The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, Inc. finished fiscal year 2007 by with a 15.9 percent net rate of return on its investments.

This marks the thirdstraight year that the Community Foundation has enjoyed an impressive fiscal yield, as it recorded a 12.6 percent rate of return in calendar year 2006, and it closed 2005 ranked among the top quarter of all community foundations nationally in rate of return. Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation maintains more than $22 million in assets, including a portfolio of nearly $15 million. The foundation administers more than 150 funds that generated a record $621,000 for granting in this fiscal year.

Woodbury believes that the Community Foundation’s recent financial success creates great momentum for the organization’s future.

“As the steward of these permanent funds, we ensure the endowment portfolio is managed to maximize return within reasonable and prudent levels of risk,” she says. "The goal is consistent and increasing funding for charitable needs in Bloomington and Monroe County. It's wonderful to see that goal realized so that more dollars are available for health and human services, arts and culture, education, preservation, recreation and community development."

The solid rate of return is indicative of the valuable benefits that the Community Foundation provides to donors as well as non-profit agencies. In addition to prudently managing the endowment portfolio, the Community Foundation ensures that distributions of earnings from those funds are put to good use in the community. The Community Foundation supports high-impact grant opportunities, can help donors address multiple charitable interests at once, and can preserve donor intent even when community needs and organizations change.

For agency endowments, the Community Foundation handles all of the administrative work so that agencies may reap the benefits of participating in a larger, professionally managed investment pool, while allowing agency staff and volunteers to stay focused on their core mission and programs.

The Community Foundation further offers many ways people can help to build endowment for our area. It can accept gifts of cash, appreciated stock or property, insurance plans, bequests, retirement plan assets, and other tax-wise planned gifts that help people achieve both charitable and personal financial goals. 

For more information on endowment fund and grant opportunities through the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, please call 812-333-9016 or visit www.communityfoundation.ws.