While Homer may just be hitting its stride in many areas of development, the community was a trendsetter for the state in its foundation — the Homer Foundation, that is.
Those in the philanthropic world note that the Homer Foundation was one of the first of its kind in the state, and organizations that followed turned to the group for guidance as they developed their own programs. And while a steady stream of thank-you letters are an indication of the program's generous contribution to the community, the cumulative impact of the organization may be overlooked by many.
A decade and a half ago, the foundation was started to "enhance the quality of life for citizens of the greater Homer area by promoting philanthropic and charitable activities."
By last year, it had invested some $815,000 into the community through a long list of grant programs, donor-advised distributions and other contributions. The foundation broke the $1 million mark last year as well, and its distributions have increased markedly in recent years, totaling more than $150,000 in 2005 alone.
The foundation's goals are many, but boil down to investing and giving. While some funds are invested to create a permanent endowment, others are dedicated to the here-and-now projects of the community. Those needs are many, and the funds from the Homer Foundation can be found all over town. Go play the piano at the high school, for example, and you will hear the benefit of a $1,200 grant to refurbish the instrument. As you sit to watch a hockey game, you will be resting on bleachers funded with $5,500 in grant money from the foundation. Take a ski down some of the trails in Homer, and you will be cutting through snow groomed with a $1,984 grant for trail-grooming equipment. The list goes on, and spreads throughout virtually every sector of the community.
The beauty of this program is that while there are many people in Homer with wonderful ideas and lots of enthusiasm, it takes more than sweat equity to make things happen. In many cases, a few thousand dollars can make wonderful things happen. That's where the Homer Foundation has stepped in, especially in a time of dwindling grant programs nationwide.
The foundation has not only served the community through the unrestricted grant program, it has played other roles as well. Funds dedicated to nonprofits from the city of Homer are channeled through the Homer Foundation, thus removing the city council from the politics of divvying up the dollars among the community's many valuable nonprofit services. While nonprofits still lobby for increased funding for nonprofits overall, there is no longer competition between organizations as the foundation's board has taken over those decisions.
In addition, the foundation manages a long list of donor-advised grants, some of which are dedicated to certain interests such as environmental studies, youth projects, education and athletics.
Last year, the foundation got a significant boost in the form of a $50,000 grant from arguably Alaska's biggest donator itself — the Rasmuson Foundation. Though the dollars are, of course, a huge boost to the Homer Foundation, it is equally as important to consider the message sent by such a generous donation, especially as a celebration of the Rasmuson Foundation's 50th anniversary.
As the Homer Foundation heads toward its two-decade mark, its contribution to the community will almost surely continue to grow. A Youth Advisory Committee has been formed to target funding toward youth needs, and other new programs continue to enhance the program's worth.
It is a simple service that the foundation provides — connecting those with funds and those with initiative to make things happen. But the power of this service is immense. How many ideas would have fallen by the wayside without a foundation grant? How would the community be different without the foundation's contribution? It is our guess that the impact is far greater than most recognize.
It is easy to look back at an idea such as creating the Homer Foundation and see its merits, but imagine the foresight it took for those who originally created this organization to seize the opportunity and toil until their vision was perfected. Those founders include familiar names: Steve Yoshida, Tom Bodett and Julia Park Howard. To those three, and to all who have worked on the foundation since its inception, applause is due. And to those who have donated to the community through the foundation, bravo. Finally, to those who have put those funds to great uses, enriching the community as a whole, perhaps the loudest cheers are warranted. Together, this is a program that really works, and one that as a community, we should take great pride in.