For the week of November 25 thru December 1, 1998 |
Idaho Community Foundation marks 10 years of growthNearly $2 million distributed in southwestern Idaho since 1991The Idaho Community Foundation (ICF) celebrated 10 years of growth and many achievements during a gala dinner held Monday, Nov. 16 at Best Western Canyon Springs Park Hotel in Twin Falls. Meanwhile, ICF chairman Park Price III of Pocatello said, "Having achieved our $20 million asset target two years early, the Idaho Community Foundation board has established a new goal. That is $50 million in the year 2000. "We must grow our asset base in order to be even more responsive to the opportunities which exist throughout Idaho for a better quality of life in our communities." Since ICF starting making grants in 1991, nearly $2 million has been distributed in Idahos 18 southwestern counties for projects in the fields of health and human services, education, arts and culture, and civic and environmental projects. The statewide distributions since ICF was founded in 1988 as a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization have totaled $5.5 million. Honored at the Nov. 16 dinner were local individuals and organizations who have established endowed funds in the Foundation, thus helping ICF to quickly begin addressing its mission of improving the quality of life in Idaho communities. Individuals from the Wood River and Magic valleys who have established endowments in ICF include: Lynn Campion, Thomas Campion, Jim and Barbara Cimino, Robert and Mary Evans, Donald and Gretchen Fraser, Cally Galpin, William Hewlett, Albert Huber, Bill and Glenn Janss, Jim and Mary Jane Kinney, Robert and Carol Reed, John Roper, Jim and Bette Roper, Harry Turner, Neola Weaver and Ann Lucini Williams. Businesses that have set up endowments include Amalgamated Sugar Co., Basic American Inc. and Grand Metropolitan Food Sector. Among groups that have established ICF endowments are Alturas Lodge #13, Gooding High School Class of 1956, IOOF/Snowdrop Rebekahs #71, Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind and the Stanley/Sawtooth Meditation Chapel. Eight of ICFs 17 board members are currently from southwestern Idaho. They are: Don Atkinson of Ketchum, Dolores Chapman of McCall, John Fery of Boise, Margaret Gigray of Caldwell, Alice Hennessey of Boise, Brad Little of Emmett, Roger Martell of Boise and John Rosholt of Twin Falls. Rosholt, who joined the board in May, said, "I was attracted to the Idaho Community Foundation because it does such an excellent job of serving donors and helping them achieve their charitable objectives while at the same time effectively distributing grant money in large and small communities all over the state. "Often, the money is distributed for creative projects that would never have seen the light of day but for the Idaho Community Foundation." The origins of ICF date back to 1986, when The Whittenberger Foundation board received technical assistance funds from the Council on Foundations to bring people experienced in community foundations to Idaho to explain the concept. ICF was incorporated Nov. 10. 1988 with a statewide 17-member board. By 1989, ICF had 82 members and assets of $940,959. Grantmaking began in 1991 with distributions of $164,033. In 1992, ICF concluded its Founding Donor Campaign with 57 founding donors. In that year J.R. Simplot established a $1 million designated fund in ICF to benefit the Esther Simplot Performing Arts Academy. Total ICF assets in 1992 were $5.4 million. The ICF conducted its first statewide grantmaking cycle by providing grants to rural libraries in 1996. Park Price III succeeded John Fery as ICF chairman in 1997, and Foundation membership exceeded 300 in 1998. Permanent endowment this year is $19.7 million.
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