The Community Foundation's Summer 2014 Newsletter by Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

the newsletter of the community foundation of middle tennessee

Summer 2014

The Big Payback Middle Tennessee answers the call during historic giving event

Bon Voyage

The Brooks Fund's Wanderlust party departs August 15

board of directors Office rs Mrs. Jerry B. Williams, Chairman Mr. Kerry Graham, Vice Chairman Ms. Leilani S. Boulware, Secretary Mr. Charles W. Cook, Jr., Treasurer Ms. Ellen E. Lehman, President

C ONTENTS Message from the Chair

New Board Members

The Big Payback

Call for Grants

CFMT Awards Scholarships

News Briefs

Fund Spotlight

Staff Spotlight

Wilson County Establishes Affiliate

B o ard o f Dire ctor s Mr. Ronald L. Corbin Mrs. Jana J. Davis Mr. Rod Essig Mrs. Irwin E. Fisher Dr. Stephen F. Flatt Mr. Jay L. Frank Mr. Ben G. Freeland Mr. Gary A. Garfield The Hon. Alberto R. Gonzales Mr. Jose D. Gonzalez Mr. Mark R. Gwyn Mr. Carl T. Haley Mr. Henry B. Hicks, III Mrs. Carol O. Hudler Mr. Decosta E. Jenkins The Hon. William C. Koch, Jr. Mr. Robert S. Lipman Mr. Don MacLachlan Mr. Bert Mathews Mr. Stephen F. Moore Ms. Joelle J. Phillips Mrs. Deborah Taylor Tate Dr. Stephaine H. Walker Mr. Kevin J. Wheeler Mr. David Williams, II

B o ard o f Trus tees

Join the Family Here at The Community Foundation, it’s important for us to remain “in the know” when it comes to what is going on in Middle Tennessee. We utilize the power of social media as an important resource to stay up-to-date in real time. Not only does CFMT have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube, our community initiatives also leave their digital footprint throughout the web. Please join the conversation with our online community at cfmt.org/explore/initiatives. Facebook.com/CommunityFoundationMidTN

Twitter: @CFMT

Mrs. Judy Liff Barker Mr. Jack O. Bovender, Jr. Mr. Ben L. Cundiff Mr. Richard J. Eskind Mrs. Kitty Moon Emery Mr. Farzin Ferdowsi Mr. John D. Ferguson Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Jr. Mr. Joel C. Gordon Mr. Francis S. Guess Mr. James S. Gulmi Mr. Aubrey B. Harwell, Jr. Mrs. Catherine T. Jackson Mr. Kevin P. Lavender Dr. John E. Maupin, Jr. Mr. Ralph W. Mosley Mrs. Donna D. Nicely Mr. Ben R. Rechter Mr. Michael D. Shmerling Mrs. Susan W. Simons Mr. Howard L. Stringer Mr. Charles A. Trost Ms. Deborah F. Turner Mr. Jack B. Turner Mrs. Betsy Walkup

Message From the Chair W Jerry Williams

hat a thrill it is for me to serve as chair for The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. While previously serving on the board of directors, I have seen firsthand the impact this organization has had in its 23 years. I am fortunate to be in a position to now set direction and chart a course for the next phase of our work. Being near the epicenter of this charitable work has been eye opening. For many years I have served on the grants committee of The Foundation. This process is the heart and soul of The Community Foundation’s work. Serving on this committee, I benefited from an in-depth understanding of community need through the hundreds of applications for funding submitted by nonprofits in Middle Tennessee. The work our nonprofit partners are doing to serve those in need is amazing. This work has been informative and has prepared me for my new role as Chairman of The Foundation. When there is work to be done to serve as a catalyst around community need or facilitating charitable giving, The Community Foundation does not shy away from rolling up its sleeves and finding a solution. One way we have fulfilled our mission in recent months was through The Big Payback, our first online giving event which was held on May 6 over a 24-hour period. Through your generosity and gifts big and small, we raised $1.5 million

