andCommunityCare.In2020wewillreachouttothosedoingimportantworkinthoseareas.Wewilllearnwhatisneededandworkwithdonorstodevelopfundstofurtherenhancetheworkbeingdone