PAGE 4. Private Foundations & Community Foundations

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1 A Publication of the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut FALL 2017 PAGE 3 Recognizing Local Heroes Women & Girls Funds PAGE 4 Private Foundations & Community Foundations PAGE 5 Professional Advisors Corner From Maryam Elahi President & CEO Vibrant & Determined Recharged by the summer, may we all enter autumn with renewed focus and drive. Fifth graders from Winthrop Elementary School in New London learning to sail at NESS. The Community Sets Sail with NESS As a community foundation, it is a pleasure to support a young organization throughout its development from startup to innovative leader. New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) is one such example. Created in 2002, NESS started with just 14 children, 8 tiny boats, and a big dream to offer inclusive and accessible sailing programs to the community. Fifteen years later, NESS annually serves more than 7,500 students of ranging socioeconomic status across Connecticut and Rhode Island with its mix of sailing, marine science, and adventure sports programs. NESS provides K-12 students with an ocean adventure and much more. It was the first AmeriCorps program to use sailing as a platform to build confidence and other life skills in underserved youth. Additionally, NESS integrates with New London, Norwich, and other area public and magnet schools to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curricula. NESS has also developed strong like-minded partnerships with New London Youth Affairs, C. B. Jennings School s Family Resources Center, Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern CT, and Camp Rotary, among others. The Foundation has awarded a total of $163,000 in grants to NESS since 2009, including through donor-advised funds that independently chose to support NESS. NESS earned two competitive grants in 2017 totaling $50,000 for // cont. page 2 // There is something about the change in seasons that reminds us to see and reconnect our actions to the big picture. Here at the Foundation, we have set ambitious goals that require inclusive dialogue, collective action and strategic investment in our environment, nonprofits and neighbors. And our recent and upcoming initiatives demonstrate this objective. Our Thriving Communities Conversations brought a wide range of community members together in civil discourse, encouraging contrasting perspectives, respectful listening and new understanding. Two more forums are planned for this fall. The Eastern Connecticut Mentoring Collaborative was launched to empower youth and young adults and ensure that every young person in our region who needs a mentor will have one. The New London Community Partners for Success in Education, a joint initiative with community leaders, made critical // cont. page 2 // PAGE 1

2 // Elahi message continued from page 1 // progress in identifying ways that we can support the success of our youth in the New London Public Schools. The Foundation commissioned the Report on the Status of Women & Girls in Eastern CT, which will be released in the coming months. The study s findings will guide a region-wide agenda and impact strategies, including women s philanthropy. This progress is made possible by the evergrowing vision and generosity of our donors. Together, in 2017 we ve already put $5.1 million in grants and scholarships to work. Truly, the success of our region relies on all of us engaged youth, generous donors, nonprofit partners, community leaders and policymakers working together and caring for each other. And we are at our best when we do so. Join us we would love to have you at our table. OUR VISION FOR OUR REGION A healthy, thriving, sustainable Eastern Connecticut OUR MISSION To put philanthropy into action to address the needs, rights and interests of our community in Eastern Connecticut while fulfilling the passions of our donors OUR VALUES Integrity Inclusivity Respect Courage Collaboration Transparency Accountability OUR WORK Convene and serve as a thought partner with like-minded donors, nonprofits and other leaders to ensure collective impact, especially around four priority focus areas: Empower youth Promote basic needs and rights Preserve the environment Advance animal welfare Bring resources and knowledge to nonprofit organizations in Eastern Connecticut so that they may effectively and strategically carry out their missions to meet the needs of our community. Advise and support our donors to fulfill their philanthropic interests. // NESS message continued from page 1 // Norwich students (grades 4-5) and New London students (middle school). We are proud to support NESS as they strive to be a valuable resource for all members of our extended community. They foster an appreciation of our marine environment and get young people out on the water to learn and have fun, all the while building confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills. NESS not only offers innovative and awardwinning programming, but also exemplifies the amplified power of wide-ranging and meaningful community collaborations. In supporting NESS, our donors impact three of our grantmaking priority areas, as well as more than 40 partnering organizations. It is the kind of model we aspire to teach, develop and support through all philanthropic funding. Summer site visit attendees (l to r): program committee member Larry Reiter; CFECT trustee Steve Larcen; CFECT program director Jennifer O Brien; CFECT trustee Ulysses Hammond; NESS s Kelly Stephens; and CFECT trustee John Pritchard. Thanks to the Community Foundation s investment, our program is realizing tangible results in the classroom and outside where students are gaining skills that will make them better citizens of our community. Summer site visits included a stop at New England Science & Sailing s facility at Ocean Beach in New London where they have a science lab and run outdoor programs. Kelly Stephens (center), NESS New London Program Director, and NESS president Spike Lobdell (right) explain the on-water portion of the program to Community Foundation trustees, Steve Larcen and Ulysses Hammond. Spike Lobdell, NESS president and founder To learn more about NESS, visit PAGE 2

