Community Foundation for Brevard

**Who We are** People who love Brevard love giving back. We help them do that with personalized service, grant making, local knowledge and our role as a collaborative community leader and convener. Together we have helped individuals, families and businesses contribute over $40 million to make positive changes in our communities. We were formed in 1981 by community leaders, including W. G. “Doc” Strawbridge, who believed that charitable giving is an incredibly powerful way to make our local community a better place for us all. Since then, the Foundation has strengthened communities by connecting charitably-minded people to the causes that matter most to them, and by stewarding resources as donors intended. We are organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity, allowing us to receive gifts from people who wish to maximize tax benefits while supporting nonprofit groups and charitable causes. We are one of more than 750 community foundations in the United States enjoying rapid growth, making our field the fastest growing sector of American philanthropy. Tax-deductible gifts and bequests make up the permanent endowment of community foundations and annual income from investment of that endowment is used to match donors’ charitable interests with needs in the community through grants and scholarships. Each community foundation is governed by a Board of Directors and led by a professional staff who work closely with community agencies and offer knowledgeable insight to donors about the county’s most pressing needs. **Mission** The Community Foundation for Brevard serves as a trusted resource and leader for philanthropic individuals and organizations to expand, enhance, and sustain Brevard County’s quality of life.