(West Chester, PA – February 10, 2020): The Chester County Community Foundation (CCCF) is pleased to announce it has started its first Focused Grant Panel Sessions to celebrate, inspire, and grow legacy philanthropy. Through this process, the Chester County Community Foundation hopes to engage new volunteers in the grant making process and educate the public on due diligence and smart grant making practices. These panels are made possible due to the generosity of donors who have entrusted their legacy funds to the community foundation.
Community volunteers participated in the initial grant panel process. They learned about the Community Foundation and its role in legacy philanthropy, philanthropic trends and topics in general, and smart grant making practices. Effective due diligence ensures long-term charitable gifts benefit healthy nonprofit organizations.
Small groups convened and reviewed nonprofit grant applications focusing on the environment; health and human services; and drug and alcohol prevention. After much deliberation, 25 Chester County charities were selected for grants based on the panels’ recommendations. Grants ranged from $500 to $7,500 and were awarded in fall 2019.
Beth Harper Briglia, CPA & CAP, Executive Vice President, Philanthropy Services at the Chester County Community Foundation explains, “The Community Foundation is honored to fulfill the charitable intents of its donors and make grants forever in their memory. Testamentary gifts are a wonderful philanthropic option for donors and we are honored to steward their legacy.”
Due to the generosity of the Chester County Community Foundation’s donor advised funds, the Foundation proudly awarded $3.5 million in grants and scholarships in 2019. The Community Foundation’s Fund for Chester County provides grants to small nonprofit organizations to strengthen their capacity to better deliver their mission. The Foundation is continuously growing its portfolio of funds to expand its contributions in the community. For more information on the CCCF focused grant panels or other programs, or to make a contribution to the Fund for Chester County, please visit www.chescocf.org or call 610-696-8211.
About the Chester County Community Foundation
Headquartered in West Chester’s Historic Lincoln Building, the Chester County Community Foundation connects people who care with causes that matter, so their legacy philanthropy makes a difference now and forever. The Community Foundation holds over $70 million in trust and annually awards $3.5 million in grants and scholarships. www.chescocf.org.