By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

On Nov. 6, Alicia Philipp, the president of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, spoke to the Rotary Club of Morgan County concerning philanthropy both in the metro Atlanta area.
The Community Foundation, which works to connect donors and nonprofit organizations in order to enact positive changes in local communities through philanthropy, has contributed nearly $2 million in Morgan County nonprofit organizations since 2000.
This investment includes 420 gifts and grants to nearly one third of all of the nonprofit organizations in Morgan County, including the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, which has received more than $815,000 in the last eight years.
The Morgan Fund, a fund set up in 2003 by The Community Foundation, has given grants totaling more than $160,000 to nonprofit organizations for general operating support.
The Humane Society of Morgan County, the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Georgia, the Madison-Morgan County Caring Place and the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center have all benefited from the Morgan Fund in the nine years since its establishment.
Alicia Philipp, who has been the president of The Community Foundation for 34 years, began her speech by noting that Madison is, “a very special place to be.”
“We recognize the power of philanthropy to really make a difference,” said Philipp.
“We help create raging philanthropists.”
By engaging philanthropists, strengthening nonprofit organizations, and advancing the public’s will to give, the Community Foundation believes it will be able to meet its goal of raising $50,000 this year for the Morgan Fund.
Philipp also spend time outlining a recent study done by The Community Foundation entitled “Tracking Investment and Engagement: A Regional Portrait.”
The study indicated that, while metro Atlanta residents on the whole are generous (in 2010, more than two-third of residents donated funds and half volunteered their time to support causes), the percentage of residents who have donated time or money has decreased since 2001.
The issues that metro Atlanta residents contributed to the most include education, children and youth, human services and disaster relief.
“I see a glass that is half full,” stated Philipp.
“It is terrific that an overwhelming majority of metro Atlantans are generous and interested in helping improve quality of life in the community. I challenge even more residents to get involved in the nonprofits and neighborhood organizations that are addressing needs in your community.”
Philipp recommends that any nonprofit organizations in Morgan County contact The Community Foundation through their website to see if there are any grants available for their cause. The website for the Community Foundation is www.cfgreateratlanta.org.

Printed in the November 29, 2012 edition.