Community group celebrates 30 years of local enrichment
This month, the Union County Community Foundation (UCCF) will celebrate its 30th year since being founded.
In December of 1990 a compassionate, forward thinking group of people in Union County raised $5,000 to qualify for Ford Foundation matching dollars through the Arkansas Community Foundation. With those funds, the seeds of Union County Community Foundation were firmly planted in Union County soil.
In 1991, the first board of directors was formed and UCCF was offered a $50,000 matching challenge grant from Arkansas Community Foundation to begin an endowment fund. Gifts were made from throughout the county and the challenge was met.
That endowed fund is named The Union County Public Trust fund and it now has a balance of $1,260,593.38. The income from this fund makes grants to worthy causes in Union County and continues to receive additional gifts to principal. Over the years this fund has granted out $588,604.99 to nonprofits in Union County.
Gifts to and grants from the Trust Fund will be recognized for generations to come. The UCCF’s mission as a community foundation is to act as an encourager, a funding source and an inspiration in addressing the needs of Union County.
We are an organization dedicated to the future of Union County.
UCCF creates a philanthropic base for the welfare of the total community of Union County. Through the continued generosity of donors and their philanthropic objectives, the foundation continues to grow and now has 87 funds totaling $26,188,604.00.
Grants and scholarships from various UCCF funds are awarded throughout the year. In the 30 years since its inception, UCCF has awarded 1412 grants totaling $9,386,964.45 to nonprofits and 1,336 scholarships totaling $2,478,319.86 to worthy students.
Union County Community Foundation is a public nonprofit organization that donors use to establish scholarship and other philanthropic funds to benefit local students and the community-at-large.
This past year has taught
us that we are all in this together. We have all benefited from the great resources of this county. We are truly blessed by the generosity of so many and their desire to better our community. Our challenge is to continue to provide a way that each of us with resources large and small can join together to leave a legacy for generations to come.
The Union County Community Foundation is a link to an enriched future for Union County. We would love to hear from anyone who is interested in learning more about UCCF and how it works to assist donors in achieving their charitable goals should visit the UCCF website at www.uccfar.org or call Jean Hadley at 870-862-8223 for more information.