The Foundation For Delaware County

THE MISSION OF THE FOUNDATION FOR DELAWARE COUNTY IS TO CREATE A VIBRANT FUTURE FOR DELAWARE COUNTY BY PROMOTING GENEROSITY IN AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTY, IMPROVING THE WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND ENERGIZING PARTICIPATION AND PARTNERSHIP ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES.

GRANTMAKING: THE FOUNDATION FOR DELAWARE COUNTY, THE LARGEST CHARITABLE FOUNDATION IN DELAWARE COUNTY, OPERATED SEVERAL GRANTMAKING PROGRAMS IN FY22. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS ANNUAL COMPETITIVE IMPACT GRANTS PROGRAM, INFUSING THE DELAWARE COUNTY NONPROFIT COMMUNITY WITH VALUABLE NEW FINANCIAL RESOURCES TOTALING $1,434,853. THE 51 GRANTS WERE AWARDED ACROSS 5 PRIORITY AREAS THAT ALIGN WITH THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION AND ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS FACED BY DELAWARE COUNTY'S RESIDENTS. THE PRIORITIES AND NUMBER OF GRANTS AWARDED IN EACH AREA INCLUDED: 1.) CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING (31 GRANTS); 2.) COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (7 GRANTS); 3.) HOSPICE AND HOME HEALTHCARE (2 GRANTS); 4.) FOOD SECURITY (9 GRANTS); 5.) SERVICES FOR CANCER SURVIVORS (2 GRANTS). GRANTS RANGED IN SIZE FROM $2,000 TO $100,000. THESE GRANTS ARE A KEY ELEMENT OF THE FOUNDATION FOR DELAWARE COUNTY'S MISSION AND DEMONSTRATE HOW COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY TO MOVING DELAWARE COUNTY FORWARD. BY FUNDING A BROAD RANGE OF STRONG DELAWARE COUNTY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, THESE GRANTS ARE ACHIEVING POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR DELAWARE COUNTY'S CHILDREN, TEENS AND ADULTS.IN HONOR OF OUR FIFTH ANNIVERSARY, THE FOUNDATION FOR DELAWARE COUNTY INVITED DELAWARE COUNTY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENTLY ENDOWED FUND AT THE FOUNDATION. THE FOUNDATION OFFERED A 1:5 MATCH FOR ALL NEW AGENCY ENDOWMENTS. FOUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ESTABLISHED AGENCY ENDOWMENT FUNDS DURING THE YEAR. THE FOUNDATION ISSUED FOUR MATCHING GRANTS TOTALING $54,852.THE FOUNDATION FOR DELAWARE COUNTY IMPLEMENTED THE DELCO CHILD TAX CREDIT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO NONPROFITS CONDUCTING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO DELAWARE COUNTY RESIDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR THE CHILD TAX CREDIT. WITH FUNDS RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY OF DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA, THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS, UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021, THE FOUNDATION AWARDED EIGHT GRANTS TOTALING $40,000.THE ABOVE GRANTS SUPPLEMENT $805,684 IN DONOR ADVISED FUND CONTRIBUTIONS, NON-PROFIT EVENT SPONSORSHIPS, IN-KIND DONATIONS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND CHARITABLE CARE, FOR A TOTAL OF $2,335,389 AWARDED IN DELAWARE COUNTY IN ONE YEAR AS SHOWN IN SCHEDULE I.

