There are thousands of dollars just waiting in a “community savings account’ to be given to those who do good work in Gilroy.
For more than 30 years, the nonprofit Gilroy Foundation has made it easy for the Gilroy community to show its generosity through charitable giving.
Donna Pray, the Foundation’s executive director clarifies their mission saying, “Our ‘formal’ mission is: ‘The Gilroy Foundation invests charitable gifts into a lasting legacy, serving the vital needs of the Gilroy Community.’ However, in more reader-friendly terms, I would say that the Foundation has, and will continue to, put together a ‘community savings account’ that will last for generations to come. Interest earned from these invested funds are granted to local nonprofits each year to help with their work in our community.”
“In 2012, we received $193,000 in grant requests, but the Foundation was only able to give out $30,000 through our competitive grants – or 15 percent – of the total requests,” Pray said. “Overall, we gave more than $400,000, but $370,000 of it was designated funds by donors. Our goal over the next five years is to grow the general endowment fund to well over $10 million. Obviously, the larger our endowment is, the more grant requests we will be able to satisfy.”
According to Pray, only $30,000 was given through competitive grants because of the nature of an endowment.
“We only give 5 percent of the endowment fund each year because endowments only pay out on the interest on a fund,” Pray explained. “We are hoping to increase the size of the endowment fund. For example, if we it were to increase by $2 million in unrestricted funds, we would be able to give out $100,000 more.”
Mary Cortani of Gilroy’s renowned Operation Freedoms Paws is a 2012 recipient of a Gilroy Foundation grant – plus an additional and unexpected gift.
“I can’t say enough nice things about them (the Foundation),” Cortani said. “We were new to writing grant requests, and we applied for a grant in 2011 asking for $4,800. The Foundation could only afford to give us $3,500 or so of the total amount. To our surprise, other family foundation members generously filled the gap and gave enough to receive the $4,800. It was so incredibly nice of them.”
Pray says that other foundation members can review grant requests so they can potentially offer to make-up for any shortfalls.
“For Mary Cortani, she had requested $4,800 – the cost of 10 new teams of dogs and veterans at $480 each,” Pray said. “A $3,320 grant was given, and the remainder totaling $1,480 was given by The Steve and Teresa Costa Family Fund, The Daly-Wallace Family Fund, and ours, The Ron and Donna Pray Family Fund. All three funds contributed to make up the difference. I mean, come on… dogs helping veterans? How could we not?”
The Foundation is about to receive a prestigious honor for their more than three decades of giving back to the Gilroy Community.
The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 60th Annual Spice of Life Awards on Feb. 9 this year, and has chosen the Gilroy Foundation as their 2013 “Non-profit of the Year”.
The Spice of Life Awards are given to recipients for their volunteerism and dedication to the Gilroy community.
Susan Valenta, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce president and CEO praises the Foundation for making “Gilroy great.”
“The Gilroy Foundation is an incredible organization that continues to build on their success. Gilroy is great because of nonprofit organizations like the Gilroy Foundation who make a difference in the lives of others. The Foundation was chosen for ‘Nonprofit of the Year” for a number of reasons, such as their long history of giving and the organization’s vision for consistent community benefit.”
In 1980, Bill Ayer, the City of Gilroy’s former Parks and Recreation Department director, started the Gilroy Foundation in response to Proposition 13’s funding cuts to City of Gilroy. Fearing the loss of critical community programs, Ayer met the underfunding challenge by starting an organization through which individuals, families, and organization could donate money to support community causes they believe in.
The Gilroy Foundation was born, community programs continued, and “Give Where You Live” became the Foundation’s rallying cry.
Soon after the Foundation’s inception, a prominent Gilroy cattleman and philanthropist named Fenton O’Connell said he would donate $25,000 to the Foundation, with the condition that the community of Gilroy first match his donation amount.
In short order, the residents of Gilroy stepped up to the plate and matched O’Connell’s pledge, he made his donation, and the good work and steady growth of the Foundation began.
And grow it has. Today, the Foundation’s endowment is more than $9 million.
By 1995, the Foundation had grown to the point of requiring a permanent staff. Pray, a Foundation volunteer since the late 1980s, was then “lucky enough to be chosen” to become its executive director and has served in that role ever since.
“We are the only community foundation in Gilroy, and we take pride in that we help people do good things with their money,” Pray said. “We are very happy to be a conduit for that.”
According to Pray, the Gilroy Foundation gives grants and serves the community in the areas of Health, Recreation, Education, Arts & Culture and Civic Services. They recently established four new Community Needs Funds: Agriculture, Art, Education and Health. The Foundation has contributed more than $2 million to improving the quality of life in the Gilroy area during their 30-year history.
Christopher High School Principal John Perales is a past Gilroy Foundation Board president and continues to give of his time and talents.
“You don’t have to be wealthy to make a difference,” Perales said. “In my case, I joined with other families several years ago and we became the Latino Family Fund which uses the Gilroy Foundation as a vehicle to give back to our community. I was born and raised in Gilroy, and my wife and I decided years ago to make Gilroy our home. My experience with the Foundation makes me realize that we made the right decision.”
The 60th annual Spice of Life Awards takes place at 5 p.m. Feb. 9 at the San Juan Oaks Golf Club. The event will include a $65 per person dinner and an installation ceremony for the recipients. For more information and reservations call the Chamber of Commerce office (408) 842-6437. To find out more about the Gilroy Foundation visit www.gilroyfoundation.org“Non-profit of the Year” or call (408) 842-3727.
Past “Nonprofit of the Year “ Award Recipients:
1998 Gilroy Garlic Festival Association, Inc.
2006 CALSTAR
2009 St. Joseph’s Family Center
2011 Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
All 2013 Spice of Life Award Recipients
Man of the Year – Sig Sanchez
Woman of the Year – Barb Granter
Large Business of the Year – Costco of Gilroy
Small Business of the Year – Mafalda’s Bridal Shop
2013 Firman B. Voorhies Volunteer of the Year – Dave Boll
2013 Educator of the Year – James Dent
2013 Non Profit of the Year – Gilroy Foundation
Bill Ayer, who started the Gilroy Foundation, was the Spice of Life “Man of the Year” Award recipient in 1987.
