Close to their hearts: Donors invest in programs
that reflect their passions
When a $5,000 check arrived unexpectedly at the Center for Wildlife, “it absolutely blew us away,” said Sarah Kern. “Where did that come from?” The Cape Neddick wildlife medical facility, like others across the country, is accustomed to landing last on philanthropy’s priority list.
With that grant award came Nature As My Muse, a program that has opened eyes – young and old – to the up-close wonders of animals. It arrived thanks to MaineCF’s effort to pair donors with nonprofit projects and organizations that mirror their interests.
Kern, leader of education and outreach at the center, launched the pilot program that brings permanently disabled wild animal ambassadors into classrooms as “muses” for young artists. In the process, students also learn how nature has inspired us – from prickly burrs that led to Velcro in the 1940s to Japan’s aerodynamic bullet trains modeled after the long-beaked kingfisher in the late 1990s.
Many MaineCF donors with their donor-advised funds enjoy reviewing proposals, such as Kern’s, from applications to the community foundation’s statewide Community Building Grant Program. The community foundation’s largest grant program invests in local projects and organizations that work to build strong communities.
“One of the first questions I ask donors when they establish a donor-advised fund is if they are interested in learning about great projects within their areas of interest,” says Laura Young, vice president for philanthropy. “Many donors appreciate this service and say it’s fun to hear about new ideas,” Young says. “One donor was surprised to learn about something that was going on in her own town and she was happy to support it anonymously through her fund.”
With MaineCF donor support, Nature As My Muse continues in both Maine and New Hampshire, with more school classes, adult paint nights, drawing and photography workshops, and visits to nursing homes. Kern marvels at the work visitors and students share after access to animals, from photographs of Violet the vulture’s iridescent feathers to a book inspired by Ophelia the opossum.
“Everyone sees the world through different lenses,” she says. “To have other peoples’ views is just magical.”
HOW CAN YOU AWARD GRANTS?
MaineCF administers more than 375 donor-advised funds that make up nearly 40% of the community foundation’s assets. The funds are an economical and flexible vehicle for individual or family philanthropy. They are an attractive alternative to private foundations and allow donors to recommend grants to qualified nonprofits in their areas of interest – in Maine or anywhere in the country. A minimum $25,000 tax deductible donation is required to establish a donor-advised fund.
Photo: Sarah Bunker Kern, education and outreach department lead at the Center for Wildlife, with Violet, a 31/2-year-old turkey vulture. Photo Jill Brady
