Homer Alaska - Opinion

Like most everything in life, philanthropy follows trends. One current trend is for donors to want to do more than give money; they want to have more personal involvement with the good their money does. Another trend is the desire to care for and sustain things close to home. The growth in community foundations is a direct result of these donor preferences.

What are community foundations? Basically, these are tax-exempt public charities that invest and administer funds (endowments) to meet local or regional needs. They're overseen by volunteer boards of citizens who know their communities well and not only allocate grants but identify emerging needs, channel resources to those needs and help prepare communities for the future. Or, as the Homer Foundation (www.homerfund.org) says about its work, they "connect generosity to community need."

Homer should be proud that its far-sighted citizens in 1991 created the first community foundation in Alaska. With its mission to enhance the quality of life for citizens in the greater Homer area, its leadership and grantmaking have made hundreds of large (new library) and small (supplies for youth projects) contributions to our lives and future. In recent years other community foundations have followed Homer's lead, some independently and others as affiliates with the statewide Alaska Community Foundation (www.alaskacf.org).

What do all community foundations have in common? In every case donors at any giving level can make long-term gifts to what are essentially "permanent funds" — endowments that are prudently invested and pay out into the community far into the future, creating a lasting legacy and community sustainability. By choosing which funds to contribute to, those donors can have a "say" in which community needs they support. In the case of the Homer Foundation, there are 41 individual funds. These range from the main endowment (known as the "unrestricted fund") to "agency funds" (to support individual nonprofits), "field of interest" funds (to support youth activities, Rotary projects and scholarships, among other examples), and "donor-advised" funds. You might think of all these together as a "basket" of funds.

It's donor-advised funds that seem to be a wave of the future throughout the country, offering donors a way to stay actively involved with their giving. Once such a fund is established, the donor maintains a relationship with the foundation, learning about community needs and advising on what causes or projects that donor would like to see supported by the fund's earnings. Families, in this way, can train their younger members in philanthropy by involving them in the advising process, and since a fund is permanent, the tradition can carry through generations.

Where organizations might once have created and managed their own endowments and where once individuals might have established small family foundations, community foundations have arisen to consolidate efforts and costs. Donors also benefit from the community foundation's expertise in understanding needs and in matching good will and good work.

And, of course, a donor doesn't need to be wealthy and doesn't need to create an individual fund. Anyone can donate any amount to the unrestricted fund or any other funds he or she wants to support — and can know that every donation will benefit the community, now and well into the future.

Sustainable Homer — our foundation is one way to help us get there.

Nancy Lord, Alaska's writer laureate, is a long-time Homer resident and supporter of the Homer Foundation.

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Needs adult mentors (Bigs) to meet 2-4 times a month with youth (Littles) or in the schools; team captains and bowlers for our Bowl for Kids Sake fundraiser (April); help coordinating Dream Big Luncheon (November); Leadership Council Members (advisory board for local staff) — meet once a month; various help needed to coordinate other short fundraisers and promotional fair booths; business two-for-one specials and deals (for Bigs and Littles to access during their meeting times); and office supplies.

Another way to help: Donate your clothing, blankets, shoes, hats, gloves in the red bins at Safeway and Ulmer's. BBBS of Homer receives a portion of the profits when sold.

CONTACT: Susan Kirn at 235-8397 or Susan.Kirn@bbbs.org; or Jenny Martin at 235-8391 or Jenny.Martin@bbbs.org

CENTER FOR ALASKAN COASTAL STUDIES

Needs help with fundraising, public relations, education, membership, volunteer facilities maintenance, newsletter, Wynn Nature Center and Peterson Bay Field Station.

CONTACT: 235-6746 or e-mail info@akcoastalstudies.org

Cook Inletkeeper

Needs volunteers for bug sampling in local streams Aug. 9-12.

CONTACT: Rachel at 235-4068 ext. 29 or e-mail rachel@inletkeeper.org

Homer Chamber of Commerce

Needs volunteers to help greet visitors, answer phones, assist with special projects and help with a variety of office tasks. Two or three hours of your time each week would help the chamber immensely. It's a great way to meet new people, learn about the area and give back to your community.

CONTACT: Sharon at 235-7740 or e-mail info@homeralaska.org

homer community food pantry

Needs volunteers on Monday from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Homer United Methodist Church, 770 East End Road.

CONTACT: Diana at 235-1968.

HOMER FOUNDATION

Is always looking for volunteers to provide office support or to serve on grants or other committees.

CONTACT: Joy at 235-0541 or jsteward@homerfund.org

KBBI Public Radio

Needs parking, security and gate volunteers Saturday and Sunday for Concert on the Lawn.

CONTACT: Jonathan at 235-7721 ext. 224 or e-mail jonathan@kbbi.org.

PRATT MUSEUM

Hosts its Volunteer Appreciation Barbecue on Sept. 11, from 5-7 p.m. This fun event, where volunteers will be honored for their dedication and commitment to the Pratt, will be held outside or in the lower gallery if it rains. The Pratt continues to seek volunteers to share local knowledge with visitors and Pratt staff is willing to train volunteers for various office tasks, too.

CONTACT: Jennie at 435-3326 or info@prattmuseum.org