By finding the right people and asking good questions Charlottesville Club Past Presidents Tony Hastoglis and Bob Fehse multiplied our club’s impact by a factor of ten. Your club may be able to do the same. Here is the story.

As a result of its club analysis, the Charlottesville club decided to concentrate its charity funds on projects that met the following criteria:
1. Have an observable benefit to the children of this community
2. Engage the energies and imagination of the entire K-family
3. Gain recognition for our club, and
4. Be executable within the resources of our club
Selecting projects that met these criteria required a community analysis. To get help Tony paid a visit to the Charlottesville Albemarle Community Foundation. This $60 million foundation is well attuned to area needs. As part of its grant-making process it continuously evaluates both needs and the effectiveness of local projects.

The foundation guided our club to Charlottesville Youth and Family Services (CYFS), which needed $7,000 to get access to a ten to one matching grant from Tobacco Settlement funds. This grant was to be used to support STAR Kids, a life skills program for 400 children in area Head Start classes. Our Independence Day 5K race raised the $7K.

In the second year a pancake breakfast raised another $7K, bringing a total of $140,000 worth of services to area children for only $14,000 of funds raised by our club.

Local Community Foundations are an excellent source of information about needs and charitable projects in each area. They also are willing to provide speakers for your club’s program. Your club can find local community foundations by clicking one of the following URL’s

Look up your local community foundation and give them a call. Remember, If Tony and Bob can do it, your club can.