Dayton Foundation Donor’s Legacy is Helping to “Build a Better Dayton”
It's been more than 10 years since Virginia B. Toulmin passed away, but her and her husband's legacies are alive in Greater Dayton. The generous $26 million gift Virginia left upon her passing to the Harry A. Toulmin, Jr., and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of The Dayton Foundation is enhancing the community they so loved.
“Over the last decade, the Toulmin Fund has awarded nearly $12 million in grants and is building a better Dayton,” said Mike Parks, president of The Dayton Foundation. “What an amazing gift for the community that meant so much to the Toulmins.”
Among the many efforts the fund has supported is the performing arts – a passion Virginia developed as a child. “I studied piano and worked as an usherette for the St. Louis Symphony,” she recalled in 2008. “I heard every program – twice – and just ate it up.”
Nearly half of the dollars awarded to date in grants are continuing to enhance Greater Dayton's arts, culture and humanities, including $3.5 million to the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) and its predecessor organizations, Dayton Ballet, Dayton Opera and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.
“The Harry A. Toulmin, Jr. and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund is one of the most continuous and substantial funding partners of the DPAA,” said Patricia McDonald, interim president and CEO of DPAA. “Without this generosity, we could not provide the level of world-class performing arts and education that we currently offer.”
Virginia called Dayton home for 41 years after marrying international patent attorney Col. Harry Aubrey Toulmin, Jr., son of the Wright Brothers' patent attorney, Harry A. Toulmin, Sr. Her husband passed away in 1965, leaving to Virginia a small pharmaceutical business that she turned into a hugely successful venture.
“When it paid off, I decided to give back,” Virginia said. “I think the world of The Dayton Foundation, and I know that
Dayton Opera - Turandot - 2017-2018 -
they will use these dollars wisely. I'm so glad to be doing this for the community that was so good to Harry and me.”
Virginia's desire for her gift to be managed and invested for long-term growth led her to the Foundation, thanks to the advice of her trusted Key Private Bank advisors. Despite distributing nearly $12 million in grants to date, her original, invested gift of $26 million now totals nearly $33 million.
“Mrs. Toulmin's gift has doubled our ability to do responsive grantmaking and heightened our efforts to convene strategic initiatives that benefit Greater Dayton,” said Barbra Stonerock,
the Foundation's vice president of Community Engagement. “Thanks to this support, The Dayton Foundation can lift up the important work of our region's nonprofits and effect real change in our region today and for future generations.”
For 100 years, the Foundation has helped people to help others, managing nearly 4,000 charitable funds that have provided more than $1 billion in grants to nonprofits locally and nationwide. To find out how you can be a part of the next 100 years, visit www.daytonfoundation.org or contact a member of the Development department at (937) 222-0410.