Originally published on 10/11’s Pure Nebraska Program.
Residents of Bertrand in Phelps County have pooled their resources in recent years to make their community a vibrant place, from schools to parks to career readiness. The Bertrand Area Community Fund (BACF) has been an important part of many of those improvements.
“For a small town I feel Bertrand has a lot going for it,” said BACF member Colby Gardine. “And the Bertrand Area Community Fund puts a lot into the community to build those activities.”
BAFC Ready for next undertaking
Now BACF, an affiliated fund of Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF), is ready for its next undertaking.
Marlene and the late Gary Dahlgren have offered an incredible opportunity, further capitalized by funds from NCF. If BACF can raise $300,000 by December 31, 2027, it would secure an additional $150,000 and grow the unrestricted endowment by $450,000, significantly increasing the resources we have available to improve the quality of life in our communities now and long into the future.
Unrestricted Endowment
Much like a retirement account, an unrestricted endowment generates investment income for your community year after year. It isn’t designated for any specific use or project, making it a source of funding for whatever dreams your hometown can imagine. Because the principal remains untouched, it grows with every gift – and so does the annual payout. The fund advisory committee stewarding the unrestricted endowment account can grant the funds in ways that they determine will fulfill its mission.
“A challenge grant is one of the most effective ways to substantially grow our unrestricted endowment,” said BACF member Colby Gardine “And fortunately two individuals who have given generously to our community during their lifetimes have also ensured their legacy will continue to be felt in the Bertrand Area forever.”
Unrestricted endowments are a community’s dream capital. In the last 14 years, BACF has reinvested more than $320,000 into the community with the goal of making the Phelps
County town magnetic. The Fund Advisory Committee has awarded grants to a variety of projects: new bleachers for the rodeo, air conditioning at the nursing home, new radios for the rescue department, the aquatic center, and many more.
“I feel we’re making a huge difference,” said FAC member Jake Gregg. “We are here to better the community and give back in the best way we can. We’re leading that in the right direction.”
