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About Us
 The Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way is a unique philanthropic organization. In July 2007, the United Way of Greater Fort Dodge and the Community Foundation of Fort Dodge and North Central Iowa merged into one philanthropic organization. Merging the two organizations provided the opportunity to leverage administrative resources and reduce duplication in philanthropy. This collaborative model is the first of its kind in the nation and offers our community and region a "one-stop-shop," for community-based charitable giving.
The Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way makes a constant effort to stay ahead of emerging issues in our community and county. We work in partnership with civic, business and government leaders to identify and address important community needs. The Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way is affiliated with the National Council on Foundations and with United Way of America.
The Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way works hard to earn the trust and respect of our community so we can effectively serve as the entity in Fort Dodge/Webster County for community-based philanthropic giving. We encourage citizens to invest in their community through the annual community campaign and by establishing endowment and donor advised funds for the purpose of investing in the future vitality, growth and development of our community.
Our Mission
To serve as a catalyst for charitable giving - developing charitable resources to support important community programs, services and projects that will benefit the public good and improve the quality of life of all citizens, families and youth in Fort Dodge, Webster County and North Central Iowa.
Our Vision
To serve as a strong and vital community foundation, providing positive, effective, and innovative leadership to foster community betterment and to serve as an agent for advancing community growth and development. Using our charitable resources, we invest in the well-being of all citizens, families and youth, and help Fort Dodge/Webster County become a progressive and prosperous community - a place where people will want to live, work and raise their families.
Why Support Us
- We are local and we support local projects, programs and services. The funds established with us are invested back into the community to improve quality of life and advance the common good of citizens, youth and families in Fort Dodge, Webster County and North Central Iowa.
- We make a permanent difference. Gifts to the Community Foundation work long into the future. The Community Foundation was built to last. Donors can feel secure that our staff, volunteers, investments, and mission are organized to strengthen our community in perpetuity.
- We know our community and our community's needs. We offer donors help in identifying effective ways to aid the community that they call home. We help donors direct their giving to target specific problems, causes or interests.
- We can insure anonymity. Some donors prefer their gifts remain anonymous. The Foundation can serve as the conduit for grant making to meet donor objectives and maintain donor anonymity.
- We make complicated gifts easy. We help donors make gifts in a cost and time effective way. We are able to accept a variety of assets and support multiple organizations through one fund, and help donors leave a legacy.
- We offer tax advantaged gifting opportunities. Through various planned giving vehicles, we can provide donors with numerous charitable giving plans that offer attractive tax saving opportunities and advantages.
What is a Community Foundation
A Community Foundation is an independent, tax exempt public charity that enables people with philanthropic interests to support causes they care about in their community. Community Foundations create long-term assets and make grants to better their community and improve quality of life. There are over 700 community foundations in the United State and they make up one of the fastest growing sectors of philanthropy in the nation today.
Community foundations develop lasting legacies for their communities through funds that are designed to support the charitable goals of donors. From these funds, grants are made in support of a wide-range of charitable causes and non-profit organizations that address a broad scope of current and long-term community needs. Community foundations offer great value to charitably inclined citizens because they enjoy a flexibility that allows them to respond to the charitable interests and goals of donors. They accept charitable gifts of various sizes and types from individuals, local corporations, other foundations and government agencies. They design giving plans for donors that provide them with tax advantaged benefits and the opportunity for their gifts to do the most good.
Community foundations also provide community leadership by understanding the community's challenges, facilitating collaborative planning and working closely with community and business leaders, individuals, local corporations, other foundations and government agencies. We also design giving plans for donors that provide them with tax advantaged benefits and the opportunity for their gifts to do the most good.
The United Way Movement
- The Fort Dodge Community Foundation and United Way is a locally governed, volunteer driven organization dedicated to strategically advancing our community's health and human service agenda in order to build a healthier community. We are part of a national movement operating under the umbrella of the United Way of America.
- As the nation's leading community solutions provider, the United Way invests in and activates the resources necessary to make the greatest possible positive impact in communities across America. The United Way movement includes more than 1,350 community based United Way organizations. Each is independent, separately incorporated, and governed by local volunteers.
- United Ways bring communities together to focus on the most important needs in the community - building partnerships, forging consensus and leveraging resources to make a measurable difference.
- United Way Worldwide's mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. More than 1,350 local United Ways raise and invest significant resources to build strong, healthy communities. In 2008, the United Way system raised over $4 billion in current year support making it the nation's single largest private charity.
- In Iowa, there are 33 United Way organizations.
- Apart from government, United Ways are the largest single supporter of health and human services in the country, funding programs in more than 45,000 agencies or chapters across the country.
- 99 cents of each dollar raised by United Ways stays in the community where it is raised. Each United Way sends 1% of its revenues to the United Way of America as service fees and dues. In return, United Way of America (UWA) leverages the support of national corporations which benefit local United Ways through corporate gifts that far exceed the dollars collected as service fees. In addition, UWA offers numerous training and educational seminars on the regional and national level.
- United Way is the major avenue for charitable giving through the workplace. In most communities, it is the only entity invited to conduct in house fundraising campaigns and solicit both corporate and employee gifts in the work place on work time, and to collect pledges through payroll deduction.
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