Community Foundation Meets National Standards
by July 21, 2003 12:00 am 55 views
The Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation has met the National Standards for Community Foundations, which were established in 2000 by the Council on Foundations in an effort to standardize such community philanthropic entities nationwide.
Connie Hendrix-Kral, director of donor relations, for the NWACF, said that meeting the standards requirements will help her organization facilitate collaborative efforts.
For example, Hendrix-Kral said, Merrill Lynch recommends community foundations for tax-deductible donations to its clients but only ones that meet the standards. Until recently, the nearest certified community foundation was in Atlanta, she said.
The designation will give the NWACF more opportunities to receive funding from nationwide grant programs and philanthropic efforts.
Adrian Luttrell, NWACF board chairman, called the application process, which took about eight months, “rigorous and time-consuming.”
The NWACF has 59 funds and about $5 million in assets. The NWACF is also the umbrella organization for the Community Care Foundation, which was formed in 1998 with $140 million from the sale of Northwest Health System.