People eating food at neighborhood party
Blog, Community Connector
July 11, 2023
Community Connector – July 2023

FOUNDATION NEWS

A Message From our President & CEO

Summer is in full swing and so are we at the Community Foundation! We have a full schedule of programs for nonprofits from now through the rest of 2023. Our ACDS workshops have been extremely popular with the being held in September. Our Mental Health First Aid Trainings start this month and we recently added six Nonprofit Capacity Building Educational Programs, with one starting next week.

I’m happy to announce that we have had great success with our 25th Anniversary Special Offer to nonprofits! In the last month, we have had more than 40 nonprofits and/or donors show interest in the opportunity to establish a Nonprofit Agency Endowment Fund with CFAAC. This special offer means nonprofits or donors can make an initial investment with no minimum contribution required to open a Designated Fund to support their organization. If you are a nonprofit looking to ensure the long-term success of your organization or if you are someone who is looking to help a nonprofit establish an endowment, this is your chance to make a difference.

Finally, the nominations for Celebration of Philanthropy Awards opened last month and we are very excited to see the submissions for these prestigious awards coming in – don’t delay if you want to honor someone or a group that does so much for our community!

Mary Spencer
CFAAC President & CEO

A Visit From Congressman John Sarbanes

CFAAC was proud to welcome Congressman John Sarbanes last week to discuss how the Community Foundation is providing support to Anne Arundel County nonprofits to help them enhance the quality of life for all.

CFAAC presented Congressman Sarbanes with its 2022 Community Needs Assessment, Poverty Amidst Plenty VII: Moving Forward Together, to assist him in prioritizing and developing strategies and implementation plans with measurable goals that will benefit everyone in the county.

In Case You Missed It: June's CFAAC Capital Article

Volunteers are the heartbeat of a community’s nonprofits
By Mary Spencer, CFAAC President and CEO

Where would our community be without volunteers? Think of all the parents who help at local schools, the people who stock shelves and hand out food at county food banks and shelters and the people who volunteer their time to local nonprofit boards, programs, and events. Volunteers are the heartbeat of many of our community’s nonprofits. These nonprofits rely on volunteers day-in and day- out to achieve their missions. In turn, communities rely on the nonprofits. It’s a circle of kindness that can help make our county better for everyone. Read more.


CELEBRATION OF PHILANTHROPY

CFAAC’s Celebration of Philanthropy Nominations Are Now Open!

CFAAC is now accepting nominations for its 23rd annual Celebration of Philanthropy Awards through July 31, 2023. Community members, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and members of the faith communities are encouraged to nominate an individual, family, group, or organization who have demonstrated exceptional generosity through direct financial support or service, and outstanding civic and charitable work in Anne Arundel County. There will be awards presented in eight categories: Philanthropist of the YearCorporate Philanthropist of the Year; Volunteer of the YearYoung Volunteer of the YearBoots on the Ground AwardCarroll H. Hynson, Jr. Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in PhilanthropyCarol Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award; and Legacy Award for Planned Giving.

Community members: Do you know an unsung hero who is always there to lend a hand to nonprofits? What about a person who has made lasting, significant, and impactful contributions to Anne Arundel County by advancing philanthropy? Nominate them!

Nonprofits: Do you have a volunteer who supports your organization day-in and day-out? What about a person who has transformed programs with their generosity? Nominating your supporters is a great opportunity to thank them.  

Step-by-Step Video fro how to Nominate for the Celebration of Philanthropy

Check out the video above with Director of Development, Damika Baker-Wilson, as she walks through the steps to submitting your nomination. 

Learn More About the Celebration of Philanthropy


MAKING A DIFFERENCE

CFAAC’s First Designated Fund After New Special Offer Gets the Ball Rolling

Image of Newton's Cradle

When CFAAC Communications Specialist Renee Zemanski was in a weekly staff meeting discussing the Community Foundation’s special offer for nonprofits, the wheels began to turn. The offer, an opportunity to establish a Nonprofit Agency Endowment Fund with CFAAC by making an initial investment with no minimum contribution or setup fees required to open a Designated Fund, was a game changer. She immediately knew of an organization that she wanted to support and went home to discuss opening a fund with her husband. The goal of setting up the Designated Fund is for it to reach a balance of $25,000 within three years so CFAAC can permanently endow the fund and convert it to a Nonprofit Endowment Fund. 

