Greetings once again from your Community Foundation. What a year it has been in South Haven, MI. Hot and busy, the streets and businesses seem to be always teeming with visitors. It’s amazing how many states are represented. Now fall days remind us again, that on the coast of Lake Michigan, we enjoy a priceless natural beauty and wonder.
Your South Haven Community Foundation is a public charity – seeking to build a pyramid of permanent contributed support from many gifts. We are dedicated to enriching the quality of life in South Haven by securing its future through endowments, with emphasis on supporting Education, The Arts and Culture, and Business Development. Governance is by an autonomous Board of Directors. Currently 13 volunteers representing government, education, finance, law, business and non-profits provide the leadership. We operate as a “virtual” organization. Communications are via email and shared documents using various software apps and the “cloud.” Our assets and the ability to grant funds are growing rapidly, but we are too small to afford full time staffing or physical facilities. At the same time, we are too big now for volunteers to handle all the required activities well.
Next steps; what is our action plan? A part time administrator will be added in the 4th quarter of 2016. The web site and social media will be outsourced to a permanent contract technician. Our fiscal year-end will be changed from the calendar year to June 30th to better align with activities.
Board member development and training will be expanded.
Fund development is our top priority. Each gift, no matter how small, is like a spark. A bunch of sparks can ignite a large movement. One gift from one person, stacked on another gift from another person, stacked on year after year of gifts, stacked on generation after generation becomes a huge force for doing good in the community.
