A monthly newsletter for Community Foundation friends, donors, and fund holders. | |
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At the Community Foundation, we’re hard at work supporting you and your charitable giving endeavors. We hope you know you can always count on us as a guide and resource for you, no matter your situation. Whether you established a fund at the community foundation years ago or you are currently in the process of exploring establishing a fund to organize your giving, we’re here as a resource for your philanthropy.
Here’s what’s coming up in this issue:
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Emily Contreras, a member of the Community Foundation Board of Directors, speaks about the importance of sharing and involving varied perspectives in order to identify best practices, understand gaps, and implement effective solutions in community work.
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Northern Valley Youth Orchestras is dedicated to empowering young musicians through transformative symphonic experience. To ensure equal access for all interested and qualified young musicians, NVYO has scholarships available for all its programs, to remove financial barriers and foster inclusivity.
- Getting into the habit of setting up regular contributions to your fund helps your financial planning and also helps you support your favorite causes well into the future. We’re sharing tips and benefits to boost your philanthropic nest egg.
The team at the Community Foundation welcomes the opportunity to meet in person, or by phone or video conference if that is easier for you. Charitable giving is important and everyone’s approach to philanthropy is different. We take our relationships with fund holders and donors seriously, and we strive to understand and serve your unique charitable giving priorities.
Thank you for your partnership and trust!
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Becca Baumbach
Executive Director
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We are hiring a Development Director to oversee the Community Foundation's fundraising and planned giving programs and to increase assets that serve the Community Foundation’s mission. The ideal candidate will have a personal passion for regional philanthropy and a minimum of 2 years of fundraising and planned giving experience.
This is a full-time position based in Grand Forks, ND. Applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis.
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WHY I SERVE: EMILY CONTRERAS | |
Learn about a volunteer member of the Community Foundation's Board of Directors. | |
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 Emily Contreras |
My commitment to service in Greater Grand Forks started 20 years ago as one of the first students in the Nonprofit Leadership Program at UND. I was immediately drawn to the impact nonprofit organizations could have on the health and vibrancy of a community, not only through social services but also through critical resources like educational opportunities, economic development, and affordable housing opportunities for all.
Under the leadership of Heather Helgeson at UND and Craig Knudsvig at the Grand Forks Housing Authority, I was given the opportunity to serve a board of national leaders in the field of self-sufficiency programming.
After a year with this board, one thing was clear to me - in order to make an impact on any issue, a strong leader will either understand the issue from within, or surround her/himself with the voices of those directly impacted.
With this mindset, I committed 18 years to the provision of affordable housing and self-sufficiency opportunities for those in the Grand Forks community and beyond. My work provided insight into best practices as well as gaps and potential solutions. While these insights were useful in improving the programs I helped deliver, I knew they could be far more impactful outside the silo of my own industry.
In 2022, I pursued the opportunity to serve on the Board of the Community Foundation as an avenue to share my view of the many nonprofit success stories we have in our community, while also sharing the voices of those I’ve served, many of whom have all too often been left behind in important community decision-making.
I would not be the leader I am today without my mentors encouraging my civic engagement all those years ago. If you’ve been curious about serving, I encourage you to consider volunteering for the Community Foundation’s programs, a committee, or board membership. As an organization, our service to our community is made greater with every unique voice we bring to the table. I’m thankful the Community Foundation has provided me the opportunity to share mine.
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MAKING AN IMPACT: NORTHERN VALLEY YOUTH ORCHESTRAS | |
Highlights from a recent grantee of the Community Foundation. | |
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Symphony performing for a full house at the Empire Arts Center, February 25, 2024. | | |
Northern Valley Youth Orchestras (NVYO) is a nonprofit youth music organization in the northern Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota, dedicated to empowering young musicians through transformative symphonic experience.
With a focus on challenging and diverse music, NVYO inspires musicians, engages communities, and fosters personal growth in a supportive and enriching environment.
