WCF Emergency Fund assists Quivira Council during busiest time of year at Camp Kanza

Catalyst

Hundreds of Boy Scouts and leaders gather annually at Camp Kanza, where Scouts spend two- or three-night sessions focusing on outdoor fun and challenges. The youth have fun with mountain bikes, swimming, boating, BB guns, archery, crafts, sports, campfires, and more, all while learning about teamwork, leadership, and the importance of communication.

With hundreds of Scouts and leaders to feed on a daily basis, the kitchen staff at Cobra Patrol Dining Hall at Smith Lodge keeps busy. But when the staff discovered that the oven wasn’t working one morning as they arrived to cook breakfast, the crew was in a bind.

Check inside to see how the Wichita Community Foundation was able to utilize the WCF Emergency Fund to provide Quivira Council with the dollars needed to purchase a new oven.

Cub Scouts, who range in age from first to fourth grade, have the opportunity to attend Camp Kanza each summer. Scouts and their leaders take part in several activities Camp Kanza offers, including swimming and biking.

Photo credit: QUIVIRA COUNCIL

Summer 2014 Newsletter

- Dr. Maya Angelou

WCF is the catalyst that creates lasting legacies by partnering with people, families, and organizations to devote resources to causes that matter. Founded in 1986 by community leaders dedicated to making Wichita a better place to live, grow, and give, the Foundation is a public nonprofit organization, with 300 charitable funds and agency endowments, representing more than $69 million. WCF staff work as conveners, providing a point of contact between those in need and those who can assist.

I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.

FY2014 Board of Directors MakeICT receives nonprofit status despite location woeKnight Foundation Fund grant will assist in future planning

WCF Board of Directors elects three new members

Brian A. Black, ChairClark Bastian, Vice-ChairLyndon Wells, SecretarySteve Houlik, TreasurerSheryl Wohlford, Past ChairJerry AaronPamela AmmarTami BradleyNoreen CarrocciCokie DiggsJeff FluhrGary GammEd HealyJeff KorsmoTom MartinMary Lynn OliverHale RitchieBarry SchwanCharles StarkLynn StephanTom Triplett

Leadership is key to success in any organization, and the Wichita Community Foundation has strengthed its team by adding Jeff Korsmo, Hale Ritchie, and Tom Triplett to serve

two-year terms on WCF’s Board of Directors.

Jeff Korsmo joined Via Christi Health as president and CEO in September 2011 after 28 years at Mayo Clinic, where he served as

Chief Administrative Officer in Rochester, Minn., and was a member of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees.

The Wichita Community Foundation welcomes Brian A. Black, corporate public affairs manager at Spirit AeroSystems, as the Board of Directors Chair for fiscal year 2014-2015. Here is what he had to say on his vision for his time as Board Chair of WCF.How do you hope to continue WCF’s strategic focus of being a catalyst in the community?

We will continue to build on our strategic plan by developing specific action plans with timelines and metrics. In addition, we will strive to partner closer with our fund holders, other foundations/funders, and community partners to advance our efforts to serve as a catalyst to make our community the best place to work and live.What inspired you to get involved with WCF?

The awesome opportunity to partner with other philanthropic individuals and organizations in our community to build lasting legacies that matter.

Spotlight on Brian A. Black

Tom Triplett, a partner at Triplett, Woolf and Garretson, LLC, specializes in taxation, mergers and acquisitions, business and corporate law, financing transactions, and estate planning. Tom

has served on Boards of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, Heartspring, and Senior Services.

“All three of these men bring a wealth of knowledge from their respective fields,” said WCF

President and CEO Shelly Prichard. “I look forward to working closely with them as we move toward achieving our new mission.”

Brian A. BlackWCF Board Chair

Jeff has been engaged as a community leader in Wichita, serving on the Wichita Leadership Council, and the Boards of the YMCA and the United Way of the Plains.

Hale Ritchie, the previous chairman of Ritchie Corp., retired in 2005 after selling his family-owned, multi-state construction materials company.

