Lincoln`s New Salem Moves Forward with Fund

V O L U M E
205 South Fifth Street
Suite 930
Springfield, Illinois 62701
WWW.CFLL.ORG
217.789.4431
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Sports Fund Helps Bring New
Income to Community
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Ronald Reagan Statue
Fund Established
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Access to Recreation Fund
Awards $7,000
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Community Grants Program Gives
Over $50,000 to Local Charities
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Women for Women Hosts
Fall Luncheon
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Fun at the Farm for Young
Philanthropists
Katherine S. Germeraad,
Chair
Harry J. Berman
Carolyn A. Blackwell
Arthur H. “Hy” Bunn
G. Virginia Conlee
Janet S. Costello
Kevin W. Crumly
Saul J. Morse
Bruce A. Sommer
Roseanne M. Stone
Martha S. Sumner
Bruce E. Thompson
John G. Stremsterfer,
President and CEO
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I S S U E
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W I N T E R
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THE FOUNDATION
Connecting people who care with causes that matter
Lincoln’s New Salem
Moves Forward with Fund
rea grade-schoolers have long shared
the tradition of traipsing through
Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site.
of the earnings from the Fund will be in 2016. The
League hopes it will enable another $5,000 - $6,000
in interest to be used on park events or projects.
Theatre goers come in the thousands each year to
see the latest stage productions.
“Several League members were familiar with the good
work of the Community Foundation,” Grosboll said.
“The Community Foundation provides substantial
financial expertise that a small organization does
Families have used it as a reunion spot for decades.
Trips to New Salem are part of our shared community
fabric. The New Salem Lincoln League is focused
on keeping those traditions alive and flourishing by
maintaining the viability of the site. As government
funding shrinks, the League is embarking on new
efforts to secure its future. A historic move in that
direction is the establishment of the New Salem
Lincoln League Endowment Fund through the
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln.
“The Fund is important, because people understand
that it ensures there will be long-term funding,”
New Salem Lincoln League President Al Grosboll
said. “The Endowment Fund will provide funding
in perpetuity for education programs and cultural
activities at New Salem.”
The Fund is an endowment, and the League plans to
utilize only the interest earned from the endowment.
The Foundation’s long history of smart financial
investment decisions drew the League to create
the Fund with an initial $125,000 gift. The first use
not normally possess. The Community Foundation’s
expertise and energy will help us to grow financially.
As the Endowment Fund grows, it will allow the New
Salem Lincoln League to offer more programs, fund
more weekend events and expand our support for
theatrical performance.”
The League was founded in 1982 to support the
site’s educational and cultural activities. It has
C ON T I N U E D ON PA G E 2
THE FOUNDATION • 2
Sports Fund Helps Bring
New Income to Community
Horseshoes, basketball, wrestling mats and people filling
hotel rooms. Those are a few of the things the Capital Area
Sports Commission has helped deliver to Springfield.
he Commission is striving to build off its past
success of bringing events to Springfield,
and part of that progress includes the
creation of the Capital Area Sports
Commission Fund through the Community
Foundation for the Land of Lincoln.
“Our goal is to get amateur athletic sports to come to
Springfield and get people to spend money in Springfield,” said
Commission Board Member John Eck, Sr.
“Our goal is to get
amateur athletic
sports to come to
Springfield and get
people to spend
money in Springfield.”
focus is how many hotel rooms might be
utilized by participants and fans.
“We run into stuff we’ve never heard of,”
Eck said. “The first thing we ask is how
many room nights.”
The Commission has brought several events to Springfield
during the past few years, including:
• The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association World Tournament;
• United States Tumbling Association Nationals; and
• Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s/Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The Fund will be utilized to manage
donations as the Commission often
needs the ability to put down large bid
deposits on events it would like to bring
to the area. The Fund’s creation will help
secure the Commission’s future ability
to bid on events, especially if bids are being sought simultaneously. The
15-member Commission also provides volunteers for events such as the
recent Illinois Marathon.
Mainstream sports aren’t the only thing that might come to Springfield.
Prior to deciding whether to attempt to bring an event into the city, the main
“We can cut red tape on getting things done in Springfield, and we can
provide volunteers,” Eck said.
CON TINUED FROM PAGE 1
donated more than one million dollars to support
New Salem, and community members have
donated thousands of volunteer hours. Among its
activities, the League provides educational camps
for youth; partners on an internship program with
Illinois College; sponsors the Traditional Music
Festival; and supports the popular Theatre in the
Park. Last year, approximately 10,000 people
came to watch shows at Theatre in the Park.
“There are many people in Menard County and
elsewhere who support New Salem,” League Vice
President Dick Moss said. “Now people will have
a way to make a donation or consider providing a
gift in their estate to ensure long-term preservation
of Lincoln’s New Salem.”
