What is the Thomas County Community Foundation?
The Thomas County Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with 501 (c) (3) status that pools the resources of many donors and focuses grant making efforts in Thomas County, Kansas. Board of directors and staff of the foundation seek to build permanently endowed funds, using the interest generated for charitable, community betterment. The Thomas County Community Foundation accepts and administers a diversity of gift and fundy types to meet the varied philanthropic objectives of donors. With a dual role of being a catalyst for community betterment, TCCF also serves donors in carrying out their philanthropic intentions, within applicable laws and regulations. The foundation provides flexibility, offering many types of funds, with varying donor involvement, including donor anonymity, if desired.
A Brief History
TCCF was founded by four local citizens in February 2001. The task before them was daunting: to raise $300,000 before December 31 fo that year. With the addition of more members to the Board of Directors, the Thomas County Community Foundation was able to raise the funds, and thus received a matching grant from the Kansas Health Foundation. Since that time, the foundation has grown to encompass additional funds for granting purposes to area non-profit organizations. Providing resources and funding to benefit Thomas County residents, the community foundation is proud to serve the citizens of Thomas County.
Public Availability of Information
Above: TCCF Executive Director Barry Kaaz gives a presentation during a Town Hall Meeting in Gem, Kan. An initiative to develop community teams and empower youth to become active liasions of the foundation was developed as a result of the meetings. Funds raised during the month of October as part of the Hansen Matching Grant will be used to make the program possible. Click here to learn more.
As a public entity, the Thomas County Community Foundation maintains the utmost integrity. While the TCCF is not required by the State of Kansas to follow the Kansas Open Records Act, the Foundation feels that in order to demonstrate integrity for public honesty in all practices, most documents at the Foundation are avalable for public scrutiny. However, there are some documents that are not meant for public viewing in order to maintain donor confidentiality, including minutes of meetings. These documents or pieces of information include donor names and contact information, donation amounts tied to specific donor names, and most other information concerning donors. Some documents that are able to be viewed by the public and are available upons request include our audit information, a board of directors list, our budget, investment policy, other information conderning investment practices, IRS Form 990, letter of determination, a list of funds, a list of grants given by the TCCF, our mission and purpose of the foundation and other policies and procedures.