NVYO alumni pursue degrees in various professional fields, including music and the sciences. Some return as coaches, volunteers, or conductors. Under the artistic direction of Dr. Kevin Sütterlin, also the NVYO Symphony conductor, and Philharmonic conductor Ms. Kara Hartten, NVYO provides a platform for young musicians to thrive and excel, and make a difference in their communities. Executive Director Naomi Welsh and an active board of directors provide dedicated governance and administrative leadership. To ensure equal access for all interested and qualified young musicians, NVYO has scholarships available for all its programs, to remove financial barriers and foster inclusivity.
The 13th NVYO season, Momentum, has been partially funded by a number of grants that were overseen by the Community Foundation:
- A grant from the Neel Family Fund allowed extra focus on symphonic wind and brass coaching and specific orchestral instruments.
- A Women’s Fund grant helped us grow our library of music by historic and living female composers, many of whose works were misplaced, lost, or went out of print for decades - or centuries.
- The City of Grand Forks Arts Regrant assisted with costs of rehearsal and performance space and personnel.
- The Iseminger Fund for the Arts provided additional support.
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Philharmonic performing for preK-8th grade students in Manvel on February 28, 2024. | | |
In addition to two formal concerts at local performance venues which featured multiple world and USA premieres, the orchestras provide live symphonic music in the region to those who might otherwise not hear it. Philharmonic orchestra spent a Wednesday last month traveling over a hundred miles to perform three concerts, for hundreds of schoolchildren at the Manvel and Northwood, ND schools, and an even younger audience at the Grand Forks Public Library. Students introduced the music and composers, and the projects funded by all the above grants played a part in the final presented performance!
The Symphony orchestra students recently traveled to Moorhead to rehearse and perform alongside the award-winning Concordia Orchestra. NVYO consistently provides paid opportunities and community connections for freelance teaching musicians, who assist with the encouragement and development of the aspiring musicians. The two performing orchestras, Crescendo chamber music program, and Dal Segno summer day camp all provide excellence in instruction and encourage students to use their talents to make a difference in the community. NVYO's upcoming annual signature fundraiser, Music in Bloom, is a vibrant family-friendly event at All Seasons Garden Center featuring a vibrant sampler of live music, delicious food, and family activities and fun. This year, it will be April 7th, 1:30-4 pm.
More information on NVYO, including how to join or support its programs, more details on mission and values, and opportunities to get involved, is available on the NVYO website. A short overview video of the February concert is available at: bit.ly/NVYO3MINFEB24 and a recent program, here: https://bit.ly/FEB24NVYOPROGRAM.
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Stay up-to-date on benefits, opportunities, and changes that may impact your charitable giving. | |
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 | | Developing a practice of regular contributions to your donor-advised... |
|  | | At the Community Foundation, we are honored to work with generous... |
|  | | On an ongoing basis, the team at the Community Foundation tracks... | |
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The Grand Awards on April 9 will celebrate entrepreneurs that have made outstanding contributions to the community in a variety of ways. Each person will be provided with one free drink ticket (proof of age required), free hors d'oeuvres, and entertainment. | |
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SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
- Grand Forks Republic Women Young Leader Scholarship ($500)
- Muir Spengler Scholarship for Midway Public School Students ($500)
- Muriel and Svend Andersen Scholarships for Larimore High School Students ($1,250 to $3,000)
Deadlines are approaching!
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GRANT PROGRAMS
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The Brockman Feldman Family Fund seeks to increase the reach and accessibility of academic extracurricular activities in Grand Forks, Walsh, and Polk Counties. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
- The Neel Family Fund provide support of music education for children 18 years of age and younger in Grand Forks County. Applications are due April 30.
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COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HOURS
Our office is open Monday through Thursday from 10am to 4pm. Meetings are by appointment. We keep remote hours on Fridays from 10am to 4pm and are available by phone and email.
This newsletter as well as any referenced materials are provided for informational purposes only. They are not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.
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