New Gifts to Community Foundation
Support the Arts
From Arts in Guelph- January/February, 2006
The Guelph Community Foundation recently announced receipt of $1.14 million in new gifts to support the arts in the Guelph area.
The largest boost came through a gift of $830,000 from Michael Barnstijn and Louise MacCallum, increasing their endowment at the Guelph Community Foundation to $1.48 million. This fund, titled Musagetes, will provide annual grants to local arts and culture organizations well into the future. "We are thrilled our fund is already making a difference in our community and we are hopeful it will challenge others to explore this idea of leaving an everlasting legacy at whatever size their income will allow. Legacy is within reach for us all," says donor Michael Barnstijn. Over $25,000 in arts funding from the Musagetes Fund to 11 local organizations was announced by the Foundation in early November.
The Guelph Community Foundation also announced the creation of several other new funds including: the Dr. Griffith A.V. Morgan Fund; Cremasco Financial Fund; Guelph Arts Council Jane Graham Memorial Fund; Terry Doyle Scholarship Fund; Dr. Harry Downie Memorial Fund; GCORI Graduate Scholarship Fund and the Guelph Arts Council Youth Endowment Fund for a total of new gifts of $1.14 million since June 2005.
The two Guelph Arts Council endowment funds will support youth in the arts (Guelph Arts Council Youth Endowment Fund) and assist in the professional development needs of visual artists in Guelph and Wellington (Jane Graham Memorial Fund created in memory of local artist Jane Graham who died early in 2005). Both funds were initially managed directly by Guelph Arts Council. Now that they are in the capable hands of the Guelph Community Foundation, they can grow and produce greater annual revenues and therefore greater benefits for any potential recipients. Guelph Arts Council will still be involved in the selection process regarding the annual dispersal of interest from these two funds.
The Guelph Community Foundation helps donors support the charitable causes and projects that are important to them through endowed funds of all sizes. These endowments provide funding that will forever contribute to the needs of our changing and dynamic community. Since the Foundation's launch in 2000, over $225,000 in grants has been awarded in Guelph and Wellington County and $3.7 million is held in permanent endowment funds.
To learn more about the Guelph Community Foundation and any of its funds, call (519) 821-9216 or visit the website at www.guelphcf.ca.