To the Editor:

Last week’s letter to the editor (April 19), “Questioning how non-profits spend,” led me to reflect on – and want to share – the great things about nonprofits.
The value of nonprofits to a community’s well-being cannot be overstated. Thus it is important that individual donors and funders understand how to evaluate nonprofit organizations in order to effectively support them and the communities they serve. Doing this kind of work is the Morgan Fund, a local fund of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, which brings donors, nonprofits and community leaders together to make philanthropy happen in Morgan County.
Each year, the Morgan Fund awards grants to local nonprofits. While passion may drive the vision of a nonprofit we know that it is strong, effective management that keeps the organization sustainable in the long run. When evaluating nonprofits for grants and support, The Morgan Fund looks at a number of management areas including: strategic planning, governance, program design and delivery and fiscal management. During the application process, the Morgan Fund also holds site visits to see the potential grantee “up close,” to more clearly understand the organization’s direction and effectiveness of its leadership.   
This focus on organizational excellence is also embedded into The Community Foundation’s work. Recently, the Foundation received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for its financial performance, accountability and transparency. We believe we must serve as an example to the nonprofits that we fund.
Morgan County has some great nonprofit organizations making a measurable difference in the community. Since 2000, The Community Foundation and its donors have given nearly $2 million to support 40 local organizations. Some of these strong nonprofits include Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, Boys and Girls Club of Madison-Morgan County and the Madison-Morgan Conservancy.
To learn more about the Morgan Fund and how you can support local nonprofits, visit www.cfgreateratlanta.org or email morganfund@cfgreateratlanta.org.

Alicia Philipp
President, The Community
Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Via e-mail

Printed in the May 3rd, 2012 edition.