Philanthropy in Alabama just got a national boost, thanks to a grant for $300,000 made to Alabama Giving, a project of the Alabama Funders Forum.

The $300,000 grant, to be distributed over three years, comes from the New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers. One of four recipients out of 37 applicants around the country, Alabama Giving will use the money in ongoing efforts to increase permanent philanthropic resources within Alabama.

  Specific goals for the next three years include:

  *  Encouraging the creation of new private foundations, community
     foundations and corporate giving programs
  *  Working with professional advisors (including accountants, lawyers,
     financial planners and clergy) to increase gifts from individual donors
  *  Increasing business and corporate participants in philanthropic
     endeavors
  *  Educating the public about the value and importance of philanthropy in
     our state.

"In these challenging economic times, promotion of philanthropy is more critical than ever in strengthening our communities," said Jera Stribling, project director of Alabama Giving and executive director of the Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation. "We hope to educate the generous private and corporate donors in our state about the value of what we can do collectively to increase philanthropy and the many benefits of philanthropy in terms of growth and the quality of life now and in the future for Alabama."

"Alabama Giving represents an innovative and effective approach to promoting philanthropy on a local level. We are confident that this project will strengthen community through creation of new permanently endowed philanthropic resources in Alabama," said J. Bart Morrison, New Ventures in Philanthropy Director. "The work of Alabama Giving is essential to the national effort to expand and enrich an emerging body of knowledge about how to grow philanthropy in the US."

"Giving is good for our state, communities, businesses and individuals," said Bill Johnson, chairman of the Alabama Funders Forum and president of the Alabama Power Foundation. "We know that there is a great potential for growth in our state, and Alabama Giving is an important step in making this progress happen."

Alabama Giving will continue to use the following tools that have been developed to assist its many partners in promoting philanthropy. These include:

  *  Continuing Education Course for professional advisors to use in working
     with clients
  *  Resources for businesses and corporations explaining the importance and
     benefits of giving programs
  *  Training for nonprofits and funding organizations, so they can make the
     most of charitable dollars
  *  Philanthropy Index, which helps local leaders analyze the giving
     potential of their own communities
  *  Web-based research and statistics at www.alabamagiving.org

Alabama Giving also will be seeking matching funds from foundations and corporations in order to fully benefit from the implementation grant.

About Alabama Giving

Established by the Alabama Funders Forum in 2001, Alabama Giving received a planning grant of $50,000 from New Ventures in Philanthropy in 2002. During the past year, Alabama Giving has:

  *  Developed partnerships with professional, community, and philanthropic
     groups
  *  Held community meetings to promote the value of philanthropy
  *  Established a training course for professional advisors with assistance
     from the Southeastern Council of Foundations
  *  Created a video on philanthropy called "Change Alabama with a Giving
     Heart," presented at the celebration of Philanthropy Day in November
     2002
  *  Established a website at www.alabamagiving.org for those who want to
     learn more about giving and philanthropy
  *  Encouraged efforts to establish two new community foundations in north
     and south Alabama, with the prospect of benefiting people in these
     geographic regions by pooling local funds for community needs.

  About Alabama Funders Forum

The Alabama Funders Forum is a statewide consortium of public and private funders dedicated to strengthening our state's philanthropic efforts. The Forum provides members with educational resources to better their effectiveness as grantmakers, offers a regular venue for networking and collaborative funding opportunities, and leverages collective influence to help shape policy and to offer programs promoting philanthropy. For a list of members or information about how your foundation can participate, contact Bill Johnson (205) 257-2508.

  About the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and New Ventures
    in Philanthropy

Regional associations of grantmakers, including the Southeastern Council of Foundations representing Alabama, work together on a national level through the Forum, which currently includes 28 members and represents approximately 4,000 grantmakers of all types across the country. See www.givingforum.org , for more information about the New Ventures in Philanthropy initiatives, which began in 1998 as an effort to increase philanthropy in the United States. In five rounds of grantmaking, New Ventures has awarded more than $8 million to 40 coalitions.

SOURCE: Alabama Giving