THE FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMS IN DELAWARE COUNTY SAVE LIVES AND IMPROVE THE FUTURES OF RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE REGIONAL LEADERS IN THEIR FIELDS. THEY ADDRESS SUCH CRITICAL PROBLEMS AS HIGH RATES OF INFANT MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY, LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, FOOD INSECURITY, SUBSTANCE USE AND THE SUCCESS OF TEENS. THESE PROGRAMS WORK TOGETHER AND COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER FOR GREATER IMPACT. OF PARTICULAR NOTE ARE THREE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT SERVE MORE THAN 10,000 DELAWARE COUNTY RESIDENTS EACH YEAR:HEALTHY START AND NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP ARE HOME VISITING PROGRAMS THAT PARTNER PREGNANT WOMEN, NEW MOTHERS AND YOUNG FAMILIES WITH CASE MANAGERS AND VISITING NURSES WHO FOCUS ON HELPING WOMEN HAVE HEALTHY PREGNANCIES AND ENSURING FAMILIES ACCESS HEALTH CARE, CONNECT TO NEEDED COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND BENEFITS, AND LEARN AND BUILD PARENTING SKILLS TO GET THE BEST START IN LIFE. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DRIVING DOWN THE INORDINATELY HIGH AND RACIALLY DISPARATE INFANT MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY, AND LOW BIRTH WEIGHT RATES IN OUR COUNTY'S POORER COMMUNITIES. RECENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO POOR BIRTH OUTCOMES. THESE INCLUDE WHERE A WOMAN LIVES, ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND TRAUMA, AND PRECONCEPTION CARE. BLACK WOMEN WITH LESS THAN A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ARE PARTICULARLY AT RISK.SEVERAL UNIQUE COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAMS ARE LEADING TO IMPROVED OUTCOMES. WIDENER UNIVERSITY DELAWARE LAW SCHOOL MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP: THIS IS A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HEALTHY START/NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP AND WIDENER UNIVERSITY DELAWARE LAW SCHOOL. IT PROVIDES DIRECT CIVIL LEGAL REPRESENTATION, SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY AND TRAINING TO SUPPORT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY. EL CENTRO CENTER FOR HISPANIC RESOURCES: THE CENTER IS A "ONE-STOP-SHOP" THAT CONNECTS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH A RANGE OF SERVICES. AMONG THESE ARE CASE MANAGEMENT, TRANSLATION, APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING, HEALTH EDUCATION, ASSISTANCE WITH APPLICATIONS AND AGENCY REFERRALS. PERINATAL PERIODS OF RISK (PPOR): THE PPOR PROJECT, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DELAWARE COUNTY CHILD DEATH REVIEW TEAM, IS COLLECTING DATA AND ANALYZING FETAL AND INFANT DEATHS. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY INFANTS ARE DYING DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF RISK; AND DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE INFANT DEATH. HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAM: THE HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAM WORKS WITH FAMILIES ENROLLED IN HEALTHY START AND NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS TO ASSIST THEM IN ACCESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PUBLIC HOUSING AND WHERE ELIGIBLE THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES ASSISTANCE WITH CREDIT READINESS, HOUSING SEARCHES AND TENANT EDUCATION TO FACILITATE THE TRANSITION TO STABLE, PERMANENT HOUSING. THE HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAM ALSO HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHESTER HOUSING AUTHORITY.THE FOUNDATION OFFERS THE NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP (NFP) BECAUSE OVER THREE DECADES OF RESEARCH SHOW THAT IT WORKS. IN AT LEAST ONE OF NFP'S RANDOMIZED RESEARCH TRIALS, THE FOLLOWING RESULTS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED: 48 PERCENT REDUCTION IN CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT; 56 PERCENT REDUCTION IN EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS FOR ACCIDENTS AND POISONINGS; 67 PERCENT REDUCTION IN BEHAVIORAL AND INTELLECTUAL PROBLEMS BY AGE 6.NFP ALSO SAVES MONEY. A STUDY BY THE RAND CORPORATION FOUND THAT $5.70 IS RETURNED TO A COMMUNITY FOR EVERY DOLLAR IT INVESTS IN THE PROGRAM.THE THIRD PROGRAM, THE FOUNDATION'S WOMEN'S, INFANTS', AND CHILDREN'S SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION (WIC) PROGRAM PROVIDES NUTRITIOUS FOODS AND ENCOURAGES BREASTFEEDING TO OVER 9,500 LOW-INCOME WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN UP TO THE AGE OF 5 EACH YEAR IN DELAWARE COUNTY. NATIONWIDE, THE PROGRAM HAS DECREASED THE PERCENTAGE OF LOW-INCOME CHILDREN AGES 2-4 WITH OBESITY BY 9%, PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING CRITICAL SERVICES: ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOODS NUTRITION COUNSELING BREASTFEEDING INFORMATION AND SUPPORT HEALTH AND NUTRITION SCREENINGS REFERRALS TO HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ACCESS TO THE FARMERS' MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM (FMNP)THE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED THE CENTER FOR NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE TO BUILD STRONG AND PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH DELAWARE COUNTY NONPROFITS AND ADDRESS THEIR CAPACITY BUILDING NEEDS. THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CENTER: - PEER LEARNING CIRCLES FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND EMERGING LEADERS: THE GOAL OF THESE CIRCLES IS TO RESPOND TO THE NEED OF NONPROFIT LEADERS IN DELAWARE COUNTY AND TO ENHANCE COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION IN OUR NONPROFIT LANDSCAPE. THE CIRCLES PROVIDE NONPROFIT LEADERS IN DELAWARE COUNTY WITH A FACILITATED SPACE FOR REFLECTIVE LEARNING, PROBLEM-SOLVING, PEER SUPPORT AND INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP GROWTH WITH SUPPORT FROM SEASONED FACILITATORS AND SPEAKERS.- COMPASS PRO BONO: THE FOUNDATION IS SPONSORING COMPASS PRO BONO CONSULTING PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE SIX MONTHS OF STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO TWO PRE-SELECTED NONPROFITS. COMPASS DELIVERS STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO NONPROFITS IN WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA AND MOST RECENTLY CHICAGO. COMPASS PAIRS PRO BONO TEAMS OF CAREFULLY SCREENED AND EXPERIENCED BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS WITH NONPROFITS WHO HAVE AN IDENTIFIED CAPACITY-BUILDING PROJECT IN ONE OF FIVE AREAS; STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, FUNDING STRATEGY, STRATEGIC MARKETING, PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS OR BOARD DEVELOPMENT.- THE FOUNDATION ALSO OFFERS ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THE COUNTY.

THE FOUNDATION'S CENTER FOR NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE BUILDS STRONG AND PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH DELAWARE COUNTY NONPROFITS AND ADDRESSES THEIR CAPACITY BUILDING NEEDS. THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CENTER:- PEER LEARNING CIRCLES: THE GOAL OF THESE CIRCLES IS TO RESPOND TO THE NEED OF DELAWARE COUNTY NONPROFIT LEADERS AND TO ENHANCE COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION ACROSS THE SOCIAL GOOD SECTOR. THE CIRCLES PROVIDE NONPROFIT LEADERS IN DELAWARE COUNTY WITH AN OPEN SPACE FOR REFLECTIVE LEARNING, PROBLEM-SOLVING, PEER SUPPORT, AND INDIVIDUAL GROWTH, WITH GUIDANCE FROM SEASONED CONSULTANTS AND SPEAKERS.- CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT: THE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH THE NONPROFIT CENTER AT LASALLE UNIVERSITY'S SCHOOL OF BUSINESS TO OFFER A NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM TO AREA NONPROFIT PROFESSIONALS. PARTICIPANTS ATTEND 10 SIX-HOUR SESSIONS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE CERTIFICATION.- THE FOUNDATION ALSO OFFERS ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THE COUNTY.