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View the 2015-2016 CFDRR Annual Report

DANVILLE, VA –The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region highlighted  “20 Years of Impact” at its Anniversary Luncheon held Thursday, November 3, 2016 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

Founder Whitt Clement returned to share a few words of reflection on convening a group of regional leaders to begin the first community foundation serving the Danville area.

Special recognition’s were also given to Bob Wiles, the Foundation’s first director; founding Board members; as well as all past presidents of The Community Foundation.

Debra Dodson, Executive Director, stated, “What a great day for our region! Just imagine all the great work that would never have been done if these early visionaries had not stepped forward to start a community foundation 20 years ago. And just imagine how many lives will be touched year after year because we now have a strong and vibrant community foundation to offer personalized philanthropy to more than 3,000 donors from across the country!”

Some highlights of The Community Foundation’s impact since its formation in 1996 include: –

1996—Incorporated as the DPC Community Foundation

2004—Name changed to The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region

2004—Agreed to serve as fiscal agent for the Veterans Memorial

2007— First met National Standards for Community Foundations accreditation

2015—Started the RiverBank Fund initiative

2016—Partnered with Pittsylvania County to receive donations on behalf of the new Animal Shelter

Since 1996—The Community Foundation has received $11.5 million in bequests and awarded $18.3 million in grants and $2.1 million in scholarships to 952 students!

2016 Highlights

Donors continued to add to the Foundation, bringing total assets to $29,366,999 as of June 30, 2015 – (which now have grown to $30,498,274 as of September 30!)

Other highlights for the year include:

1. Receiving gifts of $1,910,361 from hundreds of donors.
2. Awarding 80 student scholarships of more than $153,000.
3. Awarding grants of $1,113,242 to 163
4. Continuing to build the RiverBank Fund.
5. Continuing to build the Fund for Halifax County.
6. Continuing to sell more than 6,300 engraved bricks for the local Veterans Memorial.
7. Entering into a new partnership with Pittsylvania County to receive donations on behalf of the new Animal Shelter.
8. Beginning a Legacy Society to recognize individuals who designate a gift to The Community Foundation through a will, trust, retirement plan beneficiary or other planned gift.
9. Donors started nine new funds, bringing the total of funds to more than 130:

• Mary Cahill Historic Preservation Fund
• Agency Emergency Fund
• Nancy Flippen Fund
• Sam and Margaret Kushner Fund
• Robert R. Blackwell & Lick Fork Primitive Baptist Church of Rockingham County, N.C. Fund
• Danville Lions Foundation Scholarship Fund
• North Main Baptist Church Scholarship Fund
• Elizabeth Whitlow Reith Price – RN Whitlow Family Nursing Scholarship Fund
• Yanceyville Methodist Church Cemetery Fund

The Foundation also unveiled a new logo (shown on this news release) and featured a brief video of testimonials by donors, grant recipients and scholarship students.

The Community Foundation’s mission is to improve and enrich the lives of people in our community by encouraging the generosity of donors. Donors may establish their own endowment fund to support particular areas of interest or may make unrestricted gifts to any existing fund.

For more information, contact the Community Foundation at 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541, (434) 793-0884 or visit their web site www.cfdrr.org.

 

 

September 1, 2016 (Danville, VA) – The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is now accepting donations to support enhancements and possible expansions to the new Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter being constructed on Route 29 in Blairs.

Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter Fund

The Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter Fund was opened in 2008 by a private donor with The Community Foundation to benefit the Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter and encourage the construction of a new shelter. Several grants have been made to the County and the local SPCA chapter from the Fund.

In August, 2016, the Pittsylvania Board of Supervisors approved entering into a new agreement with The Community Foundation to accept new pass-through donations into the Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter Fund to support short and long-term enhancements and possible expansions to the new Shelter. The new shelter will provide significant improvements for the care of unclaimed dogs and cats as well as more visible and easier access for area citizens interested in adoption. The current Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter has had repeated violations due to inability to clean and dry the floors properly, which leads to diseases being spread between the animals.

The Board of Supervisors awarded the bid for the Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter to Blair Construction, with two alternates for a total construction cost of $3.24 million. The two alternates are acoustical panels, to cut down on noise, and a small addition to the north side of the building, which adds $94,000 to the base bid of $3.14 million.

Other alternatives that were cut from the bid but may be added if sufficient funds are raised through The Community Foundation include:

• Real Life/Visitation Addition
• Livestock Shelter
• Matching Veneer Siding

Donors may also be given special naming opportunities throughout the project.

Area donors have already created several other animal welfare funds with The Community Foundation, including the Veterinary Emergency Treatment Fund (V.E.T. Fund), Animal Welfare Fund and the Irving H. and Louise Hambrick Scarce Animal Welfare Fund. Anyone can donate to the any of these funds or start their own fund.

How to Give

Animal lovers who wish to support the Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter Fund can send donations to The Community Foundation, 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541. Online credit card gifts can be made here. Please designate the Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter Fund for your gift.
In addition to monetary donations, the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region also considers donations of property and other assets. These donations can often relieve tax burdens for those who donate, their estates or their heirs. Our professional advisors will work with you to find the best options available for maximizing your gift’s value.