to benefit nonprofits throughout Middle Tennessee. Through The Big Payback, we maximized our mission to connect generosity with need. What better way can we fulfill that mission than by bringing an entire community together to support nonprofits doing vital work? We are proud of this first year effort and I am thrilled to tell you we will be facilitating The Big Payback again on May 5, 2015. Stay tuned for more information in coming months. I’d like to thank the previous chairs of The Community Foundation Board, upon whose shoulders I stand. Francis Guess, outgoing board chair, has been an inspiration to us all and I thank you for your service. Those who have led The Foundation in prior years have been bulwarks of our work, safeguarding the intent of our donors and their stories of giving. For now, The Community Foundation will continue its journey — finding solutions to community needs; looking for ways we can bring value to charitable giving in Middle Tennessee; connecting generosity with need; and most importantly enhancing this community we all love to call home. Sincerely, Jerry Williams

Chairman, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

The Community Foundation Welcomes New Board Members

he Community Foundation is honored to welcome six new members to its distinguished Board of Directors: Mr. Ben Freeland, Mr. Jose Gonzalez, Mr. Mark Gwyn, Mr. Robert Lipman, Ms. Joelle Phillips, and Mr. Kevin Wheeler. Thanks to our new members’ diverse fields of expertise, leadership experience and strong commitment to our community, The Foundation will continue fulfilling its enduring mission to address Middle Tennessee’s needs and opportunities. cfmt.org | 1

Middle Tennesseans Paid Back Their Local Nonprofits in a Big Way L

ocal nonprofits play an essential role in creating better quality of life – in health, arts, environment, education and social services. In today’s economic environment, these organizations accomplish much more with much less. The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee created The Big Payback, a 24-hour, online giving event, to highlight these organizations' great work and inspire community-wide giving. When the time came, Middle Tennesseans paid back their local nonprofits in a big way. The Big Payback raised a remarkable $1,492,492.50 for 525 nonprofits that are making a difference. From 6 a.m., May 6 until 6 a.m., May 7, donors made gifts to their favorite participating charities at TheBigPayback.org. “We are thrilled with the participation by so many members of our community,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation. “This is a testimony to how much Middle Tennessee cares about meeting needs right here at home.”

In one day’s time, more than 11,661 gifts were made. Nearly 30 percent of donations supported human services organizations; 12 percent to health; and 10 percent to organizations serving the arts. For a breakdown of gifts see the infographic on page 4. 2 | cfmt.org

"I'm so very proud of Middle Tennessee coming together in such a concerted giving effort,” said Pastor Laws Rushing. Along with donations, nonprofits were eligible to win financial prizes totaling more than $199,500 thanks to generous sponsors. Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee won two Grand Prize awards of $7,500 (Large Organization with Most Dollars Raised and Most Unique Donors). End Slavery Tennessee (Small Organization, Most Dollars Raised) and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue (Small Organization, Most Unique Donors) also each won a $7,500 Grand Prize.

The giving event was the most inclusive charitable event in Middle Tennessee history. "I'm so very proud of Middle Tennessee coming together in such a concerted giving effort,” said Pastor Laws Rushing, whose Lindsley Avenue Church of Christ participated in The Big Payback. “It really shows our heart and soul.” The big day started with a Kick-Off event at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena where nearly a dozen nonprofits helped countdown to 6 a.m. when The Big Payback went live. As the Kick-Off Event was winding down, The Big Payback Party Bus took the celebration to the streets. During the day, an enthusiastic group of volunteers crisscrossed Nashville to spread cheer and stop-in at local nonprofit events. They joined The Conservancy for the Parthenon & Centennial Park’s jazz parade on West End Avenue and had lunch at the Salvation Army Mobile Feeding Truck. As prizes were announced, the Party Bus made check presentations to some of the winning organizations, including Girls Scouts of Middle Tennessee, The Contributor, and End Slavery Tennessee. The Big Payback Party Bus also made stops at local businesses that supported the effort, like Bongo Java in East Nashville who served piping-hot “Big Payback Brew” coffee. The Community Foundation thanks all who made The Big Payback a success, including our donors, nonprofits, and sponsors. To see the impact you had on Middle Tennessee and receive announcements about next year’s The Big Payback 2015, stay connected by visiting CFMT.org and TheBigPayback.org.

