PCCFF Update: Nebraska Community Foundation an invaluable partner for PCCFF
It was at an informational meeting hosted by the Nebraska Community Foundation in Paxton in 2003 that first planted the seeds for the Perkins County Community Foundation Fund.
What was brought back to Perkins County from that meeting was a vision for Perkins County to develop a vehicle to help retain our generational wealth here in the county to help sustain the home we love well into the future. What wasn’t brought back was a definite decision to partner with the Nebraska Community Foundation in this new venture.
Once board members had committed to the vision of the PCCFF, discussion at our first meetings was whether our local foundation was going to band together with the many other community foundations from across the state under the Nebraska Community Foundation, thus pooling our money and increasing our investment rate of return, but also giving some of the control of how are fund was structured to the NCF. Or, keeping our community foundation separate, and investing our money locally on its own.
Although not unanimous, the decision was made to partner with the Nebraska Community Foundation, and this choice, in my opinion, has served us well over the years, with few drawbacks. In existence now for 25 years, the NCF is made up of 250 funds across the state.
Perkins County’s endowment money is invested with endowments from these other Nebraska communities, with each of us benefiting from the higher rate of return we get on our pooled money. This is definitely Nebraskans helping Nebraskans to benefit our whole state! Not only do we get a higher rate of return on our investment, but the support we get from the NCF is outstanding. We have an amazing area support staff member, Denise Garey, based out of McCook, who attends nearly all of our meetings and is our main contact for any question or needs we may have.
There are also investment specialists employed by the NCF and available to each of the NCF’s funds. They are just a phone call or email away when we need help with any planned giving question. NCF also has an amazing marketing team that goes above and beyond to assist us in any marketing projects we are working on to get the word out about our fund.
NCF also has many networking opportunities for fund advisory committees throughout the year to connect with each other and with NCF representatives for brainstorming sessions that help us keep motived in growing our endowments. I am very happy about the choice we made so many years ago to partner with the NCF. There has been no better partner in this effort across the state to sustain our counties and communities, and I look forward to continuing to work them well into the future.
The Perkins County Community Foundation Fund’s web page is hosted on the NCF’s website at https://www.nebcommfound. org/give/perkins-county-community-foundation- fund/. From this page, you can also navigate through the NCF’s page for a wealth of other information on community foundations and planned giving and what other communities in the state have been doing within their own community foundations. I hope you take a moment and look at their website today.
Applications Continue to be Accepted and Enews
Just a reminder that the PCCFF continues to accept requests for funding from the public. Our first round of funding is coming to a close, but our next round with begin July 1, running through Dec. 1.
Those who have questions, or would like an application, can contact me at beckyuehling@ hotmail.com or Treasurer Michelle Ross at michelle.ross@pinnbank.com.
The PCCFF is also in the process of implementing an e-newsletter that will be sent quarterly. If you would like to receive this newsletter, please let me know.