Eric Hozempa, Executive Director of the Longmont Community Foundation provided an overview of the foundation and their current projects. The Community Foundation is a hybrid. Unlike its cousin the private foundation (whose financial base often comes from one donor), the community foundation garners its support from many donors. This 501 (c) (3) provided $2.2 million in grants in 2022 and offered $188K in scholarships. The Longmont Community Foundation has four main functions: 1) Live and Give Longmont 2) Steward donor advised, speciality, business and agency funds, 3) To serve as a mobilizer for Emergency and community concerns 4) Offer donor services & non-profit training assistance. The 2023 Strategic projects center around the core principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusiveness. The main projects for 2023 include, 1) Neighbor Meets Neighbor, 2) Loan Fund Affordable Housing, 3) Direct Giving and 4) Initiatives Equity Action Items
Looking forward, the Community Foundation wants to enhance giving programs (like Ben’s Club and HOPE Direct), invest in catalyst projects in the community, feature partner stories and elevate non-profits. The foundation is working on a Donor Advised Fund CATALOG. Lastly, Eric said they want to continue to evaluate Live and Give and Scholarships for purpose and impact. For more information about the Longmont Community Foundation, click on THIS LINK