The Big Payback Marks Step toward Greater Digital Fluency for Nonprofits When The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee launched The Big Payback, a 24-hour online giving event, one of the goals was to propel the work of nonprofits into the digital arena. According to Blackbaud, a national company providing fundraising solutions for nonprofits, overall nonprofit fundraising grew 1.7 percent, while online giving grew more than 10.7 percent. Additionally, according to a post-Big Payback survey of donors, 69.4 percent said their preferred method for making gifts was online. For Derri Smith, founder and executive director of End Slavery Tennessee, the exposure to new potential donors was important as her organization fights state-wide human trafficking. “The Big Payback really helped us feel connected to the broader nonprofit world and grateful to be part of such a generous community,” said Smith. End Slavery Tennessee, which won a Big Payback grand prize for a small organization with most dollars raised, received gifts from 32 percent new donors. Anticipation for the day also grew on social media. From February 20 through May 2, Twitter users mentioned #BigPayback nearly 18,000 times. Between May 5 and May 7, there were 5,624 posts by 1,530 users across all social media networks, reaching over 3.2 million people. During the event, The Big Payback were trending topics regionally on both Twitter and Facebook.

Mark your calendars!

The Community Foundation is excited to announce The Big Payback will return May 5, 2015. Get ready to make an even BIGGER impact next year, Middle Tennessee! cfmt.org | 3

11,661 Total Gifts $127.99

11,468

Average Gift Amount

2.2%

Unique Donors

Counties with Participating Nonprofits

Total Cash Prizes

3.1%

participating local nonprofits

Religious Institutions

Housing & Shelter

6.1%

$199,500

1.8%

Environment

Youth Development

4.5%

29.7%

Education

Human Services

6.7%

Community Improvement

$272,855.25

18.2%

7:40 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Sun rise)

12.2% Health

9.1%

10.7%

Arts & Culture

Animals

*Does not include $199,500 cash prizes

68.2% 6 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. (Sun set)

$1,019,353.36

$1,492,492. 50

4 | cfmt.org

Total Dollars Raised

Discretionary Grant Application Now Open G

rantmaking is at the heart of The Community Foundation’s work to enhance the quality of life in Middle Tennessee. With deep roots in our community and expertise in effective philanthropy, we are positioned to assess community needs and opportunities and support quality programs providing solutions.

The Community Foundation announces its annual call for discretionary grant applications. Nonprofit organizations working to improve the well-being of residents of Middle Tennessee are eligible and encouraged to apply. Nonprofit grant guidelines and applications are available at cfmt.org/request/grants. The application deadline is Friday, Aug. 1, 2014, at 4:30 p.m.

Grants will be awarded to nonprofit organizations across Middle Tennessee serving a wide range of causes, including: animal welfare, arts and humanities, conservation and preservation, environment, education, employment and training, health and human services, housing, and economic and community development. The Foundation’s discretionary grant recipients will be announced in late fall 2014. All tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations applying for discretionary grants must be profiled on The Community Foundation’s online initiative www.GivingMatters.com. For more information about discretionary grants, contact The Community Foundation at 615-321-4939, toll free at 888-540-5200, or grants@cfmt.org.