“It really was an easy decision for us,” said Renee, who with her husband, decided to open a Designated Fund for NAMI Anne Arundel County. “We wanted to support NAMI and knew they wanted an endowment but finding the time and staff to administer and manage an endowment fund would be challenging for them. It was a ‘nice to have but we’ll get to it later’ item on their to-do list so it made sense for us to assist the organization in this way.”

Read More

CFAAC Welcomes New Funds

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County is thrilled to welcome the following to our family of funds:

Mitchell Wood Russell Memorial Fund: An Endowed Donor Advised Fund established to support the intentions of the family of Mitch Russell to honor his life and legacy.

During our 25th anniversary year, CFAAC continues to grow and strengthen the endowments of nonprofits to benefit them in perpetuity. Learn more about all of CFAAC's Nonprofit Agency Endowment Funds and this special offer, hereCFAAC is excited to welcome the following new Designated Funds, established with the goal of growing to become a permanently Endowed Fund:

Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland Logo

Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland Fund: A CFAAC 25th Anniversary Designated Fund established by a donor to support the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA) and its mission to advise and educate the public on the conservation of our marine resources. The objective of CCA is to conserve, promote, and enhance the present and future availability of coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public. 

Help support CCA with a special gift this year by donating here.

Encore Creativity for Older Adults Logo

Encore Creativity for Older Adults Fund: A CFAAC 25th Anniversary Designated Fund established by Encore Creativity for Older Adults (Encore). Encore's mission is to provide an excellent and accessible artistic environment for older adults. 

Help Encore reach its goals with a special gift this year by donating here.

Food 4 Thought Logo

Food 4 Thought Community Outreach Services Fund: A CFAAC 25th Anniversary Designated Fund established by Food 4 Thought Community Outreach Services, Inc. (F4T). F4T's mission is to develop and promote activities that facilitate improved healthy eating habits, assist in obtaining stable housing, develop job training skills to increase employable opportunities, and encourage healthy decision-making and improved self-confidence for individuals who are referred as disadvantaged and/or living in communities identified as food desserts, living below the poverty level, homeless, and/or have veteran status. 

Help F4T reach its goals with a special gift this year by donating here.

Kingdom Kare Childcare Center Logo

Kingdom Kare Early Childhood and Family Support Fund: A CFAAC 25th Anniversary Designated Fund established by Kingdom Kare Inc. to support their mission to nurture children and their families, so they feel empowered to pursue their dreams. 

Help Kingdom Kare reach its goals with a special gift this year by donating here.

 

Maryland Reentry Resource Center Logo

Maryland Reentry Resource Center Fund: A CFAAC 25th Anniversary Designated Fund established by a donor to support the Maryland Reentry Resource Center (MDRRC) and its mission to empower inmates and formerly incarcerated individuals to create a strong reentry transition plan, prepare for their release while incarcerated, and immediately begin pursuing their established goals once released. 

Help support MDRRC with a special gift this year by donating here.
 

Maryland Reentry Resource Center Logo

Ocean Research Project Fund: A CFAAC 25th Anniversary Designated Fund established by a donor to support the Ocean Research Project (ORP) and its mission to monitor humanity’s impact on the ocean through dedicated interdisciplinary field expeditions. 

Help support ORP with a special gift this year by donating here.
 

As our donors and our nonprofit community continue to take advantage of our special 25th anniversary offer to establish a new Designated or Agency Nonprofit Fund to benefit their beloved nonprofit, we encourage our community to support one or more of these funds listed below with a special gift. Each gift will help the nonprofit grow their fund to ensure that their organization is supported in perpetuity. If you don't see your favorite nonprofit listed here, please contact John Rodenhausen, Director of Gift Planning at john@cfaac.org, to find out how you can establish a fund to be added to the list.

Endowment Funds for the benefit of a  nonprofit:

AAWGT Endowment Fund

Annapolis Maritime Museum Endowment Fund 

Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center Endowment Fund

Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation Endowment

Boy Scouts of Anne Arundel County

Center of Help Endowment Fund

Charting Careers Endowment Fund

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Fund

Chrysalis House Endowment Fund 

Colonial Players Roland E. Riley Endowment for the Arts

Community Leadership Fund for CFAAC

Karen Feldman Endowment Fund for Seeds 4 Success

Londontowne Symphony Orchestra Endowment Fund

Marcus Endowment Fund for Arundel Lodge

Sylvia Meisenberg Adult Literacy Program at Arundel House of Hope

Sylvia Meisenberg Shakespeare Education Fund

Sylvia Meisenberg Shakespeare Education Fund

Opportunity Builders Inc.