Ritchie was recently named the 2014 Uncommon Citizen by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce, and is highly regarded for his involvement with Rainbows United.

Jeff Korsmo Hale Ritchie Tom Triplett

What experiences from your work at Spirit AeroSystems do you believe will help you in the role of WCF Board Chair?

I think Spirit’s relentless focus on leading with metrics and efficiency will help me in this new role. By setting and measuring our progress, we will lead WCF to its next level of excellence. What mantra helps you focus on your work?

It is all about building the right team. We cannot achieve our mission without teaming up with our fund holders, community partners, board members, and staff. With the right team and faith, anything is possible.What does the future of WCF look like to you?

I believe the future is bright because of our focus and commitment to building legacies that matter the most to our community. We must do more, and the only way to do that, is to grow our assets. I invite the community to join us.

Imagine a space where people with common interests join together to innovate, learn, and build community at the intersection of art, technology, science, and culture. A place such as this exists in Wichita.

MakeICT, a MakerSpace, is an open community lab that incorporates elements of machine shops, workshops, and studios, where makers share resources and knowledge to build and make things. The group, which was recently granted a 501(c)(3) nonprofit status by the Internal Revenue Service, was formed in 2012.

“The idea of a MakerSpace is part of an international movement of DIYers coming together to form communities of shared resources,” said MakeICT Board President Dominic Canare. “A handful of us in Wichita were individually looking for different resources. Without looking very far, we all found each other.”

Housed since the organization’s incorporation inside of Bluebird Arthouse in the Delano District, the Board of Directors found themselves in a bind this spring when they were informed that Bluebird was closing, and in turn, would be terminating its lease nearly two years early.

sustain MakeICT’s current location, 924 W. Douglas, by covering the costs of rent and utilities for the next six months, while also assisting in further business development.

“Without the help, MakeICT would be homeless, with all of our shared equipment and tools stashed away in garages and basements,” said Canare. “Beyond that, the grant helps with future planning, such as revising our business plan (and) doing market research and site planning.”

Canare said this grant will allow MakeICT to continue to bring a variety of people together in a common space to collaborate.

“We can provide the space to work in a conducive atmosphere, and equipment and tools (that) aren’t common or easy to acquire,” he said.

Although he said the future of MakeICT depends on the wants and needs of its members, Canare said his vision of an ideal space would include 24-hour access, a comfortable lounge area, a reconfigurable computer lab, and workspace filled with all of the tools and equipment “one would ever want or need.”

For more information about the organization, visit makeict.org.

MakeICT receives nonprofit status despite location woeKnight Foundation Fund grant will assist in future planning

Annual grant application deadlines approaching

Three separate grant pool application deadlines, provided through funds at the Wichita Community Foundation, are drawing near. The Victor Murdock Fund

Established in 1974, The Victor Murdock Fund invests in a wide range of projects in pursuit of its mission.

Grants from The Victor Murdock Fund average between $2,500-$5,000.Knight Foundation Fund

Investments through the Knight Foundation Fund are made to attract, retain, and harness talent; expand opportunity by increasing

Left: Tom McGuire, MakeICT Director at Large, marvels at wire nuts being used to build what the group titled as the Cow Car. Right: The Cow Car was showcased at the KC Maker Faire in June during the Power Wheels Racing Series.

Photo credit: MakeICT

entrepreneurship and economic mobility; to support civic infrastructure to accelerate the growth of ideas; and to bring people together from diverse social and economic backgrounds.

The Knight Foundation Fund awards a total of approximately $200,000 annually to selected applicants.Wagonmaster’s Good Life Grants

The Wagonmaster’s Good Life Grants make gifts to nonprofit organizations that directly affect the quality of life in Wichita.

The average award of a Wagonmaster’s Good Life Grant is $500.

The Wichita Community Foundation had been exploring ways to assist MakeICT prior to the issue of location. Canare contacted WCF to see if there any suggestions for the group.

