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GIFTING
TRULY… A COMMUNITY EFFORT
The Fountain Hills Community Foundation, now in our 28th year, provides a valuable opportunity to the families of Fountain Hills who have a passion for their community and want to make an impact on its future. As the “hub” of nonprofit philanthropy, we can provide you and your family with a mechanism for distributing your charitable contributions throughout the community – in a pre-planned and responsible manner – for years to come.
During 2022, the Fountain Hills Community Foundation enjoyed great success in many different aspects of its service to the Town of Fountain Hills and the surrounding communities.
• 2022 was a year of growth for the Fountain Hills Community Foundation, our third full year of operations under our new Board of Directors.
• In January 2022, the Foundation adopted new By-Laws to become a member-based organization. Our Inaugural Membership Meeting was held March 31, 2022. Sixty-one individuals chose to become donor/members during the first year!
• Gifting Day 2022 was combined with our first membership meeting, and the combination gave our Members an opportunity to meet our Grant Recipients – the movers and shakers of the local nonprofit world – as well as a chance to enjoy a pleasant evening with the leadership of our organization.
• Fundraising efforts also grew in 2022:
° Our 3rd annual Flutter at the Fountain raised $60,000 for future gifting.
° In December, a new giving program engaged locals wanting to be personally involved in directed gifting with the “Holiday Surprise Gifting” program.
• During the year, the opportunity of Legacy Giving for local families also evolved. We look forward to sharing more with you in this very personal opportunity to impact your community through either Donor Advised Funds today or estate planning mechanisms for future years.
• As the year ended, the Foundation received word from the Arizona Department of Revenue that the new Fountain Hills Community Tax Credit Foundation was approved.
Throughout the year, our donors, sponsors, Flutter artists, committee members, volunteers and Board of Directors donated thousands of hours to nurture and grow the Fountain Hills Community Foundation so that it will become a self-sustaining mechanism to support the nonprofit organizations, which are the heart and soul of our community.
FUNDRAISING AND GIFTING
Since 1995, the Fountain Hills Community Foundation has donated more than $1.5 million to the community. As an organization, we have been primarily focused on raising and giving money to the local nonprofit organizations that are the backbone of our area. Now, in our 28th year and with the help of an outstanding Board of Directors and volunteers willing to dedicate the necessary time, we are also diversifying our efforts in order to build a more sustainable organization. We believe in this mission so that future generations will always be confident in the ability of the Foundation to support the volunteer organizations that nurture and care for our youth, families and seniors. This will allow these groups to focus on their all-important community service to our residents, without having to worrying about the challenges of fundraising.
FLUTTER
Our 3rd annual Flutter at the Fountain raised $60,000 for future gifting.
• FLUTTER AT THE FOUNTAIN: Now in its 3rd year, lutter brings together hundreds of committed volunteers and supporters, starting with the amazing local artists who each year create colorful masterpiece sculptures from raw metal. Then, our talented Flutter Committee shares their expertise in bringing together donors, sponsors, restaurants, vendors and volunteers to host the community’s most beautiful fundraiser. And we can’t forget to thank all of the folks who purchase our butterfly beauties to adorn their homes, yards and businesses.
The 2022 Flutter, held November 5th in the FH Community Garden, featured an aerialist soaring above the garden, a butterfly dancer winging through the crowd and a lively auctioneer plus 44 butterfly sculptures ranging from 12" - 36". We are so grateful to our Flutter Heroes like Impact Collision, SteelCrest, Fountain Hills Community Garden, Culinary Curator Debbie Elder and Photographer Mark Trembley – and many more – who donated their talents to make us look so good. This year, the Foundation was blessed with an extraordinary effort by artist Mary Molnar who gave us two incredible amethyst encrusted butterflies, both of which achieved all-time record auction prices. Thank you, Mary, for your incredible talent and passion for the Community Foundation!
Bottom line ... by the time our Grant Recipients receive a portion of the $60,000 Flutter proceeds, Flutter is the most inclusive community event, touching thousands along the way. It’s a win-win-win, just the way it should be!
• HOLIDAY SURPRISE GIFTING: A pilot program in 2022, Holiday Surprise Gifting gives donors a more personalized gifting experience. Throughout the holiday season, various donors may choose local organizations they would like to “surprise” with much needed funds. Imagine being a small, hardworking group who has run out of funding at the end of the year, and along come the Community Foundation “Elves” to leave a much needed check to help out! It’s one of the most heartwarming activities of our year. We have extra elf hats available and we invite you to consider joining us in 2023!
• NEW FOR 2023 – MEANINGFUL MILESTONES: The Community Foundation would like to help you celebrate the special milestones in someone’s life by making a meaningful gift that also serves our community! Go to FountainHillsGives.com/ Meaningful-Milestones to send your gift!
Throughout the holiday season, various donors may choose local organizations they would like to “surprise” with much needed funds.
