“Double Down for Pike County” could grow funding by $50,000
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
The Pike County (IL) Endowment Fund with the Community Foundation has been offered the opportunity to grow its fund by up to $50,000 through a dollar-for-dollar matching donation challenge. Through the “Double Down for Pike County” effort, every gift made to the Pike County Endowment Fund by December 31, 2021 will be doubled by an anonymous donor. All money will e designated specifically for Pike County.
“We are very excited about this offer,” Kay Ifnter, Pike County Endowment Fund Council Chair, said. “We don’t want to leave any money on the table. We have no idea who is the donor. They called the Quincy office when I was on vacation and that’s how I learned of the offer.”
Iftner said the Council does not plan any fundraisers between now and the end of the year, but instead will be reaching out to individuals and businesses, hoping for donations. “That’s where we receive most of our funds, through donations from businesses,organizations and individuals,” Iftner said. “For several years, we had a trivia night, but COVID interrupted that.”
Projects the Pike County Endowment Fund as funded or been a part of in the past include: Access Food, playground equipment at the Barry YMCA, upgrading the computer system at the Barry Library and a reading program at South School.
Board members are: Iftner, Blake Roderick, Don Kirk, Doug Smith, Dan Borrowman, Bob Garner, Brian Nation and Bill Durall.
The fund, established in 2008 by residents of Pike County, is as a way to secure local assets to permanently support charitable needs and opportunities in Pike County. Since then, it has granted to more than a dozen local nonprofits with the help of contributions from more than 100 people, organizations, and businesses.
The “Double Down” matching challenge provides a way to increase this impact. Because the fund is endowed, gifts are invested for growth. Then, grants are made each year from a portion of the earnings – creating a steady, renewable source of charitable resources.
“The beauty of endowment is that there will always be dollars available when, where, and how they are needed,” said Kaye Iftner, Pike County Endowment Fund Council Chair. “If the challenges of the past year and a half have taught us anything, it’s that preparing for that which we cannot predict is critical. That’s exactly what the Pike County Endowment Fund does.”
The challenge was announced, unexpectedly, as the volunteer Pike County Fund Council announced its 9th annual grant awards on September 24th on the grounds of the Pike County Courthouse.
“Every year, we’re thrilled to be able to invest into the nonprofit projects that enhance and improve our communities and this year is no different,” said Iftner. “What the ‘Double Down for Pike County’ opportunity provides is a way to grow these resources and increase these grants not just for today, but for generations.”
“If you give to local causes today, you should consider giving to the Pike County Endowment Fund so that your gift will give back long into the future,” said Iftner. “It’s a way to ‘pay it forward’ and ensure that our communities will be cared for forever. Because we know needs and opportunities will change, these dollars allow us to remain nimble and provide support where and how it’s needed at the time.”
The gifts need to be made to the Community Foundation, noting that they are for the Pike County Endowment Fund. The Community Foundation accepts a variety of gifts including cash, stocks, grain, livestock, IRA distributions, and other assets.
For more information about the match, contact Iftner at (201) 314-3624 or kiftner@gmail.com or the Community Foundation at (217) 222-1237, kmcfarland@mycommunityfoundation.org.