Stark Community Foundation Celebrates Exceptional Year of Generosity

January 31, 2019

Thanks to the generosity of many, Stark Community Foundation and its family of donors awarded an all-time high of $11.9 million in grants and raised $15 million in new and planned gifts in 2018.

“The success of this past year is a true testament to how generous our community really is,” said Mark J. Samolczyk, president and CEO of Stark Community Foundation. “The record-breaking $11.9 million in grants benefited nearly 700 nonprofit organizations and thousands of individuals they serve. These grants represent a significant investment in moving our community forward.”

Grants ranged in amounts from $100 to $700,000 and were earmarked by donors to support a wide array of causes like the arts, animal welfare, economic development and education. Since inception, over $170 million in grants have been awarded by the Foundation and its growing family of donors.

“We have the privilege of partnering with individuals, families, businesses and organizations to create and grow charitable funds that ultimately support the causes that matter most to them,” said Bridgette L. Neisel, vice president of advancement. “We helped more people in 2018 than ever before turn their charitable dollars into positive change.”

Of the $15 million raised in 2018, $9.3 million was in outright gifts and $5.7 million was in planned gifts. Assets under management now total $260 million, which ranks Stark Community Foundation in the top 10 percent of community foundations in the United States today.

Other highlights from 2018 include:

• We launched a new Center for Partners in Philanthropy that offers a variety of services and best-in-class resources to help individuals and families simplify their giving and amplify their impact.
• We welcomed 36 new charitable funds, bringing our total number of charitable funds to more than 760. All funds are permanent and will continue to grow and support the community forever.
• We increased our 10-year investment return to 7.1 percent.
• We surpassed the $10 million milestone in scholarships awarded since inception, helping students offset the rising cost of college tuition and achieve their dreams.

About Stark Community Foundation
Stark Community Foundation is the community’s trusted partner in giving for over 760 individuals, families, businesses and organizations that have created charitable funds to impact the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. Ranked in the top 10 percent of community foundations in the United States today, Stark Community Foundation is committed to serving donor needs and strategically addressing local issues. The Foundation and its family of donors have granted more than $170 million to nonprofits since 1963. Learn how you can simplify your giving and amplify your impact through our Center for Partners in Philanthropy at www.starkcf.org