Foundation Sets 2014 Goal: $1 Million in Endowments

Most Wright County residents are aware of the Wright County Charitable Foundation (WCCF) and its granting of gaming funds, twice annually to non-profit groups and organizations. Since its first grant cycle in the spring of 2006, WCCF has granted nearly $650,000 to 261 entities (some have requested and been given more than one grant).  Duane Asbe, Endowment Building Director, said, “Not only are we proud of that number, we are also proud of the fact that the projects to which WCCF has contributed, enhancing county projects costing more than $5.5 million.”

The county charitable foundation is now accepting grants for its spring cycle until Tuesday, April 15. For more grant information, contact the Wright County Economic Development Office, lower level of the county courthouse.

In 2013, nine new county  endowment funds were established, bringing the total accounts held by WCCF to 22. “We have the ability to help individuals, families, and organizations to ‘help themselves’,” said Asbe. The county, and the groups and individuals the WCCF worked with to set up their own endowments, had an accumulative balance of $800,000 plus at the end of 2013. The WCCF Endowment Building Team has set itself a goal of crossing the $1 million mark by the end of 2014.  The Team includes Asbe, Steve Been, Ron Bailey, Jack Stoakes, and Karen Weld.

The ‘$1 million’ mark sounds like a big number, but when broken down, the group believes it is a doable one.  Been said, “We know how much money we will be getting from the state of Iowa which we need to keep for the WCCF endowment, that will be $30,000.”

The twenty-two current endowments in Wright County have the ability, and may have the interest, to add to their individual accounts. Rowan Library is one of the 22 accounts. Mayor Ron Bailey said, “Rowan had a town fun day last summer with games, food, silent auction. Proceeds were to go to the library’s endowment.” The small town library added $8,000 to its fund in 2013.  Based on 2013 contributions, the endowment committee has set a goal of $50,000 for contributions to those individual accounts in 2014.

“By giving now,” said Asbe, “people can enjoy giving for years to come in the future.”

Read the complete story in the April 3 issue of the Wrigtht County Monitor!