The Faribault Foundation is on a mission to improve the quality of life in our community through the generosity of donors. This week we got to hear from past president Laura Bock about the new Viaduct Park Partnership Program. Laura began working for the Faribault Foundation in October of last year. The Foundation was formed in 1999 by a group of community leaders. The vision was to enable people who love the community and support it today and in the future. Throughout the years, by combining gift great and small, the Foundation has been able to provide small grants to local businesses. In 2022 foundation became a true community foundation (offering a catalog of options with policies and processes, as well as an investment comity. Using the expertise of a consultant, the organization was able to pivot with gusto in 2023. The Foundation has a goal (The Hand Up Campaign) to raise $2.5 million and currently is sitting at $1.8 million. This goal will help stabilize the Foundation and will help promote growth. This includes a full-time executive director, a part-time development position, accounting services, as well as software needed for donor and fund management. The other half of the monies raised will be permanently endowed as discretionary then will be used for community grant-making. The 5-year goal is to encourage the development of philanthropy greater than $10 million which will be made up of many endowed component funds that include named donor advised, organization, discretionary, scholarship or field-of-interest funds. The component funds will provide predictable income for local nonprofit organizations, scholarships, and community needs. The new Viaduct Park is a true community project. It will be built for a gathering- including a warming room, concessions and skate rental and a welcome lobby with restrooms. It will feature a splash pad, fire pit, benches, a trail system and covered patio seating. There is also a skate surface under development. The park will be free for all to enjoy! Laura expressed her hopes that Rotary will partner in this project and possibly make a donation which will allow us to call it a Rotary Splash Pad! | 