Community Foundation Awards Scholarships T hanks to the generosity of donors, who chose to create scholarship funds within The Community Foundation, this year more than $478,200 in the form of 259 scholarships is helping students pursuing secondary education. “The Community Foundation has helped thousands access educational opportunities they might otherwise have been unable to afford by connecting them with the generosity of others,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. “This year we are honored to help hundreds

more improve their futures, and the futures of their families, through the transformation offered by an education.” Each year, The Community Foundation scholarship committee reviews applications on behalf of donors who entrust The Foundation with administering the annual awards. The scholarship committee carefully considers applicants’ academic records, test scores, extracurricular activities, work experience, community involvement, and personal recommendations.

Community Foundation Scholarships

By The Numbers

• Average GPA – 3.70 • Average ACT Score – 24 • Awards were made from 68 different funds at The Foundation. • Awards went to students from 115 unique high schools from across the nation. • 83 different majors were represented, including aerospaceaeronautics, criminology,

education, international business, organizational leadership, and wildlife science and management. • Scholarship recipients plan to attend schools located all across the country. There were 103 unique colleges and universities represented, including Austin Peay State University, College of the Ozarks, Georgetown University, Louisiana State University, University of California at Davis, and Oregon State University, just to name a few.

ourtney Chance of Joelton, Tenn., received a Cheatham County Community Foundation Scholarship, which helped her graduate from Tennessee Tech University in 2012.

“The Foundation Scholarship meant so much to our family and my pursuit of an education. It really gave us that needed financial boost to help cover a wide variety of costs for attending college.” — Courtney Chance cfmt.org | 5

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of interests including visual and performing arts, live music, sports, free events, fundraisers, festivals and more. In late 2013, NowPlayingNashville.com was recognized at the Center of Nonprofit Management’s Salute to Excellence Awards by receiving the Frist Foundation Award of Achievement in the Revenue Development category. Honored to be recognized in this capacity, the NowPlayingNashville.com team continues to work hard to build a sustaining model in order to provide this useful resource to the Middle Tennessee community.

On the Web Please visit NowPlayingNashville.com to make your plans this summer all while supporting our region’s arts and entertainment.

The Power of the Purse® Attendees Rise to Challenge The Brooks Fund Celebrates 10 Years of Wanderlust Party and Travel Raffle

his August 15, The Brooks Fund of The Community Foundation — a philanthropic fund focused on the inclusion, acceptance and recognition of Middle Tennessee's LGBT community — celebrates a decade of Wanderlust and its partner, the travel raffle. Since its inception in 2005, the event has helped raise money to enable the Fund to grant to a variety of area nonprofit programs working hard to enhance the quality of life for the LGBT community and build bridges between all segments of our community-at-large. The Brooks Fund travel raffle includes a prize worthy of any jet-setter seeking to add another stamp to his or her passport. Wanderlust 2014 marks the final year for the travel raffle to be included in the annual celebration. An advance general admission or VIP ticket purchase to this year’s Wanderlust party, Bon Voyage, automatically enters patrons into the last travel raffle hosted by The Brooks Fund. Visit TheBrooksFund.org for more information and to purchase your tickets to Wanderlust – setting sail on Friday, August 15 at Anthem in downtown Nashville.

NowPlayingNashville.com is the Spot For Summertime Happenings

e are in the midst of summertime, and folks are always looking for things to do to stay busy and enjoy the warm weather. We encourage you to utilize the extensive arts and entertainment calendar of The Community Foundation’s online initiative, NowPlayingNashville.com. Jam-packed with options for the entertainment seeker, NowPlayingNashville.com covers a variety

6 | cfmt.org

he 2014 Power of the Purse® was a tremendous success. On April 10, at Nashville’s Music City Center, more than 770 guests attended the 16th annual luncheon to celebrate women and giving, hear keynote speaker Stacy London's inspiring speech, and support The Women's Fund's mission. During the luncheon, Tricia Carswell, The Women’s Fund's advisory board chair, challenged attendees to make donations to The Fund totaling $20,000 in just two minutes. As the seconds counted down, guests rose to the occasion, and the results were amazing. That challenge raised $26,827 for The Women’s Fund. Along with those gifts, Melissa Frist and Ruth Ann Harnisch each agreed to match the donations up to $10,000, bringing the total amount raised to $46,827. The 2014 Power of the Purse® featured the announcement of two other historic gifts: $150,000 from Andrea Carlton and $1,000,000 gift shared by Janet Ayers, President of The Ayers Foundation. The Women's Fund would like to thank Power of the Purse® co-chairs, Mary Jo Shankle and Barbara Keith Payne, event sponsors, volunteers and The Community Foundation staff for making the luncheon a success.