The Fund’s creation comes at a critical time in
funding for the site. State funding cuts have led
to a dramatic drop in staff numbers. In the 1990s,
Lincoln’s New Salem employed up to 30 workers,
and today that number is down to 12 full-time
workers. The funding cuts have also limited the
number of capital improvements, creating a wait
list for projects throughout the site.
“We see the establishment of this Fund as
great news for historic preservation in our
community and especially for Menard County,”
said Community Foundation President and
CEO John Stremsterfer. “Local folks have so
many fond memories of enjoying New Salem,
and we want the next generation to understand
its importance.”
The Fund’s creation is another example of
Menard County residents taking the lead for the
site’s betterment. New Salem, where Lincoln
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3 // WINTER 2014
served as a lawyer and member of the Illinois
legislature, had been abandoned in the 1840s.
Local residents drove the effort for restoration
in the 1930s and have continued to guide
development of the site.
“There is strong support for New Salem in Menard
County,” Grosboll said. “This Endowment Fund
will provide a way for the community to provide
long-term support for protecting the important
legacy of New Salem, where Abraham Lincoln
lived for six critical years.”
For more information on endowment funds
or to donate to the New Salem Lincoln
League Fund, contact the Community
Foundation at 217.789.4431.
THE FOUNDATION • 3
Honoring our 40th President
He was President of the United States. His
roots are deep throughout Illinois. Yet, Ronald
Reagan, 40th President of the United States,
graduate of Eureka College, born in Tampico,
raised in Dixon, a resident of Chicago,
Galesburg, and Monmouth, is not recognized in
any manner at our State Capitol in Springfield.
“People are very surprised that there is no
recognition of President Reagan,” said State
Senator Darin LaHood. “There are a lot of statues
federal governments follows the philosophies set
by President Reagan during his tenure in office.
and paintings of a lot of people. Ronald Reagan
is the only U.S. President born in Illinois, raised
in Illinois, educated in Illinois and there is no
recognition on the State Capitol grounds.”
“We want to do it with private money and not
taxpayer money,” Sen. LaHood said. “When
people find out we are doing it with private funds,
they think it’s a great idea. People are supportive.”
Sen. LaHood is leading an effort to change that
oversight. A key component is the establishment
of the Ronald Reagan Statue Fund through the
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln.
The Fund allows private money to be donated
toward building a statue or other recognition for
President Reagan.
The process to erect something on Capitol
grounds has begun. A bipartisan letter signed by
Sen. LaHood, Sen. Barickman, Sen. Bivins and
Sen. Sullivan was formally sent to the Architect
of the Capitol, Richard Alsop, in May. The letter
underscores the reasons to construct recognition
for President Reagan on the Capitol grounds
and was the first step in navigating the rules and
regulations for consideration of having a statue
or other recognition. The four Senators, who all
The goal is to raise $300,000. Reliance on private
money instead of subsidies from the state or
represent areas steeped in Reagan history, also
spearheaded the passage of a Senate resolution
on the issue.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize
a former president from our home state,” said
John Stremsterfer, president and CEO of the
Community Foundation. “As we are an apolitical,
nonpartisan organization, I could envision us
playing a similar role recognizing President
Obama someday.”
The group will establish a Ronald Reagan Statue
Committee and Advisory Committee. The group’s
goal is to have the statue completed and placed
on Capitol Grounds in 2016. Although Reagan
became famous after moving to Hollywood and
California, many of the traits he is honored for
were developed during his early life and education
in Illinois.
“Obviously, the values that people talk about
with Ronald Reagan come from his upbringing in
Illinois,” LaHood said. “To honor him with a statue
on the capitol grounds is appropriate.”
For more information on donating to the
Ronald Reagan Statue Fund, please contact
the Community Foundation at 217.789.4431.
New Salem Lincoln League board members gather with Community Foundation representatives at Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site to
celebrate the League’s establishment of a new endowment fund that will help support education and cultural activities for generations to come.
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3 // WINTER 2014
THE FOUNDATION • 4
Access to Recreation Awards $7,000
in Grants in 2014
The Access to Recreation Fund program at the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
awarded five grants in October to support accessible recreation projects across Sangamon County.
The following 2014 Access to Recreation grant
recipients each received funds to support
projects that provide people with disabilities
the opportunity to participate in outdoor or
indoor recreation activities without barriers:
an outdoor recreation program designed
to increase physical strength, improve
coordination of motor skills and create
opportunities for social interactions for adults
and children with all types of disabilities.
• Autism Society - Central Illinois ($2,000)
Camp ASPIRE, a six-week, half-day summer
camp, designed to facilitate the development
of missing or inadequate communication
skills necessary for academic and social
success in children with autism.