3 Recognizing our Local Heroes Congratulations Evelyn and Larry Pontbriant! We are honored that you are part of the Community Foundation family. We were so excited to learn that Norwich residents Evelyn and Larry Pontbriant would receive the Community Hero Award at the American Red Cross 18th annual Connecticut Heroes Award this fall. The Larry Pontbriant Athletic Safety Fund means that someone, someday, somewhere might get a second chance at life. Photo credit: John Shishmanian/Norwich Bulletin Health-Aligned Funds Whether their funds create access to healthcare and treatment, help talented young people go into health-related professions, or support community outreach programs for vulnerable children and seniors, the generous donors behind these healthaligned funds share our passion and commitment to the health and well-being of our region s residents...thank you! Evelyn and Larry Pontbriant, Sr., recipients of a 2017 American Red Cross Community Hero Award. In 2007, the Pontbriants son, Larry, an NFA rising sophomore, died from sudden cardiac arrest while running. By starting a fund in Larry s name at the Foundation with the purpose of purchasing AEDs (automated external defibrillators) for public spaces, the Pontbriants turned the greatest loss of our lives into hope and good, awareness and community spirit. With help from friends, family and an entire community, they have placed almost 100 AEDs in schools, athletic fields and other public spaces across eastern Connecticut over the last decade. They also have used their voices to build public awareness and enact change: state legislation now requires the availability of AEDs at all high school athletic events in Connecticut. Bernard and Alice Chalecki Fund Patricia K. Drake Edward and Fuzzy Gipstein Scholarship Edith M. Harris Memorial George and Beverly Letz Fitch Edythe and Harold McNulty Caryn Nesbitt, M.D. Memorial Norwich Area Physicians Fund John F. O Brien, Jr. Jay S. Poludniak Memorial Fund Larry Pontbriant Athletic Safety Fund Janey Schultz Shirley Bradway Serafin What s New With our Women & Girls Funds? Our four Women & Girls Funds Southeast, Norwich, Windham and Northeast are giving collectives designed to empower women as change agents in whatever roles they choose but especially, as givers and advocates. With the generous gifts of hundreds of women and men, the Funds collectively have built an enduring endowment of more than $3.6 million over the years. This generosity has put a total of $1.7 million in grants toward programs that break down barriers and create opportunities for women and girls as they forge positive, productive lives for themselves and their families. Truly life-changing impact! The Funds create regular learning opportunities for their supporters, nonprofit partners and other advocates. One such moment will be the unveiling of a newly commissioned Report on the Status of Women & Girls in Eastern Connecticut in the coming months. We know there are some bright spots of progress yet there are still significant economic, educational, health, safety, and leadership disparities, especially for females of color and lower income. We look forward to an ongoing partnership with our donors, nonprofits, community leaders and policymakers to support thoughtful conversations that will put forth an effective community agenda on behalf of women and girls. To learn more about how you can support women and girls in eastern Connecticut, visit us at or contact Alison Woods, or alison@cfect.org. Four Women & Girls Funds One Region, One Ethos: Women coming together to lift up other women and their families. PAGE 3

4 The matriarch and patriarch: Lorraine and John Wakely. Photo courtesy of the Wakely Family. Private Foundations & Community Foundations: A Natural Partnership The Wakely Family Today, the Wakely Family is comprised of 40 individuals, all descendants of John and Lorraine Wakely, who married in 1947 and settled in Plainfield. Their six children credit them with instilling in them humility and compassion and with teaching them all sorts of valuable life lessons which now have been passed down to grandchildren and great-grandchildren. By example and by including the whole family, they also imparted the tradition of generosity and giving back. In 1996, they started a private family foundation The Wakely Foundation and in the years since, have donated more than $24,000 to help people in need both at home and abroad. They have also awarded $12,500 in scholarships to help residents of northeastern Connecticut get an education. Earlier this year as they were considering ways to have greater impact and the future of their private foundation, the Wakely family decided to team up with the Community Foundation by establishing a donor advised fund. With this fund, they can tap into the Community Foundation s knowledge base and grantmaking expertise in deciding where they might make the most difference. In the longer term, they can also explore the possibilities of creating a succession plan for their family s foundation if the time comes when that is helpful. Through our family s donor advised fund at the Community Foundation, we would like to bring dental care to people in the Northeast Connecticut area who cannot afford it, especially children and the elderly. Sharon Wakely The Community Foundation partners with a number of local private foundations, including co-funding important community projects. Three Ways That Private Foundations Work With Us: Personalized Foundation Services Private foundations can benefit from our expertise by taking advantage of our customized philanthropic services. We offer guidance on all aspects of grantmaking to help you fulfill your vision. Payout to a Donor Advised Fund We can help your private foundation meet its required annual 5% payout by accepting contributions as a public charity. These contributions are added to a donor advised fund that you establish and our staff helps you make grants to continue the work of your foundation. Convert to a Donor Advised Fund Rollover your private foundation to a donor advised fund and work with our experienced staff. Reduce your administrative burdens and maximize charitable giving with the assurance that your foundation s philanthropic goals will be achieved in a personalized, cost-effective manner. Philanthropic Services, Customized to Meet Your Needs! PAGE 4

