Community foundation can help brighten areas future

When you think about the future of Havre and other Hill county communities, what do you visualize and hope for? Dreams for a vital, thriving community are wonderful but we all know that funding is a critical barrier to actualizing these dreams. Year after year, it becomes increasingly more difficult to support local libraries, senior centers, parks, theatrers, museums and more.

On the other hand, few of us may be aware of the vast wealth currently leaving our state. In 2010, The Montana Transfer of Wealth Study was sponsored by the Montana Community Foundation and authored by the RUPRI — Rural Policy Research Institute — Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. The complete study report can be downloaded at http://www.mtcf.org. The report states that by the year 2020, Montana is estimated to lose a total of $12 billion, and an estimated $159,412,237 of that amount will be transferred out of our Hill County.

How is this going to happen? Unlike previous generations, many young Montanans will move from our state. Aging parents often plan to leave their hard-earned money to their children and if these children have left our community and state, that wealth will follow them. But what if a mere 5 percent was given to the communities who helped build our wealth and businesses in Montana? In Hill County alone, if 5 percent of the estimated transfer of wealth was protected in a permanent charitable endowment, it would amount to $7,970,612. If 5 percent of this endowment were to be given out in grants each year it would total $398,531 invested back into Hill County on an annual basis. Imagine the positive impact in our community if that amount were available on a yearly basis?

I share these statistics because I’m startled and concerned about the amount of money that is projected to leave our state and county.

Now for the part of how you can help.  

The Hill County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Montana Community Foundation which was founded in 1988 and currently manages 900 charitable funds and planned gifts totaling $80 million. Over the past 10 years, MCF has awarded more than 8,000 grants totaling more than 18.6 million which have positively impacted Montana communities, including Hill County. As an MCF affiliate, the Hill County Community Foundation Advisory Committee operates under MCF’s 501(c)3 status and answers to the highly trained and dedicated professional staff employed at Montana Community Foundation. MCF has a sound investment record so you can rest assured that any donations you make to HCCF/MCF are scrupulously managed by an expert team of professionals.

Since its inception as an MCF Affiliate, HCCF has prioritized the areas of community beautification, arts and culture and basic human needs and has awarded numerous small grants to local nonprofit organizations including Recycle Hi-Line, the Havre Food Bank, the Eagles Manor Silver Sneakers program, the Havre-Hill County Library Youth Art Project, First Lutheran Preschool/Daycare and the Hingham Economic Development Association.

How is this different from United Way, you may ask?

United Way staff and volunteers have an annual campaign to raise money for its funded partners. Think of United Way as a yearly “checkbook” for local nonprofits, while a Community Foundation is a  “savings account” and as the HCCF endowment grows, so will the size and number of annual grants.

For more information about Montana Community Foundation and the Hill County Community Foundation, visit http://www.mtcf.org, The local contact is 390-4947 or [email protected].

During the upcoming season of giving and philanthropy, ask your financial advisor or accountant about the benefits of the Montana Tax Credit for Endowed Philanthropy and the Deferred Charitable Gift Annuity. And if you have an estate plan or will, consider how your 5 percent could leave a lasting legacy in our community and help keep Montana the “Last Best Place” to live for future generations.

(Pam Veis is Hill County Community Foundation Advisory Committee Chair.)