In 2022, we were able to Gift $49,125 at our annual Gifting Day on March 23, 2022.
WHY WE GIVE: OUR 2022 NONPROFIT GRANT RECIPIENTS
The Community Foundation is all about helping local nonprofit groups to thrive! Each year, hundreds of volunteers help to raise funds through a myriad of ways so that we can then provide valuable grants to area nonprofit groups. In 2022, we were able to Gift $49,125 at our annual Gifting Day on March 23, 2022. These were funds that were made almost entirely with our Flutter at the Fountain event in November, 2021.
2022 RECIPIENTS & AMOUNTS
ADOG – $1,250
Bob’s Free Bikes – $3,000
Boys & Girls Club – $2,700
Encore for More (FHCCA) – $1,300
Falcon Fiesta Graduation Celebration – $2,700
Foster Your Future – $950
Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association (FHCCA) – $625
Fountain Hills Elks Club #1 (girls softball) – $1,125
Fountain Hills Elks Club #2 (help families) – $1,250
Fountain Hills Friends of the Library – $3,000
Fountain Hills Leadership Academy (FHCCA) – $250
Fountain Hills Lions Club – $225
Fountain Hills Little League – $5,000
Fountain Hills Munch and Music – $1,550
Fountain Hills Noon Kiwanis Club – $2,500
Fountain Hills PTO – $5,000
Fountain Hills Toymakers – $700
Fountain Hills Women’s Club – $1,000
Fountain Hills Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition – $2,700
Fountain Hills Youth Theater – $2,700
Golden Eagle Education Foundation – $1,000
Junior Achievement of Arizona – $1,250
Reigning Grace Ranch – $1,250
River of Time Museum – $2,650
Sky Sanctuary – $1,250
Tender Little Hearts Mini Tales and Assisted Equine Mini Therapy – $2,200
(480) 744-9055
We are always thrilled when we receive updates from these groups about their activities, especially when they share their adorable photographs!
MEMBERSHIP
The Foundation received enthusiastic support for its new membership program during 2022, achieving membership dues of more than $25,000 by year-end!
We also include within our membership categories the dedicated sponsors, donors and artists who participate in events like Flutter at the Fountain. Those making an in-kind donation or committing to an event sponsorship also receive membership in the FHCF.
One of the more active groups within our organization is our Flynn Society membership group for those who donate a minimum of $1,000 or make an in-kind donation of $1,500 or more. This prestigious level is named after our founder, Jim Flynn, in spirit of community stewardship. Flynn Society donors participate in fun “field trips” to interesting locations within the area, like the iconic butterfly inspired home known as Casa Mariposa, or to visit one of our recipient groups such as Reigning Grace Ranch and the Fountain Hills Theater. During these intimate tours, we get to see the good works of our partner groups up close and personal and meet the people who make it all happen.
MEMBERSHIP
New membership program during 2022, achieving membership dues of more than $25,000 by year-end!
FOUNTAIN HILLS COMMUNITY TAX CREDIT FOUNDATION
The Community Foundation sponsored a new, related Foundation this year, the Fountain Hills Community TAX CREDIT Foundation (FHCTCF), a non-profit organization that allows Arizona taxpayers to divert up to $400 ($800 if filing jointly) to their local community instead of their state tax obligation. Through a Qualified Charitable Organization (QCO) like the FHCTCF, these monies are then directed to local Fountain Hills individuals who most need the help. This provides needy families, low-income individuals, and chronically ill individuals with much needed assistance. During the 2022 year (essentially only the month of December after our approval by the AZ Dept of Revenue) the FHCTCF raised $8,500. During the last few weeks of the year, we were able to gift $2,104 ... and we’re just getting started! These funds went to needy families and local school children needing eye exams and eye-glasses.
What’s the difference between the Fountain Hills Community Foundation and the Fountain Hills Community TAX CREDIT Fountain???
The FHCF gives money to local 501C-3 nonprofit groups, while the FHCTCF gives money directly to the individuals who are in need AND it helps Arizona taxpayers direct their otherwise tax payments to help their local community.
TAX CREDIT
this year, the Fountain Hills Community TAX CREDIT Foundation (FHCTCF), a non-profit organization that allows Arizona taxpayers to divert up to $400 ($800 if filing jointly) to their local community instead of their state tax obligation.
In 2022, the Foundation created an investment program to offer Donor Advised Funding. The Foundation currently manages approx. $120,000 in Donor Advised Funds.
ANNUAL FINANCIAL COMPARISON
The 2022 calendar year was a good one for the Foundation. Overall revenue increased by more than $44,000. This was less than our 2021 level of increase which included two large investments to the Foundation.
