A Message To Our Neighbors

Giving - like painting - is an art that blossoms with practice. Donors to the Main Street Community Foundation exhibited their skill in the art of giving in 2006 by establishing thirteen new permanent funds to support others in the communities around them. Each fund is a unique creation. Each reveals something of what is in the donor's heart. All of these donors came to us for assistance in putting a charitable structure around a wish to support something that has come from an aspect of their life experience. Well- respected area artist Glo Sessions has generously given us permission to share a few of her paintings throughout this year's annual report in order to highlight this theme for our readers.

The creative expressions of all of our donors have allowed the Foundation to distribute over $1,140,000 in grants and scholarships, including over $744,000 to the Bradley Memorial Hospital from the Bradley Barnes Trust. A loan from the Trust was also paid out to finance construction of the new Southington medical office building which is now complete.

What we have also learned in this work of charitable giving is that in order to provide solid footing for these creative efforts, it is important to develop a rigorous and scientific approach to managing the important day-to-day operations. In the Fall of 2005, the Foundation embarked on a rigorous nine month course of accreditation with 43 separate standards areas through the national Council on Foundations. In July of 2006, Main Street was notified that it was being recognized for having organizational and financial practices that are in accordance with the national standards for community foundations.

We were also mindful of the science involved in investing and finance this past year, as we worked diligently with our professional investment managers to provide donors with a solid return of 13.3%. This went hand-in-hand with careful monitoring and updating of financial policies and controls.

Of course, so many of these things could not have been accomplished without the time and expertise of countless volunteers and a hard-working staff. Board leadership changed as Board Chair Tom Barnes passed the gavel to Vice Chair Bryan Bowerman. Well-respected Board members Bruce Daigle, Susan Scully, Val Merriman and Diane Macklosky stepped away from the Board as Dennis Cleary, Dino Carbone, Dwight Harris and Robyn Poulos stepped in. When former staff member Pat Andrews needed to leave her post in 2006, we were lucky to find Pamela Belliveau to replace her.

We also continued to educate our Board in the work of governance as leadership this past year, while taking time to celebrate the Foundation's tenth anniversary. A number of special events included a Friends and Donors' reception at the home of Carl and Sharon Sellberg and a special collaborative event with the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain in which we brought in Professor Paul Schervish from Boston College to speak about the inter-generational transfer of wealth that has now begun and how it will affect donor attitudes both now and in the future.

As we have bounded into 2007, many new opportunities and challenges have arisen. The Foundation's rise to its next level of growth, the transition of the founding CEO and the changing landscape of statewide and national influences have all come into play.
We are confident that all we have learned about both the art and science of giving in these past eleven years will see the Main Street Community Foundation successfully through the challenges that lay ahead. Thanks to all who have helped in the creation of this unique endeavor during the past year.