Project Transformation Director Laura Wooden describes her grant request
Any new venture offers a mixture of excitement and anxiety, but the new Flash Philanthropy program at the Bartlesville Community Foundation was long on the former and short on the latter as it awarded its first-ever $5,000 grant to Building Bridges of Bartlesville. The organization helps individuals and families move from poverty to self-sufficiency through an innovative program of education and community allies. The grant will be used to bring more people into the program and to train their allies to support their efforts.
Gina Elias, Director of Building Bridges, makes her grant-winning presentation
“We couldn’t be more pleased with our first effort at Flash Philanthropy,” notes Shawn Crawford, Executive Director of the BCF. “The donors did an outstanding job evaluating the grants and our non-profits offered relevant and meaningful proposals to impact the Bartlesville Community. Narrowing the choice to one proposal to fund was tough.”
Flash Philanthropy allowed younger donors, ages 21-40, to pledge $500 or more individually or in groups so they could pool their gifts and grant it out to a community nonprofit. Nine groups provided $5,000, and the Foundation solicited and processed grants from the Bartlesville nonprofit sector. The group then reviewed those grants and narrowed the finalists down to three. Those three, Building Bridges, Run the Streets, and Project Transformation of the First United Methodist Church, made a formal presentation to the group. The Flash Philanthropy members then evaluated the finalists to make their choice.
Bob Williams of Run the Streets presents to the group
Spencer King was part of the Flash Philanthropy donors and enjoyed the project: “Flash Philanthropy was a tremendous opportunity to learn about the various non-profit agencies and their current needs. It was a memorable experience to work through the grant process with fellow peers and to select a project we all believe will help make Bartlesville a much better place in the future.”
With the first grant underway, Flash Philanthropy hopes to add another cycle in the spring and offer the grants twice a year.
Flash Philanthropy was a program of the Bartlesville Community Foundation with support from their corporate partner Truity Credit Union.
The Bartlesville Community Foundation strengthens nonprofits through The Power of Together. The Foundation builds permanent endowments, manages grant and scholarship programs, supports new charitable endeavors, and offers educational opportunities to enhance nonprofits’ and donors’ philanthropic goals.