The Association of Fundraising Professionals Maryland Chapter named the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) as the Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation of the Year at its National Philanthropy Day awards lunch.
The award was presented by Eddie C. Brown, a 2002 AFP Philanthropist of the Year honoree, who noted that not only has BCF supported and facilitated his family's philanthropy, it has done the same for thechritable deeds of hundreds of other philanthropists. "BCF serves Baltimore, and it serves Baltimore's donors. My family and I are among the hundreds of donors who have entrusted philanthropic assets to BCF, and who believe in the importance of a strong community foundation for this region."
BCF President and CEO Thomas E. Wilcox accepted the award, saying that he accepted "on behalf of the many hundreds of donors who have made BCF what it is today, and the hundreds more who are hard at work making it what it will be tomorrow."
The Safe and Sound Campaign nominated BCF pointing to the organization's impact in multiple areas of the Baltimore region's civic life and its encouragement of individual and corporate donors to expand their philanthropy. Specifically, the nomination touched on BCF's creation of innovative programs and organizations including Healthy Neighborhoods, Inc., the Middle Grades Partnership and Central Maryland Transportation Alliance.
More recently, BCF's development of a comprehensive civic agenda, "Invest in Baltimore", has provided a framework for donors who wish to focus their philanthropy on building a better Baltimore. "Invest in Baltimore" combines economic development with poverty reduction by making strategic investments in the areas of human services, youth, education, transportation, neighborhoods, diversity, environment, arts and culture, and promoting Baltimore.
BCF helps individuals, families and organizations carry out their charitable plans, with the common goal of improving the quality of life in the greater Baltimore region, today and for generations to come. To donors, BCF offers a complete toolkit for charitable giving, expert assistance in learning more about the causes they care about, and the opportunity to join others with similar interests to learn and give together. To the community at large, BCF offers a permanent, growing source of grant monies, as well as a common meeting ground and leadership on important issues in our region.
BCF also provides grantmaking oversight for two independent foundations, the William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund and the Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Charitable Foundation.
The Baltimore Community Foundation distributed $28 million in 2008 to hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the Baltimore region and beyond. With assets of $143 million, BCF comprises more than 600 different charitable funds.
Source: Thomas E. Wilcox, BCF
Writer: Walaika Haskins