FUND SPOTLIGHT

Sounds host The Sports Fund for Equipment Drive

lay ball? Thanks to sports equipment donations from generous Nashville Sounds’ fans, hundreds of Middle Tennessee kids will be able to. The Sounds recently hosted The Sports Fund for a “Play It Forward” equipment drive during their series against the New Orleans Zephyrs.

The Sports Fund collected donations of new and gentlyused sports equipment, which will be sorted and distributed to local nonprofits which fit The Fund’s mission of providing team membership experiences to at-risk youth in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee.

Delanie Walker Gives Back Foundation Fund

ennessee Titans’ tight end Delanie Walker established the Delanie Walker Gives Back Foundation Fund with a clear vision in mind for impacting underserved youth in a positive way. The Fund extends Delanie’s current community outreach efforts nationally and locally in his new hometown of Nashville, including: • Serving as a spokesperson and ambassador for Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) in an effort to combat driving under the influence, which caused him to lose his aunt and uncle to a drunk driver in New Orleans immediately following Super Bowl XLVII; • Participating as a panelist for the YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee’s A Call to Coaches, a program for coaches, mentors, and youth advocates regarding the important role they play in developing and promoting health and respectful manhood in the lives of boys and young men.

Past equipment recipients include: East Nashville Little League, which provides kids the chance to participate in baseball; and Tennessee Golf Association’s First Tee program, which impacts the lives of Nashville’s youth by developing their assets through the life skills experience and the core values of golf.

Nashville Academy of Medicine Alliance Nursing Scholarship Fund

he Nashville Academy of Medicine Alliance (NAMA) was a group of physician spouses who volunteered their time to improve the health of the people of Nashville from 1927-2014. Early members furnished a chapel for General Hospital, rolled bandages during World War II, and promoted the Salk polio vaccine. As the decades passed, NAMA continued to play a vital role in keeping Nashville “well." NAMA worked to end domestic violence, bullying, smoking, and AIDS, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for medical education. The Nashville Academy of Medicine Alliance Nursing Scholarship Fund honors the work of NAMA and continues its legacy. Nursing students who are in the final year of their nursing course of study at Aquinas College, Belmont University, Tennessee State University, or Vanderbilt University are eligible to apply for assistance.

Gail Kerr’s House the Homeless Fund

eloved Tennessean columnist Gail Kerr had the opportunity to learn and write about Nashville’s homeless problem. In particular, she was impressed with a multi-organizational effort to help people get into an apartment by addressing the specific needs that led them to the streets. This included not only the resources to secure housing, but dealing with practical issues – like filing the proper paperwork and transportation – that often keep people from accessing the help they need. After her passing, Gail Kerr’s House the Homeless Fund was established through The Community Foundation so her legacy could live on. It was Gail’s vision to raise funds to support these programs and get Nashville’s homeless off the street, one at a time. cfmt.org | 7