• City of Springfield – CWLP ($1,000) Help
fund replacement of the aged Center Park
playground with a new ADA- and CPSCcompliant, nature-themed playground that
will be accessible to children (aged 2-12) of
all abilities.
• Bright Star Equestrian Centre ($1,000)
Support for a therapeutic riding program,
• Hoogland Center for the Arts ($2,000)
Support Arts Education program which will
CFLL Historic Preservation Fund
Awards Third Annual Grant
The Springfield Art Association has been awarded the
third annual grant from the Historic Preservation Fund to
reproduce wallpaper for historic Edwards Place, which
is currently being restored to its 1858 appearance. The
reproduction wallpaper will be based on original
fragments, dating to the 1850s, which were discovered
in the mansion’s library during the restoration process.
The wallpaper features a gray and metallic floral
pattern on a white background with a coordinating
border. The exuberant pattern was typical of the mid19th century.
“We are thrilled to be able to support part of the interior restoration project underway
at Edwards Place – one of Springfield’s must-see historic attractions,” said Paul
O’Shea, chair of the CFLL Historic Preservation Fund grant committee. “Preserving
our history and our local historical structures is important to the people of central
Illinois, and it’s our hope that each year nonprofits will look to the Historic Preservation
Fund as a unique funding resource for their projects.”
“The Art Association is thrilled to receive this
grant from the Community Foundation,” said Erika
Holst, curator of collections at the Springfield Art
Association. “Their support makes it possible to
reproduce this paper and its original border, which
will restore two rooms of Edwards Place to their
actual pre-Civil War appearance.”
Edwards Place will reopen to the public on
April 11, 2015.
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3 // WINTER 2014
be producing "Disney's Tarzan the Musical"
in March 2015 for which the cast of nearly
100 children will learn American Sign
Language to perform during the show.
• Special Olympics Illinois Area 17 ($1,000)
Help provide recreational opportunities for
individuals with intellectual disabilities.
This grant program was originally established
at the Community Foundation through a
grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. A
large portion of the original grant was used
to support a navigation system for Southwind
Park in Springfield.
Micro-Grants Awarded
for Professional
Development
This fall the Community Foundation for the Land
of Lincoln awarded the year’s second round of
Central Illinois Micro-Grants. Congratulations to
these local organizations:
Lincoln Land Community College Foundation Trutter Museum
Lutheran High School
Network Knowledge/WSEC
Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony
Springfield Art Association
Micro-Grants are awards of up to $1,500 for attendance by
nonprofit staff and board members at trainings and professional
development programs of their own choosing. Through
goodWORKSconnect and the support of The Lumpkin Family
Foundation, four community foundations administered microgrants in Central/Eastern
Illinois in 2014. Organizations
in Sangamon, Christian
and Montgomery counties
were eligible to apply for
Micro-Grants through the
Community Foundation for
the Land of Lincoln.
To learn more about this program, visit
www.goodWORKSconnect.org.
THE FOUNDATION • 5
Community Grants Program gives
over $50,000 to area charities
A community of donors giving to the community of nonprofit agencies. It’s the perfect match,
and it’s known as the Community Grants Program. It illustrates the mission of the Community
Foundation: connecting people who care with causes that matter.
hrough the five-year-old program,
said Stacy Reed, vice president for programs.
face and that increased knowledge creates a
the
Foundation
“It’s a very fun, collaborative program, and
greater bond between the parties.
invites funding requests from
many who participate find it quite rewarding.”
Community
charities for up to $2,500 for any
“A lot of fund holders learn more about
charitable focus area in Cass, Christian, Logan,
This year 48 programs submitted $109,000 in
charities and as a consequence they follow
Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan and
requests. The fund representatives met and
their progress more,” Reed said. “It often
Sangamon Counties. Representatives of the
were able to award more than $50,000 worth
results in a closer involvement by the funders.”
Foundation’s donor-advised funds are then
of partial or complete grants to 35 agencies.
given the opportunity to review the requests
Individual funds can fulfill an entire grant or
The pre-meeting work conducted by the
and meet with other donors to discuss,
combine with other funds to award grants.
