HCF Launches September Match Event
by Laura Fowler Paulus/Free Press
Hillsboro Community Foundation (HCF) is holding a match event Sept. 1-30 called Dollars 4 Scholars in partnership with the Patterson Family Foundation.
HCF, formed in 2004, serves to promote and facilitate charitable giving in support of projects and programs that enhance the quality of life in the City of Hillsboro and nearby surrounding areas.
They achieve this goal through close and coordinated ties with local city governments, the USD410 school district and area charitable organizations.
The foundation has four objectives which are to advise and assist donors who could benefit by using HCF to achieve their charitable objectives; to receive grants or bequests for the benefit of both specific and broad community charitable interests; to make grants from unrestricted community endowment funds to benefit worthy Hillsboro-area charitable, benevolent, cultural, religious, civic, health, scientific and educational purposes; and to encourage and assist qualified not-for-profit organizations in establishing their own endowments and restricted funds as part of HCF.
HCF is an affiliate of the Central Kansas Community Foundation which operates as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.
The HCF board consists of Chair Marisa Javier, Vice-Chair Daniel Moss, Secretary/Treasurer Kelly Groening, Clint Corby, Cord Cunningham, Michael Hagen, Chad Hughbanks, Ashley Kleiber, Jessie Nikkel, Eric Rector, Mark Rooker and Nicole Suderman.
For the Dollars 4 Scholars event, donors have the chance to double their impact on the future generation by donating to any of the 11 Scholarship Funds HCF currently administers, several of which award scholarships for academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to community service. Other funds award scholarships for students with an interest in math, journalism, business, vocational or technical service careers.
“We are asking for donations to HCF scholarship funds so we may increase the number and size of scholarships awarded each year to graduating high school seniors,” said Groening.
Donations received during the month of September will be matched by a grant from the Patterson Family Foundation, doubling the impact of each donation.
The goal of the Match Event is to raise $70,000 in scholarship donations, which will be matched by the grant. The 11 scholarship funds will each receive a $5,000 match from the grant with the remaining $15,000 match applied to the HCF operating fund.
HCF is holding the event because college and vocational school tuition costs continue to rise. HCF donors have committed to area high school seniors to assist them in furthering their education by establishing HCF Scholarship Funds over the years.
“In the spring of 2024, HCF awarded 14 scholarships for a total of $16,200. A successful match event will increase the total to around $22,000 per year, and more if the $70,000 target is exceeded,” said Groening.
Donations may either be made online through the HCF website or by check.
You may specify a fund to which you would like to donate or to the scholarship campaign in general.
Scan the QR code on the promotional handout in circulation or go to the HCF website and press the Learn More button on the banner across the top of the screen.
Each fund is listed on the Match Event page at https://hcfoundationks.org/match/ with a Donate button that will take you to a secure online payment processing page.
To pay by check, make your check payable to Hillsboro Community Foundation and indicate the fund to which you would like to donate.
Checks may be mailed to HCF’s post office box (Box 273), dropped off at HCF’s table at the Sept. 14 Cruise Night event in Hillsboro or delivered to any HCF board member.
More information about HCF is available at https://hcfoundationks.org or call 620-947-0170.