Partners In Care Maryland Endowment Fund

Pregnancy Clinic Endowment Fund

Scenic Rivers Land Trust Stewardship Reserve

Teach 4 Anne Arundel Fund

Designated Funds for the benefit of a nonprofit with the goal of growing to become a permanently Endowed Fund:

Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland Fund

Encore Creativity for Older Adults Fund

Food 4 Thought Community Outreach Services Fund

Kingdom Kare Early Childhood and Family Support Fund

Maryland Reentry Resource Center Fund

NAMI Anne Arundel County Designated Fund

Ocean Research Project Fund

John Starr Memorial Musician's Fund


STRENGTHENING NONPROFITS

CFAAC Announces Nonprofit Capacity-Building Sessions 

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County is excited to present the following nonprofit capacity-building sessions for local nonprofits to strengthen and build their capacity to serve others. CFAAC’s workshops sell-out quickly, so sign up soon to make sure your nonprofit doesn’t miss out on this opportunity! Instructors are curated from Maryland Nonprofits' network of consultants certified to provide nonprofit capacity building training. 

*Scholarships are available for nonprofits who want to attend but need financial assistance.
These programs are made possible thanks to the generous funding of Andrew and Leslie Price.

Erin Donovan

Strategic Planning for Nonprofits
July 24 2023, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library
Speaker: Erin Donovan, Maryland Nonprofit Associate Consultant
This program is open to the public. Registration is $25.* Parking is free. 

Strategic thinking and planning are fundamental tools that nonprofits use to organize efforts that support mission attainment. With competing priorities and community needs, program planners and organizational leaders need to devote time to thinking strategically and developing plans that are flexible and adaptable. This session delivers a practical, step-by-step approach to strategic planning that covers how to gather and analyze data needed to inform decision-making; who to involve at what steps in the process; and how to construct the necessary components of a strategic plan. 

Register & Learn More Here

Paddy McSherry Morton

Strategic Partnership/Corporate Integration
August 2, 2023, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library
Speaker: Padraic (“Paddy”) McSherry Morton, General Counsel, Maryland Nonprofits
This program is open to the public. Registration is $25.* Parking is free. 

This session provides an overview of the different kinds of partnerships that exist within the nonprofit sector and the role that partnerships play in collective impact. Practical advice on implementing partnerships will be outlined and participants will leave with strategies and tools to increase the partnership capacity of their organization. 

Register & Learn More Here

Save the date for other events in this series: 

Risk Management for Nonprofits | September 6, 2023
Risk management is the practice of continual identification of and response to analysis of current and potential risks for your organization. This session will go deeper into financial risk issues, including cash flow projections, internal controls, and overhead (indirect costs). Areas of concern for grants compliance and management will be reviewed with recommendations for further steps each organization can take to minimize risk exposure.

Donor Database & Financial Management Systems | October 11, 2023
Many organizations struggle with how to track and report interactions with donors and key stakeholders. This session will review best practices in donor tracking, including review of what makes an effective CRM (customer/constituent relationship management) system, and how to evaluate the best technology services for your organization.

Executive Director Supervisory Skills, Managing for Mutual Success | November 8, 2023
Supervisors create an important foundation of trust, commitment, engagement, and productivity within their teams. Often an employee’s decision to stay or leave an organization is dependent on who they report to. When supervisors are not trained to manage, lead, and support the efforts of others it can seriously damage employee engagement. This session aims to support supervisors with key management skills needed for effective decision making, problem solving, and activating staff assets and talents.

Board Governance/Innovative Board Recruiting | December 6, 2023
Board members are sometimes so hard to find, and nonprofits often invite people they know to fill this chief volunteer role. This session is focused on assisting participants with seeking and confirming new, highly engaged, diverse board members through a variety of creative recruiting and relationship building techniques to find fresh prospects with the expertise and a desire to serve. This session will include new places to find board members, how to encourage board members to take a more active role, and questions of board composition and diversity.

