For the last twenty-something years, I have worked for Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF), a statewide community foundation that today assists 266 hometowns and 1,500 volunteers with their work to build stronger communities and a Greater Nebraska. In my (likely biased) opinion, Nebraska is fortunate to have so many thriving community foundations including many beyond those affiliated with NCF. Over the last three decades I have personally witnessed their powerful impact in communities large and small.
Imagine my delight in reading Daniel Stid’s recent article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy – an outsider’s impartial take on the critical importance of community foundations with Stid going as far to say that they will be the ones to “rescue democracy.”
I think community foundations are largely misunderstood. According to Stid, “Compared to their richly endowed national counterparts, community foundations are often regarded as more modest and often more staid institutions, lacking the scale, big ideas and visibility to take on the nation’s biggest problems.”
But our locality is precisely what makes community foundations so powerful. We feel deep accountability because we are living, working and raising our families in the same places you are. Our own lives are affected when we do our jobs well. And the notion that our ideas aren’t big? Well, I’d encourage anyone to take a drive across Greater Nebraska and see for themselves the monumental dreams that have come to fruition thanks to the passion and dedication of ambitious Nebraskans involved in the work of community foundations – multimillion dollar community centers, state-of-the-art childcare facilities, abundant arts and culture, worldclass recreation, exemplary education and healthcare, ample opportunities for young people and so much more.
Stid says because community foundations are embedded in the places they work, they are best suited to serve them. I couldn’t agree more. NCF volunteers’ deep knowledge of their local assets and challenges position them to know exactly where financial resources will make the maximum impact. I can think of dozens of examples of Nebraska hometowns that have found innovative solutions to Greater Nebraska’s most perplexing challenges – housing, childcare, workforce, healthcare – simply by using the relationships and trust they have worked so diligently to build over the years. Solutions that couldn’t possibly be detected by even the most knowledgeable outside expert.
Stid also praises community foundations for their high level of credibility – something he says is implicit to local associations and governmental institutions in a manner not afforded to their national counterparts. As someone who has long been in this line of work, I can assure you, this trust is hard earned and something we take very seriously. Community foundations are held to incredibly high standards by both donors and the IRS. Some of us even go the extra mile to obtain accreditation from organizations like the Council on Foundations, the most rigorous standards in philanthropy.
Will community foundations “rescue democracy” as Stid suggests? Not alone. Of that, I’m sure. Every day I witness ordinary Nebraskans doing extraordinary work through their local community foundations. No doubt these individuals have different beliefs and ideologies, but they share a common values system. A belief in civic engagement and the importance of belonging to a community. The satisfaction that comes with engaging with your neighbors (in real life, face to face) and leaving the world better than you found it.
If this sounds appealing, I encourage you to reach out and get involved with your local community foundation. We would all be lucky to have your time, talent and treasure.
Jeff Yost is President and CEO of Nebraska Community Foundation. For more information about NCF’s work, visit NebraskaHometown.org.