Our annual Futter event was a big success, increasing our revenue by just under $33,000. We also received nearly $11,000 in individual contributions, grants, and membership dues. Our growth allowed the Foundation to embark on a marketing program to improve our recognition within the community with improved marketing on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Youtube). We were also able to allocate an additional $10,000 to our Gifting Committee to distribute in 2023. In December we started a Surprise Holiday Gifting program which contributed more than $3,800 to local non-profits with direct donations from members. As we all know, 2022 was a difficult year for financial investments and the FHCF suffered as well. Our investments contributed $4,500 versus $11,000 in 2021.
ONE MEAL AT A TIME: Our One Meal at a Time program was able to distribute more than $2,400 in gift certificates to local businesses to assist low-income kids with much needed meals.
DONOR ADVISED FUNDS: In 2022, the Foundation created an investment program to offer Donor Advised Funding. Now, a donor may make a lump sum contribution to the Foundation which can be especially helpful for tax planning purposes in the event of an excessive income event like selling a business. We were thrilled to receive our first, private Donor Advised Fund of nearly $20,000. With this gift, the Donor will indicate preferences regarding the nonprofit groups that might benefit from the gift each year. The Foundation also manages another $100,000 in Donor Advised Funds belonging to various nonprofit groups throughout the community.
LEGACY CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS: In 2022, the Foundation received its first Legacy Contribution Agreement that will take effect in the future. This allows Donors the opportunity to designate how their legacy will be spent with the Foundation as a part of their estate planning process.
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE: The Foundation established an Investment Committee in 2022, made up of six, local financial, investment and community advisors that advise the FHCF on market trends and make recommendations for acceptable financial funds. The Committee recommends to the Board any financial changes regarding funds under management.
Overall, 2022 was a good year and we expect 2023 to be even better!
VOLUNTEERISM
Volunteerism is the heart of what we do and what we believe. The FHCF is an entirely volunteer effort – and is entirely focused on local needs.
2022 DIRECTORS
Debbie Clason
Mark Dalton, Treasurer
Mark Daniels
Siobhan Doherty
Eleanora “Lee” Holmes
Dr. Bill Myhr
Michael Pameditis
Bill Pape
Nicole Perkins
Debbie Skehen
Natalie Varela, Secretary
Helen Whatmough, Vice Pres
Dori Wittrig, President
2023 COMMITTEES
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
Dori Wittrig, President
Helen Whatmough, Vice President
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE:
Gratitude Coordinator: Mary Ann Bosnos
CRM Coordinator: Siobhan Doherty
Volunteer Coordinator:
Debbie Skehen & Gail Pape
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE:
Sandi McGee, Coordinator
Nicole Perkins, Flutter at the Fountain Chair
Theresa Conti, Ladies Golf Tournament
Mark Dalton, Treasurer
Natalie Varela, Secretary
Strategic Planning & Governance: Steve Hoffman and Sandi McGee
The
Helen Whatmough and Lee Holmes, Holiday Surprise Gifting
Donor Advised Funds: Bill Pape and Steve Hoffman
Flutter at the Fountain is the most inclusive community event, touching thousands along the way. It’s a win-win-win, just the way it should be!
The Fountain Hills Community Foundation is passionate about helping our recipient nonprofit groups as they grow and flourish.
GIFTING COMMITTEE:
Bill Myhr, Chair
Mark Dalton
Kathy Madden
Sioban Doherty
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE:
Mark Dalton, Chair
Michael Maroon
Michael Pameditis
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:
Dori Wittrig, Chair
Helen Whatmough, Flynn Society
MARKETING COMMITTEE:
Dori Wittrig, Chair
Debbie Clason
Tammy Bell
Jessica Maiwald
Helen Whatmough
Mark Daniels
Isabelle Clason
Bill Pape
Siobhan Doherty, Flynn Society
Beth Kohoutek, Social Media Volunteer
SPECIAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION
There are so many individuals who give their time and talents in various ways to our Foundation. Here are just a few that made 2022 extra special for the Foundation
Mary Molnar: Creator of the World’s Most Beautiful Amethyst Butterflies
Gail Pape: “Pro Tem” Volunteer Coordinator for Flutter
Zongfu & Jiang Li: Our Gracious Hosts at “Casa Mariposa”
Kelly Sampson & Hillary West: 3-time Flutter Committee Volunteers
Debbie Elder: Chef de Nom for Flutter
Michael Maroon: Perennial and enthusiastic supporter of the Foundation
Anita Glenister & Madison Glenister for your amazing servant’s hearts throughout Flutter!
The Perkins Brothers: Mitchell & Powell for their brawn AND brains throughout the Flutter Season
Joey Patrizi: For his beautiful woodworking talents to make our Flutter thank you mini-butterfly bases
LOOKING AHEAD
The Fountain Hills Community Foundation is passionate about helping our recipient nonprofit groups as they grow and flourish. Look for a new fundraising event, more ways to volunteer and additional Flynn Society social gatherings soon. And, as always, your Directors will strive to increase our asset base through wise investing, income producing events and by nurturing our membership base.
fountain hills community foundation
info@fountainhillsgives.com
www.FountainHillsGives.com
(480) 744-9055