Director of Donor and Grant Making Services Carol Nazar suggested MakeICT consider applying for a grant through the Knight Foundation Fund at WCF.

“MakeICT reflects the ideas behind the Knight Foundation Fund’s guidelines, including the support of infrastructure that accelerates the growth of ideas while bringing together people of diverse backgrounds,” said Nazar.

The grant, which was awarded in July, will help

Deadlines to know

The Victor Murdock Fund August 30

Knight Foundation FundSeptember 1

Wagonmaster’s Good Life GrantsOctober 31

Additional information and application instructions are available at wichitacf.org

By 2050, the population of the United States will increase by 130 million, and more than 50 million homes will be built, according to Gil Penalosa, executive director of 8-80 Cities.

Due to these projected numbers, it is expected that many urban areas will absorb this population growth.

Nearly 200 delegates from around the United States came together in Chicago in June for the Doable City Forum, which was specifically created to share knowledge and stories between communities about utilizing urban spaces.

The Knight Foundation Fund at the Wichita Community Foundation sponsored two Wichita representatives to attend the forum, Jason Gregory of the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, and Mim McKenzie of the Greater Wichita YMCA.

Discussions revolved around working together as a community to find solutions that are practical and achievable to accommodate population growth.

“In some way, we all build and add to the community,” Gregory said. “What are our opportunities here (in Wichita) to create the

lifestyle we want in our community?”The streets, parks, public spaces, and waterways

of Chicago served as the Doable City Forum’s outdoor classroom.

“(Chicago) has reinvented the way their parks work,” said Gregory. “They’ve masterfully discovered how to make quality of life profitable in their city.”

McKenzie said her biggest takeaway was the importance of quality of life in communities.

“We have phenomenal green space here in Wichita,” she said. “It’s really about looking at the

Fuel the Fire Speaker Series begins August 28

Representatives share experiences from Doable City Forum

potential our community has.”Walkability, bikeability, and

mobility were primary points of discussion. From this, McKenzie said it is important to help citizens understand that biking and walking are not alternative forms of transportation — they are forms of transportation in themselves.

“Practices are changing around here,” she said. “But we have to remember that things don’t just happen. We have to be intentional about our actions.”

Unlike some cities that are surrounded by other developing areas, Gregory said Wichita is lucky to be in an area where there are no physical barriers that challenge the

growth of the city.“We have the foundation built to make this city

the best it can be,” he said. “We just need to figure out a way to make quality of life a priority for the general public. We need to build Wichita to be a city that has places that attract people to relocate here.”

The Doable City Forum was organized by 8-80 Cities, and funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. WCF is exploring its role in the community in relation to improving quality of life for Wichita’s residents.

Jason Gregory of Wichita Downtown Development Corporation and Mim McKenzie of the Greater Wichita YMCA attended the Doable City Forum in Chicago in June. The Forum brought 200 delegates from around the United States together to discuss quality of life in various communities.

Photo credit: Knight Foundation Flickr

In partnership with the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation and the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Council, the Wichita Community Foundation will be hosting the Fuel the Fire Speaker Series, launching with Carol Coletta of the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation.

These three keynotes will engage community leaders in conversations revolving around national trends affecting Wichita.

The public is invited to all three sessions. For more information, visit FuelTheFireSpeakerSeries.com. Space is limited, so RSVP quickly!

RSVP at FuelTheFireSpeakerSeries.com

Carol ColettaAugust 28, 5 p.m.

James ChungSeptember 17, 5 p.m.

Brad SegalOctober 29, 5 p.m.

All three events will be at The LUX - 120 E 1st St. N., Wichita, KS 67202

The kitchen staff at Camp Kanza normally begin their routine of cooking meals for campers around 5 a.m. On a June morning, however, the breakfast plans had to be quickly readjusted, as staff realized that the oven in Camp Kanza’s dining hall wouldn’t light.