staff spotlight

Melisa Currey

Q & A with Comptroller of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

elisa Currey is the Comptroller for The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. With extensive experience in accounting and financial management, Melisa oversees the daily financial activity of The Community Foundation. She is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the accounting systems that ensure adequate accounting records are maintained of all assets, liabilities, and other transactions of The Foundation. Donors frequently turn to Melisa for guidance with gift transactions, investment performance results, and portfolio management issues. Q. Melisa, what inspires you about the work of The Community Foundation? I love knowing my work influences so many lives in Middle Tennessee and beyond. It’s a great feeling to know each day when I come to work that I had a part in helping to clothe a child, feed a person, or send a student to college who otherwise would not have had this opportunity. There are so many ways I’m inspired each day by the variety of nonprofits we serve in our 40 counties and the donors who want to help. Q. You were the third full-time staff person at The Community Foundation. How have you seen the work of The Foundation change during this time? When I was hired in 1994, The Foundation was relatively new. We had approximately $13 million in assets and 31 funds, and today we have $360 million in assets and more than 1,000 funds. Most exciting of all, we have given away over $700 million in grants. That’s tremendous growth and opportunity for our community and our partners. As we have grown, so have our initiatives to address community needs, like Giving Matters, NowPlayingNashville.com and Childcare Nashville. Today we have many funds to tackle specific needs of our community and make grants through our discretionary process. Q. What is your favorite memory during your time at The Community Foundation? Not my favorite but most memorable is Ellen, Laundrea and I huddled in a tiny restroom in our old office near Centennial Park when the Tornado of 1998 hit. After we emerged, the destruction was surreal. I immediately noticed the community’s unmatched volunteer spirit that continued through the 2010 Flood and is still so prevalent today. It also was the first disaster fund of many that we have done through the years as we helped our community recover. 8 | cfmt.org

Wilson County Establishes Affiliate Community Foundation

esidents of Wilson County have established an affiliate community foundation to enhance charitable giving in their county. Dr. Paul Stumb, dean of the Cumberland University Labry School of Business, is spearheading the Wilson Countybased effort. While several funds within The Community Foundation already contribute to Wilson County charities, "the move to create an affiliate in Wilson County will enable us to have an independent local Community Foundation organization charged with the responsibility of procuring and establishing funds to serve needs in Wilson County,” said Stumb. The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee administers funds that benefit organizations in Wilson County, including Lebanon High School, Cumberland University, Brooks House, New Leash on Life, among others. “Creating this Community Foundation Affiliate Fund is like establishing a Charitable Savings Account for a community,” said Ellen Lehman president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. "Funds are given by an ever-expanding group of people who love the community and who are eager to protect the quality of life they enjoy for the benefit of this and future generations. The Funds come in, are invested, and the community continues to reap the returns for generations to come. But for creation of a fund like this dedicated to a place, fewer people would have the opportunity to have more money remain ‘at home’ and less be sent off to the IRS, now or after they die. We are honored to help Wilson Countians invest in their future! We know that when people come together to invest in their community, important things happen!” For some 23 years, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has provided personalized charitable solutions to help individual donors make a difference and enrich the communities in which they live in ways that are important to them. We currently have active affiliate funds in Cheatham, Dickson, Montgomery, Wilson Counties, and Christian, Todd and Trigg Counties in Kentucky.

What is an Affiliate Fund? Community Foundations are a valuable resource for a community interested in protecting its future and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. In hundreds of communities across our country, caring leaders have come together to establish a community foundation, founded on the belief that a portion of wealth created by a community should accrue to its benefit. The charitable intent is fulfilled for generations. It’s lasting. How it works: • One or more individuals, committed to making their community a better place to live, make a gift to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The gift may be cash, publicly traded or closely held securities, bequests, planned gifts, insurance, IRAs, Remainder or Lead Trusts, real property, etc. • A fund is established with as little as $5,000. • Grants from the Fund may only be made to qualified charitable organizations in the defined geographic area.

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He’s It! H e ’s IT. H e ’s t h e IT m ayo r fo r t h e IT c i t y. H e ’ s a l s o t h e 2014 J o e K r a f t H u m a n i ta r i a n A wa r d R e c i p i e n t . 21st

annual

Joe Kraft H u m a n i ta r i a n Awa r d Luncheon honoring

Mayor Karl Dean SAVE THE DATE November 13, 2014 11:30 A.M. Music City Center N a s h v i l l e , TN f o r m o r e i n f o r m at i o n , v i s i t

c fm t.o r g