Summer 2009

In This Issue:

IS THE GCEF ON YOUR ORGANIZATION'S RADAR?

If you're involved with an area nonprofit organization, be sure it's on our mailing list. We're always looking for qualified grant recipients!

Your organization will receive announcements about our annual grant applications, application deadlines and opportunities to learn more about the fund.

1. Visit www.gaycommunityfund.org (or click the headline above).
2. Click on "Mailing List."
3. Enter contact information.
4. Select "Grant Info Only" or "All GCEF News."

ACF Has Many Investment Tools

Did you know that Akron Community Foundation has a Planned Giving Design Center for resources and information about charitable gift and estate planning?

Visit the center now and register to gain free access to the complete site and get access to [PhilanthroCalc], a calculator that provides easy-to-understand calculations for donors and compliance-ready deduction calculations to help you with your tax return.

WHO WE ARE

The Gay Community Endowment Fund is a permanent, philanthropic endowment of Akron Community Foundation.

Akron Community Foundation

To learn more about Akron Community Foundation, please click the headline above.

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

If you haven't already done so, please take a minute to join our mailing list. By joining, you will receive advance notice of Gay Community Endowment Fund announcements and activities.

Contact Us

news@gaycommunityfund.org

GCEF prepares to help fund nonprofits

In these financially difficult times, most nonprofit organizations are looking for ways to increase their funding. The mission of the Gay Community Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation is to provide grant funding to nonprofit organizations and agencies in the greater Akron area that initiate and/or conduct programs or services that support or positively impact GLBT people and serve as a catalyst for full participation of GLBT people in our society.

Toward that goal, GCEF will start accepting grant applications on July 15, 2009, for both continuing and new programs that will positively impact local gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) communities and greater Akron as a whole.

The Gay Community Endowment Fund accepts operational, programmatic and capital requests from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and encourages collaborations between applicants.

Applications will be available starting July 15 at [2009 Grant Application] or by calling 330-376-8522. Watch for a ReachingOUT Eblast when the applications are available for download. Ten copies of the application must be submitted to Akron Community Foundation by Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009.

To assist organizations in preparing their applications, GCEF representatives will answer grant seekers' questions during an informational session. The session will take place Thursday, Aug. 13 at 4 p.m. at Akron Community Foundation's office, located at 345 W Cedar St., Akron, OH 44307. Please register your representative(s) in advance by calling 330-376-8522.

Grant awards are expected to be announced on or around Nov. 24, 2009.

Donor profile - Sandra J. Kurt

Sandra is an amazing woman! Born on a farm and brought up by supportive parents in a small town in Iowa, Sandra, her sister and brother all went on to become degreed engineers. Sandra has spent the past 24 years employed by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Akron and is currently the project manager of facilities planning and operations analysis.

In addition to holding down a challenging job at Goodyear, Sandra is the founding president of the Stonewall Democrats of Summit County, is active in many civic organizations, is a regular volunteer at the Battered Women's Shelter, and is a candidate for Ward 8 of Akron City Council. Sandra said she believes an engineer on city council would help in forming policies that add technical positions within the city. She said her skill set would add to the strengths of council and make it more diverse - and the more diverse a team is, the stronger it is, whether it's in politics or any other sector.

Sandra said she believes in giving to organizations that are fiscally responsible and contribute to the local community. "GCEF is a fantastic organization, and I feel very confident that my contributions to the fund are doing good work," she said.

Sandra's father recently turned 80 and wanted all his children to return to Iowa for his birthday. As a demonstration of his unwavering support, her father sent information on how Sandra and her partner of eight years, Tina Jarosch, could be married in Iowa. So, during their visit, Sandra and Tina were among the first gay couples in Iowa to become legally married.

Sandra and Tina live in West Akron with their three cats and a dog. Thank you, Sandra, for your continued support of GCEF, and good luck in your campaign!

Recipient profile - PFLAG of Akron

PFLAG's mission is to promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights.

The GCEF awarded a grant to the Akron chapter of PFLAG last fall to bring Dr. Jack Rogers from California to be the guest speaker in honor of Bruce Kriete at their annual meeting. Dr. Rogers is a professor of theology emeritus at San Francisco Theological Seminary and a moderator of the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The meeting was held Nov. 18 and was a huge success with more than100 people attending. Rabbi David Horowitz introduced the speaker and poignantly reflected Bruce's life. That set a special tone for the meeting.

Featured speaker, Dr. Rogers discussed his book, "Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality," and told the audience that he was inspired by a gay elder in his local Presbyterian church. After seeing a gay man could be elected to a leadership position within the church, Rogers began researching biblical teachings regarding homosexuality. This research led him to a powerful realization: All people are equal and should be regarded as such. Rogers said Leviticus 19:15-18 and Matthew 19:10-14 are both powerful examples of the Bible's uplifting messages of equality.

PFLAG plans to continue having an annual event in remembrance of Bruce Kriete.