“My first reaction when I heard about the oven quitting was, great, another unplanned major expense,” said Mike Johnson, scout executive of Quivira Council Boy Scouts of America. “(The staff) really had to scramble to come up with alternatives. In less than three hours that day, they had 155 hungry Scouts and adults who were expecting breakfast.”

Johnson casually mentioned the issue to WCF President and CEO Shelly Prichard. She offered a quick-fix solution for the Scouts — replacing the oven seemed to qualify for a WCF Emergency Fund grant.

The WCF Emergency Fund, established in 2013, provides emergency relief assistance to nonprofit organizations in the Wichita and Sedgwick County areas, per the emergency condition guidelines.

“These emergencies can’t be operational issues, such as an organization not being able to

Collaboration benefits elementary students

For the past two summers, Wichita NetApp employees have come together to raise funds, purchase supplies, and assemble backpacks for students at Jackson and Gammon Elementary schools.

Looking for a simple solution for gathering donations, Judi Harris, technical support engineer at NetApp, contacted Judith Wencel of Success in the Middle to see if they could work together.

At Wencel’s suggestion, Harris spoke to the Wichita Community Foundation about utilizing the Success in the Middle Fund.

NetApp employees will now make their donations through the Fund at WCF, which will

ensure 540 pre-filled backpacks will be given to students in the Wichita area this fall.

“I am very pleased that we are able to partner with Success in the Middle and WCF to keep our initiative alive,” said Harris. “(The) quick response

gave everyone a new burst of energy in the efforts. Now that we have received the support, we would like to plan more activities as joint collaborations. Helping Wichita helps us all!”

Cub Scouts receive hot meals thanks to grantWCF Emergency Fund provides new oven to Camp Kanza

make payroll,” said Prichard. “Instead, WCF is looking to assist organizations during times of crisis or necessity through the Emergency Fund.”

Johnson, who took Prichard’s advice and turned the thought into action, said the process was “simple, efficient, and quick.”

“I provided a basic overview of the need, the timeline, and the cost,” said Johnson. “This was then shared with the WCF Grants Committee. We received confirmation of their approval within four hours, and a check within 24.”

Johnson said because of the quick response, only a few meals had to be adjusted for the

campers before the oven was replaced.

“For the Boy Scouts’ situation, we were able to provide the campers with hot meals during their stay at Camp Kanza, and allowed

the staff to continue their operations as normal,” said Prichard. “At WCF, we recognize that there are issues that sometimes arise that cannot be immediately solved without financial assistance.”

In the case of a community-wide emergency, WCF will work with other charitable groups to address unmet needs. Donors will then be provided with a summary of how the dollars were used.

We received (grant) confirmation within four hours, and a check within 24.

-Mike Johnson, Quivira Council

WCF EmErgEnCy Fund guidElinEsImmediate emergency relief assistance to nonprofit organizations in the Wichita and Sedgwick County areas will occur under the following conditions:

To provide relief aid in the wake of natural disasters

To provide relief aid to area nonprofits who experience violent, unexpected damage, pestilance and/or property loss to their structures, which severely and negatively impacts their basic operations

To provide relief aid for basic food and shelter to area nonprofits assisting victims of economic distress, due to a national economic disaster

To provide relief aid to the Sedgwick County Health Dept. and Wichita-based safety-net medical clinics for needed supplies in the wake of a medical emergency

If your organization has an emergency you feel would qualify for this type of assistance, please call Director of Donor and Grant Making Services Carol Nazar at 316-264-4880, or email her at cnazar@wichitacf.org.

Photo credit: Judi Harris

301 N. Main | Ste. 100 | Wichita, KS 67202316-264-4880 | wichitacf.org

Spring 2014 Newsletter

Catalyst is a quarterly newsletter published by

the Wichita Community Foundation. This, and

past issues, are available in PDF format at

wichitacf.org/media.

@WichitaCF WichitaCF

Creating the spark to start a movement

C O M I N G A U G U S T 2 8L E A R N M O R E I N S I D E