Achievements of the 17 Community Foundations

>> raising nearly $1,180,000 for capital endowment¹ and over $710,000 for local programs and initiatives;

>> 1,724 scholarships worth a total of $388,595 enabled junior, senior and undergraduate students to continue their education and pursue their academic interests;

>> Thanks to the generous support of CF donors, since 1999 1,024 grants worth a total of $322,208 were transferred to local organizations, youth groups, clubs, culture centers, and other social organizations with the aim of developing numerous initiatives that benefited their communities.

>> Since 1999, there have been 1,859 instances of CF coverage in nationwide and local media.

¹In this stage, capital endowment funds are raised only by twelve community foundations


FINANCING SOURCES OF COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS
An important donor for Polish Community Foundations is the local authority in communes and counties. In terms of the number of payments, businesses and local governing authorities are the two most frequent donors. In terms of the value of payments, the local authorities slightly lead others. Individual donors provide for a relatively small input. Other local organizations are significant donors, as they usually incubate Community Foundations supporting them in covering administrative costs.

FUNDRAISING TECHNIQUE
Polish CFs employ diversified techniques of fundraising, from individual meetings with potential donors, through regular payroll of local employees who in this way support the cause, through charity balls, auctions, lotteries, parties, public fundraising, charity concerts, to applying for various national grant competitions.

PROMOTIONAL METHODS EMPLOYED BY FOUNDATIONS:
- Charity balls,
- Donor meetings,
- Public awarding of scholarships and grants with the participation of donors and the local media,
- Promotion through grant programs,
- Handing out leaflets and yearly reports,
- Exhibitions presenting the supported projects,
- Participation in local authority meetings,
- Organizing local competitions to pay respects to donors,
- Running current information in local newspapers,
- Creating promotional commissions,
- Organizing open-air and street parties for local residents,
- Providing training to organizations.

AREAS SUPPORTED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS
The most popular of all types of programs supported by the CFs are educational projects, such as programs organizing spare time for to children and youth, as well as cultural projects, such as recreating old traditions of the region. Community Foundations run programs which seek to provide assistance to senior citizens or disadvantaged rural families.