A beautiful thing

The grants coming through the Hillsboro Community Foundation make a difference.

Don Ratzlaff / Reprinted from the Hillsboro Free Press

It was striking to watch the Hillsboro Community Foundation distribute a record $16,900 to 11 area organizations and programs serving Marion County children and families. Of the total, $13,400 came through the Hillsboro Area Impact Fund; the remaining $3,500 came through the Kansas Health Foundation Fund. It’s clear the efforts of the volunteer HCF board are paying off—not just in the growth of endowment earnings, but more so in the assistance HCF is able to pass on to valuable programs that meet the needs of many, ranging in age from children to seniors.

We salute the HCF board for its hard work navigating this important program. What long-term impact will these funds make in the lives of those who benefit from them? We may never be able to measure it fully, but it’s clear that many lives will be made better in the short run, and that’s an investment worth making.

As present and former residents take advantage of this philanthropic tool, more money should come in to the HCF, more grants can be distributed and more lives will be touched for the sake of community. It’s a beautiful thing.

The Hillsboro Community Foundation exists to promote and facilitate charitable giving in support of projects and programs that enhance the quality of life in Hillsboro. In fulfilling that mission, the Foundation plays many roles, but primarily serves to:

  • Receive and manage donor funds for projects benefiting the Hillsboro community and the area

  • Help donors identify local organizations, projects and programs that meet their philanthropic goals

  • Serve as an ambassador promoting the needs of the Hillsboro community.

In addition, the Foundation serves as an important forum for discussion of how private philanthropy and giving can support the long term needs of the community. Governed by a board of directors, representing a variety of local interests in the community, the foundation is making efforts for positive change and is charged by the momentum of key leaders working together. This collaborative approach also minimizes the duplication of effort across organizations.