061224_GYS_2024_WEB

2O2 4 – 2O2 5 GU I D E to Y E L LOW S P R I NG S 73 By RE I LLY DIXON “There have always been more good ideas in Yellow Springs than funds available.” This is the existential conundrum the Yellow Springs Community Foundation has been working to address since its founding in 1974, accord- ing to Executive Director Jeannamarie Cox, who spoke with the News last week. “We have a rich creative project pool in the village,” Cox said. “That’s because we’re a community of activ- ists — people who care enough to make Yellow Springs a better place. Our goal as a foundation is to give people the opportunities to Yellow Springs Community Foundation — 50 YEARS OF GIVING ▲ “The Yellow Springs Community Foundation turns 50 this year. After half a century of issuing out grants, endowments, scholarships and more to innumerable local institutions and organizations, the foundation finally gave itself a gift: new digs at 201 S. Walnut St. — the former school district offices. From left: Project Manager Chloe Manor, Operations Director Brianna Ayers, Outreach Manager Melissa Heston, Financial Administrator Sara Miller Gray and Executive Director Jeannamarie Cox. The two pups are Lilly and Oakley. Not pictured is Donor Relations Manager Mychael Roberts. P H O T O : R E I L L Y D I X O N do just that.” This year, the Yellow Springs Community Foundation turns 50 and celebrates its home- grown legacy of supporting the village’s 100-plus nonprof- its, spearheading social justice initiatives, bolstering the arts, providing economic relief and, of course, funding good ideas. To date, the foundation has provided $9,850,000 in grants. A number of other sig- nificant milestones mark the foundation’s 50-year foothold in Yellow Springs. Since its incorporation, the foundation’s assets have grown to over $20 million. In 2023 alone, it funded $1.1 million in grants to local initiatives, including school library, launching a youth theater camp and more. All of these grants, Cox said, were made possible by tax-deductible donations to the foundation, which are also growing year by year. Last year, it received $1.2 million in donations — up sig- nificantly from the $31,745 it received in 1975 after the foundation’s first full year since incorporating. “My hope is that this shows that we’re doing really good work — work that the com- munity really wants us to be doing,” Cox said. FOUNDING A FOUNDATION For most of the village’s history, local projects and initiatives were bankrolled in old fashioned ways, Cox said: Knocking on doors, hosting fundraisers and talking to busi- ness owners as they composed their yearly charity budgets. Midwest Regional Office in Yellow Springs O railstotrails.org O We’re building a nation connected by trails — reimagining public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors. mminde jberman mmindesign@aol.com humerusjkb@aol.com DESIG ILL USTRATION innovative design solutions web, print& identity iconic illustration & cartoons 937.767.2330 mminde@ ysnews.com bermancartoons@ gmail.com Now at Village Artisans & Urban Handmade attminde jenniferberman John Bryan Community Pot - tery expanding its studio, improving the technology and building at the Little Art Theatre, purchasing nearly 100 new books for the high