Mental Health First Aid Training Courses

Did you know that nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness? Mental Health First Aid training will teach you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Courses taught in this series:

ADULT MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID 

IN-PERSON - SOLD OUT
Date: Monday, July 31, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Register by July 17
Location: CFAAC Office at 900 Bestgate Road, Suite 400, Annapolis, MD 21401
Register for Waitlist: cfaac.org/InPerson_Adult_MHFA

VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM – Taught in TWO 3-hour courses (one hour of on-line prep work is required)
Dates: Tuesday, September 12, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Register by August 2
           Tuesday, September 19, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Learn More & Register: cfaac.org/Virtual_Adult_MHFA

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

Date: Saturday, October 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Register by September 2
Location: CFAAC Office at 900 Bestgate Road, Suite 400, Annapolis, MD 21401
Learn More & Register: cfaac.org/Youth_MHFA

 

 

ACDS and CFAAC Nonprofits Workshop Series

Anne Arundel Community Development Services (ACDS) and the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County invite nonprofit staff, board, and volunteers to attend a series of five nonprofit skills workshops designed to help nonprofits gain the knowledge they need to sustain and grow their organizations. Generous support provided by the Office of the Anne Arundel County Executive. *Scholarships are available for nonprofits who want to attend in person but need financial assistance.

Leading Teams with Intentionality Around Justice, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Flyer for Community Trauma traning

Community Trauma Training: Adverse Community Experiences and Resilience

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health is sponsoring a trauma-informed training for community members and agency staff. Attendees of the training will better understand causes and responses to community trauma and resilience. The training will define community trauma and provide skills and strategies to intervene, heal and build upon communities to be safer and healthier. This training is free and is intended for nonprofit and community organization staff, government workers and Anne Arundel County residents who live or work in communities experiencing trauma. 

July 13th | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Quiet Waters Park
July 18th | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Severn Center

Register Here

Women and Girls Fund Application Opens on July 17

CFAAC’s Women and Girls Fund, supports Anne Arundel County nonprofits that develop individual skills, decrease isolation, create new experiences, and empower women and girls who face major obstacles due to poverty, disability, domestic violence, and/or lack of access to resources. The award size is $3,000-$5,000 and awards will be presented in October 2023. The application opens on July 17, 2023, and the application deadline is August 25, 2023.

Help CFAAC fund more Women and Girls Fund Grants: Donate here.

Learn More

Environment Anne Arundel Application Deadline is July 28

CFAAC's Environment Anne Arundel Fund, supports Anne Arundel County nonprofits working to protect and improve the environment in Anne Arundel County and the Chesapeake Bay. The award size is $3,000-$5,000 and awards will be presented in September 2023. The application deadline is July 28, 2023. 

Help CFAAC fund more Environment Anne Arundel Grants donate here.

Learn More & Apply

Grants 4 Teachers Application is Open

Grants 4 Teachers helps fund the highly creative ideas of Anne Arundel County Public School (AACPS) teachers across the County, that otherwise would be impossible to implement in the classroom due to school system funding constraints. Award size is up to $500. The application deadline is September 29, 2023. Awards presented in October 2023. 

Help CFAAC fund more AACPS teachers, donate to Grants 4 Teacher here

Learn More & Apply
 

NEWS FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS

Advising Clients About AI’s Impact on Charitable Giving

News about the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) has skyrocketed over the last few months. As attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors, you are probably watching these developments closely, both because of the potential legal issues involved and also because of the ways AI can enhance your work. Here are three suggested discussion points when your clients ask how AI might impact their philanthropy plans...

Read More

Retirement Savings and “Catch-Up” Contributions Can Boost Clients’ Giving

At the Community Foundation, we regularly work with legal, financial, and tax advisors like you to help clients reach their charitable goals. As a professional who regularly works with charitable clients, you are well aware of the tremendous benefits to both clients and charities when a client names a charity, such as a fund at CFAAC, as the beneficiary of an IRA or other qualified retirement plan. So how can you help a client plan ahead to maximize a bequest of retirement fund assets, as well as support increased giving during the client’s lifetime? 

Read More

Three Suggested Readings for the Latest in Philanthropic News

Giving in America
In June, Giving USA reported a rare decline, 3.4%, in charitable giving by Americans in 2022. Though giving totaled nearly $500 billion, officials cited high inflation and the stock market’s pullback as reasons for the decline from $516 billion of total giving in 2021. Despite households’ financial pressures, 64% of giving came from individual donors. Dig into this compelling infographic for a comprehensive look at the state of philanthropy in America. Your clients favorite charities likely need their support more than ever, and working with CFAAC can help them achieve their philanthropic goals. For more suggested readings, read more on our blog.

Read More


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