Community Foundation also eases the burden
potentially partner with each other, and make
for donors and enables them to concentrate
decisions on funding the requests submitted
A strength of this program is that the donor
on the fun things – like giving away money to
by nonprofit organizations. Nineteen donor-
meeting provides insight to agencies and
worthy causes.
advised funds participated in the program.
causes that funders previously weren’t aware
It has been a great success story of donors
of, while also enabling them to combine
Reed hopes the program continues to grow
coming together to help the community.
money between Funds to meet more needs.
and attract participation from more donor-
“Donors get to have an inside look at the
It’s often the first time the funders learn in-
Community Grants Program, please contact
broad spectrum of needs in our community,”
depth the needs agencies in our community
the Community Foundation at 217.789.4431.
advised funds. For more information on the
G R A N T S
AWA R D E D
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden
Foundation – $1,400
Adonai's Animals – $1,500
Animal Protective League – $1,500
Autism Society Central Illinois – $3,500
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Illinois
Capital Region – $500
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois – $1,000
Bright Star Equestrian Centre – $1,000
Central Illinois Foodbank, Inc. – $2,700
Contact Ministries – $750
Elizabeth Ann Seton Program – $500
T H I S
Y E A R :
Family Service Center – $2,500
Friends of Sangamon County Animal
Control – $1,000
Girls on the Run of Central Illinois – $2,500
Helping Hands of Springfield – $2,200
Hoogland Center for the Arts – $750
Kumler Outreach Ministries – $2,500
Loami Area Community Pantry – $500
M.E.R.C.Y. Communities, Inc. – $2,500
Network Knowledge/WSEC – $1,995
One Hope United – Hudelson Region – $500
Phoenix Center – $2,500
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3 // WINTER 2014
Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony – $2,500
Senior Services of Central Illinois – $1,500
Sojourn Shelter & Services, Inc. – $2,600
Springfield Area Arts Council – $1,000
Springfield Community Federation – $1,500
St. Patrick Catholic School – $1,500
The Hope Institute for Children & Families – $2,500
The James Project – $1,500
United Way of Central Illinois, Inc. – $1,000
Young Men's Christian Association of
Springfield Illinois – $1,000
THE FOUNDATION • 6
Community Foundations
Celebrate Centennial
Community Foundation President and CEO John Stremsterfer and Board Chair Kathy Germeraad meet
former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa James Joseph at the Council on Foundations’ annual conference
in Cleveland, Ohio after his opening remarks about community foundations’ historic role in meeting local
challenges and fostering local collaboration. More than 1,500 community foundation board and staff
members gathered at the conference to commemorate the field’s 100th anniversary and begin planning
the next century of community philanthropy.
Women for Women Giving Circle
Hosts Fall Luncheon
n October 9, Women for Women
members were treated to a special
educational luncheon “Getting Down to What Works: Changing
the Developmental and Educational Trajectory of Sangamon County’s Less
Advantaged Children for the Better.”
O
David Racine, director of the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the
University of Illinois Springfield, presented a preliminary report on “Sangamon
Success” – a special initiative spearheaded by UIS, the Community
Foundation, United Way, and The Chamber – aimed at improving educational
outcomes for less advantaged children in our community.
In addition, the group was introduced to Heather Sweet who is the new
program director for the Children’s MOSAIC Project, which Women for
Women helped fund in 2014 with a $30,000 grant to its MOSAIC Moms
program. Melissa Stalets, who previously served as program director for
MOSAIC, has been promoted to director of Quality and Program Evaluation
for Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois and will still play an integral role
in the work of MOSAIC.
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3 // WINTER 2014
THE FOUNDATION • 7
Collaboration, Succession Planning
Hot Topics at Community Convenings
The Community Foundation partnered with goodWORKSconnect and
the Donors Forum to bring three free seminars to Springfield this fall.
n October, more than 40 nonprofit representatives gathered
to discuss how to “meet the collaboration challenge.”
Community partners from The Children’s MOSAIC Project,
including representatives from the education, health care, and
neighborhood-based sectors, engaged in a panel discussion about
the challenges, successes and best practices they’ve experienced
when bringing together different groups to accomplish one goal.
I
In November, nationally-recognized farm management and estate
planning consultant Vaughn Henry facilitated two discussions. At a
morning session, he spoke with professional advisors and farmers
about issues that may arise when passing down assets to the next
generation, tax issues, protecting land, and leaving bequests to
charity. Later that day, he convened nonprofits to discuss strategies
for integrating planned giving into their fundraising strategies. Special
thanks to Sikich, Rural Partners Illinois and Bank of Springfield for
co-presenting this event.
Fun at the
Farm for Young
Philanthropists
oung Philanthropists members and their families enjoyed a
very special afternoon of fishing, boat rides, shuffleboard
and face painting compliments of the Schnirrings who
invited the group to their family farm in Chatham. Guests enjoyed
catering from the famous Dew Chilli Parlor truck, and names were
drawn to determine who would serve on this year’s grant committee.
Our special thanks go to Farrell Gay, Sara Ratcliffe and Lara Donovan
who provided their stellar face-painting skills and to Tara Long for
capturing the fun on camera!
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Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3 // WINTER 2014
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When you’re ready to begin, call us at 217/789-4431 and
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