Quarterly Newsletter – October 2020

Dear friends,

October brings the culmination of all the Community Foundation’s hard work these past few months. In this edition of Living Through Giving, you will learn more about our efforts to bring about the inaugural Give4Marion. This kind of day-of-giving is not something we’ve done before, but we’re very excited about what can be accomplished, both this year and going forward. We hope that Give4Marion will grow, and become a foundational part of of our nonprofits’ fundraising efforts.

Also coming this quarter is the Guide to Charitable Giving, which provides an extensive look a the relationship between donors and nonprofits, and how it impacts all aspects of our community. As you surely know by now, our Community Foundation motto is “Building a Stronger Community… One Passion at a Time.” In this update, you’ll meet our expanded team and see all the work we’re doing to make our motto a reality.

Learn what we’ve done this quarter, what’s coming up next, and what we anticipate as we wrap up this crazy, exciting, and tumultuous year. Contact me if you’d like to learn more how you can get involved, too.

Thank you so much for your continued support!

Sincerely,

Lauren B. Deiorio

President & Executive Director

Coming Tuesday, October 20th, Give4Marion will be Marion County’s 24-hour giving campaign!

Help us raise money and awareness for our local nonprofit community. Learn more by visiting our website Give4Marion.org.

Click here to view the participating nonprofits. You can search by name, cause, and location. Find what causes best suit you and make a donation!

The 3rd Annual Guide to Charitable Giving is coming this November!

Learn more about 125 nonprofits making a difference in our community in this comprehensive overview.

This edition of the Guide promises to be the best one yet! For more information, click here, or contact us for more information.

The Estate Planning Council of Marion County met virtually this quarter. The EPCMC is picking up right where they left off!

With over 35 members and still growing, the Estate Planning Council of Marion County is a group designed to help professionals with best practices in maintaining our residents’ and community’s financial security.

Learn more about our local Estate Planning Council here or view the national organization’s website.

Coming in November, the Nonprofit Business Council releases the Guide to Charitable Giving and plans to celebrate National Philanthropy Day!

Each year, National Philanthropy Day is a time to recognize the important charitable work done by our nonprofits and the wonderful philanthropists supporting them. Celebration occur the week of November 16-20 this year.

To learn more about the NPBC, click here.

The Community Foundation of Ocala/ Marion County and Nonprofit Resource Center are happy to announce the growth of our staff! Meet the new team members who’ve joined us in 2020.

Richard Lovelace – Richard works as a Grant Services associate. Prior to working for the Community Foundation, Rich spent over three decades working a career in public service. Starting out as a volunteer firefighter, Rich would later work as an EMT and a civil engineer with the Department of Transportation in New York state. He graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Drafting from Genesee Community College, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology, with a minor in Theatre, from SUNY Brockport.

Lisa Patterson — Lisa is the new bookkeeper for the Community Foundation. A life-long Ocala resident and graduate of Vanguard High School, Lisa previously worked as a fiscal officer for a local nonprofit and as the owner of an independent medical practice. A mother of 3, she served as a volunteer at her children’s schools during their elementary and middle school years. She and her children are active members of our community.

Terri Haverly – Terri, the new Grants Associate, hails from South Dakota, where she had a long career in public service and economic development. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, she worked as the Vice President of the Rapid City Economic Development Partnership and was elected to the South Dakota legislature as a state senator in 2014. Terri is an Air Force veteran, where she served 14 years at Ellsworth Air Force Base as a supervisor of accounting and finance.

Chris D’Avanzo – Chris, is our new Communications Specialist, and the author of this very newsletter. Raised in Ocala, Chris graduated from the IB Program at Vanguard High School before earning a Bachelor’s Degree from Florida State University with a double-major in Creative Writing and Political Science. His playwriting has received awards from the Florida Student Thespian Society, and he is an avid fan of sports and entertainment.

Read about all our staff here.

In August 2020, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners announced a partnership with the Community Foundation to provide grants to nonprofits offering essential services.

Here is what you need to know.

Nonprofits qualify if they have a valid 501(c)(3) designation and at least two-years serving the community, while remaining in good standing with both the IRS and state of Florida. They must also show that their operations have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several different grants available to nonprofits.

The Sustaining Critical Services Grant allows nonprofits to apply for grants based on the nonprofit’s pre-COVID operating budget size to cover operating expenses such as rent, utilities and salaries.

The Supporting Safe Operations Grant and the Nourishing the Community Grant each address costs associated with social distancing, PPE and emergency food aid, respectively.

Nonprofits can also apply for additional grant funds to address COVID-related expenses not explicitly outlined by the county.

So far, 38 nonprofits have applied and received CARES Act assistance with more than $2 million paid out in nonprofit sectors such as food & shelter, arts, human services, healthcare, and others.

The deadline for the grant period is December 30, 2020. All grantees must provide their financial and impact reports at this time.

Visit our website to apply, and click here to learn more about the application process.

Give4Marion goes LIVE! The Community Foundation brings the first event of its kind to Marion County, a live, 24-hour, real time fundraiser with 82 participating nonprofits. Read more.

Through CARES Act funding, Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business Nonprofit Academic Series courses are FREE and available on Zoom! Click here to see the remaining 2020 schedule.