Sunflower County is now included in the primary service area for the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. The Board of Directors voted this spring to include Sunflower and Bolivar as part of the area where it carries out its mission of connecting people who care with causes that matter.
“Since the foundation’s inception in 2002, Bolivar and Sunflower are the first and only two counties ever to be added to the Community Foundation’s service territory,” said George P Cossar III, Chairman of the Community Foundation. “I am very excited to be a part of building new relationships between the Community Foundation and the organizations and citizens of these counties.”
The Community Foundation currently has the unique ability to add a 25 percent matching grant to all of its endowments of $50,000 or more. A challenge grant from the private Maddox Foundation enables the Community Foundation to add this 25 percent to donors’ endowments until the end of 2013 or the challenge of $9 million is met.
“We have the unique opportunity to develop long-term charitable assets for the charitable benefit of Northwest Mississippi,” said Community Foundation President Tom Pittman. “Donors can choose their charitable interests among already existing endowments like Teach For America, Audubon Mississippi or early childhood education or start their own endowments with as little as $5,000 tax-deductible contribution.”
The Community Foundation manages 133 donor-established funds and has distributed $11.2 million to support 420 charitable organizations and activities recommended by its donors, as well as charitable programs established by the foundation.
Established in 2002 with a generous grant from the Maddox Foundation, the Community Foundation is an independent 501.c.3 charitable organization. It now serves Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica counties.
A board of 20 volunteer civic leaders governs the Community Foundation. Learn more about the Community Foundation at www.cfnm.org or call 662.449.5002.