5 Professional Advisors Corner Estate Planning for You and the People and Causes You Love With Attorney Edwin C. Higgins III Bachand, Longo & Higgins As with anything, having a good estate plan can bring great peace of mind. Making decisions around such things as beneficiaries, guardianship, power of attorney and health proxies takes some thought but is time well spent to ensure that your goals for taking care of the people and causes you care about are accomplished. Professional advisors serve clients well by providing helpful options and sound advice on all matters, including charitable planning. Your professional advisor may bring up the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut as a resource to explore because the Foundation has the ability to customize funds to fit your specific vision and needs. Advisors can serve as the bridge when clients prefer to remain anonymous or can easily connect them to the Foundation s knowledgeable and friendly staff. The Community Foundation has earned an exemplary reputation as a very effective partner and steward for individuals, families and institutions throughout Eastern Connecticut in planning and establishing charitable funds for the benefit of their fellow citizens and communities. It is inspiring to see this generosity at work to create opportunities for our region s residents to thrive. Professional advisors can continue to play a very key role in heightening the awareness of clients and colleagues as to the very effective assistance available in working with the Community Foundation to carry out charitable plans that will continue to benefit all of Eastern Connecticut. For a helpful resource on all aspects of estate planning, visit the American Bar Association: Future Funds: Leaving Your Legacy Did you know that you can actually create a fund now that outlines the vision for your charitable legacy without putting any money in the fund? And, as long as there is no money in the fund, you can change that vision at any time in the future without changing your Will and other estate documents. The Community Foundation has provided me with the opportunity to give back to Southeastern Connecticut; a place where I have enjoyed living for over 45 years. Art Nagel In setting up a legacy fund, Art Nagel worked with his attorney, Lois Andrews of Andrews & Young, and Community Foundation VP Alison Woods to tailor the Karen and Arthur Nagel Fund to meet his estate planning goals and to create a charitable legacy that not only focuses on providing for organizations close to his heart but also involves his children as donor advisors to the Fund. Give us a call at to explore the possibilities in a confidential, no obligation conversation! Contact Alison Woods at alison@cfect.org or Lilli Rhodes at lillian@cfect.org. PAGE 5

6 68 Federal Street P.O. Box 769 New London, CT Presorted First Class U.S. Postage PAID Permit 33 New London, CT ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED As you consider your year-end giving plans, there may be some particularly tax-advantaged ways for you to make the kind of difference you want to make: Give cash/check or online at with the usual tax deductibility. Transfer appreciated securities to CFECT for a tax deduction of the gift value on the date it gets to us and avoidance of capital gains. For those age 70 ½ or older, you can roll over up to $100,000 of your IRA assets directly to CFECT (donor advised funds excluded). While you don t get a tax deduction, the transferred amount does not go into your taxable income line. Life income producing gifts such as Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Lead Trusts, and Charitable Gift Annuities may be an advantageous option. Donating an investment property or primary/vacation home allows you to take a deduction for the fair market value of the property and avoid capital gains. For more information, contact Alison Woods at alison@cfect.org or Lilli Rhodes at lillian@cfect.org or by phone at Build-A-Fund? When considering creating a permanently endowed fund, you might think of it as a longer-term project where you are building the fund up to the $10,000 minimum over 3-5 years and adding to it as circumstances allow. A legacy provision in your estate plan or, naming your fund as a beneficiary of a retirement plan or life insurance policy, might be a good element of a long-term plan. Your community. Your legacy. Your power to do good. Visit us at