Lehigh Valley Community Foundation

TO DISTRIBUTE PHILANTHROPIC DONATIONS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR LEHIGH VALLEY RESIDENTS

DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021, THE FOUNDATION MADE 753 GRANTS TOTALING OVER $5.6 MILLION. OVER 350 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED GRANTS IN THE AREAS OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE, HISTORY AND HERITAGE, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENT AND SCIENCE, HEALTH CARE AND HUMAN SERVICES. FOUNDATION-DIRECTED GRANTMAKING EFFORTS WERE STRATEGICALLY AIMED AT CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR AND BUILDING KEY RELATIONSHIPS AND TRANSFORMING PROGRESS IN THE UNDERSTANDING, AWARENESS, AND KNOWLEDGE OF RACIAL EQUITY. SEE CONTINUATION ON SCHEDULE OTHE FOUNDATION'S NONPROFIT EFFECTIVENESS PROGRAM CONTINUED TO EVOLVE INTO A COMMUNITY-LEADING EFFORT AIMED AT NONPROFIT SUSTAINABILITY. STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO FIND BEST APPROACHES TO STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, LVCF PROVIDED $167,250 OF GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT, AND OPERATIONS OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SO THEY CAN PROSPER AND BE IMPACTFUL FOR YEARS TO COME. IN WORKING WITH SEVERAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO GAUGE AND IMPROVE EFFECTIVENESS WAS USED, AND THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED FINANCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. THIRD PARTY CONSULTANTS WERE ENGAGED TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE IN KEY AREAS OF EFFECTIVENESS AND THE FOUNDATION HOSTED SEVERAL COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE EVENTS AND FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS. IN RESPONSE TO THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC AND SOCIAL UPRISINGS ON THE SOCIAL SECTOR IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY, LVCF PARTNERED WITH OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS TO LAUNCH PROJECT EQUITY, AN INITIATIVE TO BRING TOGETHER 35 SOCIAL SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS TO HOLD SPACE TO CONSIDER HOW MIGHT WE CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE NONPROFIT SECTOR TOGETHER, ACROSS DIFFERENCE. IN ADDITION TO FOUNDATION-DIRECTED GRANTMAKING AND COMMUNITY EFFORTS, THE FOUNDATION OFFERS A VARIETY OF PHILANTHROPIC GIVING OPPORTUNITIES TO MULTIPLE TYPES OF DONORS AND MAKES GRANTS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. IN ORDER TO CONNECT DONORS WITH CAUSES THAT MATTER TO THEM, THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO PROMOTE COLLABORATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO SERVE AS A CENTER OF EXPERTISE REGARDING CHARITABLE GIVING AND COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE. THE FOUNDATION'S COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IS CONTINUALLY ENHANCED THROUGH SEVERAL ONGOING EFFORTS. THESE EFFORTS INCLUDE: MEETINGS WITH LEADERSHIP OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP GATHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE VARIETY AND QUALITY OF CHARITABLE CAUSES AND NEEDS ACROSS THE REGION; PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY INITIATIVES; HOSTING EVENTS AND CONVENING COMMUNITY-WIDE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PHILANTHROPY AND CROSS-SECTOR INFORMATION GATHERING; WORKING WITH AREA GRANTMAKING ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSESS COMMUNITY NEEDS AND DEVELOP WAYS TO WORK COLLEGIALLY AS GRANTMAKERS IN THE COMMUNITY.