The Community Foundation Martin - St. Lucie

The primary goal of The Community Foundation is to encourage, instigate and ensure that donors have access to the information they need to make thoughtful, strategic charitable gifts to viable and sustainable not for profit organizations and educations institutions in good standing. The Foundation is committed to being a knowledgeable and reliable resource and strategic partner for its fundholders and the greater philanthropic community. Internally the goal is to increase the number of charitable giving funds entrusted to The Foundation, resulting in an increase in the overall asset base, and in turn increasing the amount of charitable giving (grants and scholarships) facilitated by the Foundation. The Foundation also serves as a convener of relevant and compelling conversations regarding issues impacting the surrounding region. Like many Community Foundations, The Community Foundation Martin - St. Lucie considers that one of its most important roles rests in its ability to assist local not for profits in achieving success through training, education and other capacity building activities.

The Community Foundation Martin - St. Lucie is engaged in carrying out the philanthropic wishes and/or legacy of our donors/fundholders by connecting them to the issues and causes they care about.

We assist our living fundholders in navigating the landscape of charitable organizations and educational institutions so that they can make high impact, well-structured gifts.

We do this through considerate conversations, research, tracking and follow up activities. Our promise, as a donor driven Community Foundation, is to work alongside the donors who choose to join our fund family to ensure they have all of the support and information they need in order to engage in thoughtful, informed and strategic philanthropy. Our team of professional staff are available to guide them in whatever level and intensity they desire. By providing administrative support and philanthropic guidance our fundholders are better equipped to make decisions about investing in causes and non-profit organizations that exist to beautify and better our community and the world we live in. By successfully investing our fundholders' charitable assets we are able to preserve community capital in perpetuity. The Community Foundation does not deviate from the Fundholders intent. We honor the intentions and interests of our fundholders, during their lifetime and after, by carrying out their wishes through scholarship related activities and grant making guided by directions established with them and by them.

The Community Foundation was established in 1988. It exists among a network of 1,750 Community Foundations across the Country. In its thirty-one years of services it has invested in building a solid infrastructure rooted in industry best practices. It adheres to robust operating policies and procedures. It is audited annually by a third-party auditor. The Foundations' daily operations are managed and carried out by one full-time President & CEO, one full-time Director of Programs, and one full-time Program Associate. The back-office management of finances including: payables, receivables and grant making are outsourced to a third party with extensive expertise in the areas of Community Foundation accounting, investment and charitable giving/grant making and scholarship activities. In total, The Foundation is supported by a team of twelve professionals.

The Foundation’s Board is highly engaged. They participate in annual strategic and business planning activities. The Board is comprised of individuals with experience and expertise in the areas of law, wealth management, finance and accounting, business management, marketing and health/social service management.

One hundred percent of the Board Members make an annual contribution to the Foundation.

Growth and development of new and existing funds, community impact funding through grant making processes and identification as leading resource/guide in philanthropy.

The Foundation actively participates in professional organizations that continually produce information regarding industry standards and best practices. The Council of Foundations and the Florida Philanthropic Network are excellent resources for operationally and legally sound planning information and guidance.