Appreciated Property – Gifts of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate can result in dual tax benefits; the full value of the assets are usually deductible, with no capital gains tax paid on the appreciation.
Wills – A will bequest made to the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is deductible for federal estate tax purposes and may result in additional savings on state inheritance and estate taxes.
IRAs – Donors who are 70 ½ or more may gift funds directly from their IRA to The Community Foundation. Others can make the Foundation a beneficiary. In both cases, such gifts may eliminate significant income-tax liabilities for the estate.
Life Insurance – A life insurance gift, through a new or existing policy, offers a cost-effective way to make a significant gift to the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region.
The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is an independent, 501c3 public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of local civic leaders to gather permanent funds to support our area. The Foundation services a region from Martinsville/Henry County through Danville/Pittsylvania County to South Boston/Halifax County, including Caswell County and the neighboring North Carolina counties.

 

September 1, 2016 (Danville, VA) – The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region announces that it has developed an Agency Emergency Fund as part of its “20 Years of Impact” Celebration.  The Fund will offer assistance on a one-time basis to Danville/Pittsylvania County/Caswell County/Halifax County nonprofit agencies which have prior grant experience with The Community Foundation. Agency Emergency Fund grants can be awarded for up to $25,000 no more than once in a five-year period.

Agency Emergency Fund Program Details

Emergency grant requests will only be considered by the Foundation if it is determined that:

• The request is time-sensitive in nature and could not have been predicted or reasonably planned for and a response for the emergency is needed in 45 days or less.

• The request is to support a short-term urgent funding need created by an unforeseen event that has or will significantly interrupt essential services.

Requests may be submitted at any time by a nonprofit 501(c)3 agency located in and serving Dan River Region citizens. There are no deadlines for Agency Emergency Fund grants, requests can be submitted at any time. A total of $25,000 will be available annually to area nonprofits.

To initiate a request, an agency representative should contact CFDRR and provide an initial explanation of the emergency situation. If the situation is considered to potentially meet the emergency grant criteria, the agency is invited to submit a formal proposal.

Proposals should be submitted in electronic format and should include a completed CFDRR grant cover sheet (download the cover sheet here), proposal narrative, budget and all attachments in one PDF file. To view full details on eligibility, selection criteria, and application procedures click here.

If granted the Agency Emergency Fund, the nonprofit agency will have a report due one month after the funds have been expended or three months after the grant is awarded, whichever is earlier. Access the Grant Report Form here.

For more information or to discuss a proposal, please contact:

Morgan Epstein
Program Officer
The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region
Tel: 434-793-0884
Email: morgan@cfdrr.org

 

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is an independent, 501(c)3 public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of local civic leaders to gather permanent funds to support our area. The Foundation services a region from Martinsville/Henry County through Danville/Pittsylvania County to South Boston/Halifax County, including Caswell County and the neighboring North Carolina counties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(DANVILLE, VA) – The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is currently accepting grant applications from 501(c) 3 charitable organizations serving Halifax County. Applications must be submitted online through the Foundation’s web site www.cfdrr.org. The deadline for all applications is September 30, 2016. One or two grants are typically awarded of $1,000 or less per cycle.

The Halifax County Advisory Committee will review the applications and recommend which organizations will be awarded later this year.

The Fund for Halifax County is a unique opportunity for citizens, organizations and businesses to help build an endowment to improve and enrich lives in Halifax County. Major General Carroll Thackston presented the Foundation with the first gift for The Fund for Halifax County in 2010. Thackston served on the Community Foundation Board of Directors for six years. Other Halifax County representatives have also served on the Foundation’s Board. Logan Young just retired after six years on the Foundation’s Board and Finance Committee and William Kelehar is currently serving on the Board.

Several other funds with The Community Foundation also benefit Halifax County.

• The South Boston Medical Fund was created with The Community Foundation in 2011 to support indigent care in Halifax County and general Halifax County charitable causes.

• Benjamin M. Sugg established a fund in 2000 to provide annual grants to the Clover Cemetery.

• The Gideon Miller Cancer Fund was endowed in 2014 and recently awarded first grants to organizations that assist cancer patients and their families in Danville, Pittsylvania County and Halifax County.

• The RiverBank Fund recently awarded two of its first grants to Halifax County Department of Tourism and the Roanoke River Basin Association for projects in Virginia and North Carolina earmarked for the protection and revitalization of the Dan River.

The Community Foundation continues to encourage donations of all sizes and types to help build The Fund for Halifax County or any of these other funds. Checks should be made to The Community Foundation, with the fund specified, and mailed to 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541. Online gifts can be made at www.cfdrr.org. Gifts of stock, life insurance, and personal property can be accepted, as well as will bequests.

The Community Foundation has made over $1,000,000 in grants to Halifax County organizations since its formation in 1996. In 2003, the Chastain Home for Gentlewomen gave a gift of $1,030,000 to The Community Foundation to provide three years of grantmaking to charitable organizations assisting elderly women in Halifax County.

The Community Foundation is a public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of civic leaders to meet a variety of social, educational, cultural and other charitable needs in the Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County area, as well as Halifax County and Northern North Carolina.

The Community Foundation is a fully tax-exempt organization. Individuals, businesses or organizations may establish their own fund or may contribute any amount to existing funds. Organizations interested in receiving more information should contact The Community Foundation office at 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541, (434) 793-0884 or visit www.cfdrr.org.