South Brown County Community Foundation Receives Capacity Building Grant

South Brown County Community Foundation (SBCCF), serving Horton, Everest, Willis, Powhattan, and Kickapoo Nation, is thrilled to announce the receipt of a capacity building grant that will enable the foundation to hire its first executive director. The grant funds are part of the Community Foundation Capacity Building Program, a Patterson Family Foundation grant program created to help address staff capacity gaps in rural community foundations. The Patterson Family Foundation’s investment in community foundations helps local philanthropic organizations build their capacity to engage local donors and retain local assets – ultimately allowing for greater long-term impact in communities.

“This exciting development marks a pivotal moment in the South Brown County Community Foundation's history, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing community leadership, growing assets, and becoming an even more impactful resource for the communities it serves,” says James Lednicky, SBCCF President “We are grateful to the Patterson Family Foundation for these funds, which allow us to take a significant step forward in our growth with the hiring of our first executive director.”

Lednicky says the capacity-building grant will be utilized to recruit and hire key personnel who will contribute to the foundation's effectiveness in various areas, including grant-making and marketing the funds of the foundation.

“The addition of staff will empower SBCCF to elevate its programs, engage with community leaders, and manage its resources more efficiently,” says Lednicky. “This milestone is not just about expanding our internal capacity; it's about strengthening our ability to serve and support the communities that depend on us."

Sara Hackett, Program Officer, the Patterson Family Foundation, explains that many rural community foundations function with a volunteer board that must manage the day-to-day operations and strive to increase community foundation assets. “The Patterson Family Foundation programs for community foundations help local communities plan for the transition of wealth, keeping rural dollars in rural communities,” says Hackett. “Our goal is to inspire more local donors to participate in rural philanthropy through the vehicle of rural-serving community foundations. Helping to expand the staffing capacity of these foundations is one strategy to reach that goal.”

For more information about South Brown County Community Foundation, please visit southbrowncountycf.org

Established in 2019, the South Brown County Community Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in South Brown County by increasing charitable giving, educating, and connecting donors to community needs.