YOUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HAS BEEN BUSY

“What does a Community Foundation Do?” That is the question we are asked most often at the

Coronado Community Foundation (CCF). Well, we’ve been busy this year and want to fill you in

on our activities and focus for the rest of the year.

We know that building capacity and capability with our partner nonprofits is essential to the

success of our mission. In January, we invited and funded the local nonprofit leaders to attend

the 21 st Annual Nonprofit Leadership and Governance Symposium. Over ten organizations

represented Coronado. Samantha Hagan-Lingad, VP with United Through Reading, told us the

sessions gave her many more insights and tools. She added, “What truly stood out, though, was

the chance to connect with others in the nonprofit world, sharing experiences and gaining fresh

perspectives on challenges we face every day.”

The feedback from the Symposium led us to establish a Coronado Nonprofit Leadership

Roundtable. The kickoff was March 26th with fourteen organizations participating, and many

more expressed interest in future meetings. Peggy Duncan, president of FOCUS, said, “The

nonprofit leaders roundtable was fantastic.  I am super excited about all of these ideas and

initiatives!  Thank you so much for bringing this group together and helping us achieve our

goals more effectively!” Christine Stokes from the Historical Association felt that “It provided a

unique platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the identification of shared

challenges and opportunities. I believe this initiative has the potential to significantly

strengthen our non-profit sector and enhance our collective impact in Coronado.”

As your community foundation, our mission is to identify unmet needs and develop solutions in

collaboration with non-profits, government agencies, and community members. Our first

collaboration resulted in all-new audio/visual equipment in the high school performing arts

center. In April 2024, our partnership with Camp Able launched the Exceptional Families

Program (EFP). Camp Able’s monthly events have expanded their outreach to special needs

families and increased their summer camp attendance by 40%. But that’s not all.

This year, we are proud to be able to issue our first round of grants. We provided financial

support to the Art and Wine Festival, the Coronado Historic Preservation Symposium, the

Double Served Tennis Tournament benefiting Safe Harbor, and recently the Health and

Wellness Fair as title sponsor. In June, we are excited to co-host Concert in the Park with

FOCUS. These grants align with three areas of focus: Community Health and Wellness, Arts and

Culture, and Community Preservation and Enhancement.

Our conversations with the community have highlighted the need for services for seniors and

community members challenged with caring for family members. We are currently researching

no/low-cost transportation solutions similar to the previous Out and About program and

initiating a community-wide network of neighbors helping neighbors.

For more information about the Coronado Community Foundation and ways to get involved,

please visit our website or contact us at info@ccfcoronado.org.

Article written by Helen Kupka, Founder and Board President Published in Coronado Eagle & Journal - Link to article