Lewis and Clark County
Community Foundation

A Message from the Chair

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

The Lewis and Clark County Community Foundation (LCCF) Board would like to extend its thanks to its supporters for helping make 2006 another successful year in community giving and granting. Last year we granted $12,000 to 23 non-profit organizations in Lewis and Clark County, reaching residents in Augusta, Canyon Creek, East Helena and Helena. It is amazing to look back to the year 2000, when we granted $850 to six organizations, and see how far we have come in such a short time. Since 1999, LCCF has granted $47,500 to 115 projects throughout the county, 30 percent of which has gone to communities outside of Helena.

Our capacity-building initiative to support the long-term planning and operations of LCCF has also come a long way in a short amount of time. We are pleased to announce that the Sustainability Campaign to build our permanently endowed Seed Fund to $100,000 is making progress with approximately $30,000 raised to date.

The continued growth in our endowments and granting would not be possible without the generous support of our donors. This annual report recognizes those individuals and businesses that have contributed to support the county through LCCF. In 2006, LCCF received $45,365 in receipts and pledges. Thank you.

The continued success of LCCF would also not be possible without the dedication and hard work of our Board and our Board Chair. 2006 marked Steve Polhemus' third and last year as Board Chair, and he greatly enhanced LCCF with his banking and finance experience, and dedicated leadership. Cheryl Lux from Augusta transitioned off the board at the beginning of 2006 after serving for six years, and we thank her for her perseverance and thoughtful guidance. We were so fortunate to gain Brent Anderson, Julius Hayden, Kathy Ramirez and Sheila Sullivan as new Board members to extend our reach in the county and granting capability. I would be remiss if I did not recognize Joan Higgins-Smith, our new Executive Administrator, who worked hard in her first year to keep this Board on track.

As LCCF looks forward to 2007, we remember how we got here and our mission to provide financial support for quality charitable projects benefiting Lewis and Clark County and its residents. LCCF is a tribute to the strong county in which we live and the generous residents who believe in building an even stronger community.

Thank you,

Andrea Rankin
Board Chair, 2007