Hello, friends of +Legacy Fund. I hope this note helps keep folks in the loop on the many happenings here in the weeks intervening between our Board meetings. Since the December meeting and open house, CICF had its regular Board meeting in standard order. +Mark Robbins and I attended various lunches and open houses aimed at celebrating the holiday season. We posted photos and short remarks to social media on a number of them. But the real work at the end of the month was hustling to close as many funds as we could in the 2012 year. While snow closed the office on 12/26 we all worked from home and kept pushing to get the funds open. We were happy to return to the office on 12/27 for the first of three strategic planning sessions for Legacy Fund staff. Our work is directed at ensuring that all we do is efficiently targeting our three major objectives (build funds, raise profile and implement the community leadership project).
The first week of January found the Legacy Fund office closed (like CICF), but I snuck in to clean files and enjoy the relative calm at 515 East Main. By the second week, we were back in full swing. CICF was recognized at a Diversity Luncheon for the City of Indianapolis as outstanding in its category. And, Mark and +Kerry Byrne worked diligently to clean-up any outstanding items to help close the books on 2012. By mid-month, we were preparing for our first all-inclusive Youth Assistance Program (YAP) meeting. Hosted by the Community Leadership Initiative Committee, we overflowed our conference room with YAP stakeholders and staff from Westfield and the newly launched Noblesville programs. It was great to get everyone on the same page. Official news on the YAP & LF partnership will be announced in the coming weeks.
We met with Rosemary Dorsa of the Indiana Grantmaker’s Alliance to discuss how their group could support our upcoming (but date not yet set), Legacy Fund Board Retreat. I have agreed to serve on the statewide council for the Lilly Endowment supported organization and have learned a great deal about how foundations of our size are faring.
As usual, much of our time is spent meeting with donors and prospective donors. For the larger potential givers, there are routinely a raft of financial planners and other advisors required along the way. At times, we have met with a half dozen folks before we can get to a decision point with the would-be philanthropist. Ann O’Hara and the Board’s Development Committee continue to lend a steady hand as we negotiate these waters. Much of the rest of our time is spent with grantees. Kerry does a great job keeping the home fires burning as Mark and me seem to spend more time in our cars than at our desks!
All in, much of 2013 has been committed to finishing work from 2012. Now we are looking to the next 11 months with a strong sense of commitment to an increasing pace. While today’s economic reports suggest that our country may already be back in recession, the market was kind at the end of the year and the foundation has strong balances. We believe that we should continue to see steady growth for 2013 in spite of the difficult economic conditions. However, even a weak recovery would be most welcome in helping us help our donors.
