New Decade, New Focus for Woodford’s Community Fund: ‘Give a ZIP!’ campaign launches friendly competition within Woodford County

 

 

There’s a lot to like about the people and projects Woodford County Community Fund helped in the past. Founded in 2015, WCCF has awarded dozens of grants to organizations and projects that meet the needs of Woodford countians, including Spark Café, Huntertown Community Park, Midway History Museum, and Woodford Theatre. And for the last few years, the community fund has also sponsored local nonprofits’ participation in the Good Giving Challenge, conducted by WCCF’s umbrella organization, Blue Grass Community Foundation.

 

Starting in 2025, Woodford County Community Fund’s second decade, leaders will expand the reach—and the impact—of the organization.

 

“Our goal is to help our nonprofits and neighbors do what they do best: work together,” said Melissa Lippert Tomblin, co-chair of the WCCF Advisory Board. “We want to build partnerships between community organizations, leaders, and donors—and accomplish things that none of us can do operating solo.”

 

To achieve their goal, WCCF board members are gathering ideas and support from across the county—in more ways than one.

 

“We’re all about collaborations—existing or new—and we want to help our neighbors find and fund solutions,” Tomblin said. “There are plenty of needs in Woodford County, and there are also plenty of talented, good-hearted people who are eager to address them.”

 

Woodford County Community Fund has an endowed fund of about $750,000—unspendable but interest-producing—and a portion of its earnings each year are used by the board to address local needs. WCCF also has a discretionary fund, allowing the board to raise money and apply it directly to specific projects. The board hopes to increase both funds, especially when they compare them to other community funds.

 

“We’re grateful to each donor who helped grow our endowment, but Woodford County has fallen behind some of the nearby counties,” according to Bob Rouse, who also co-chairs the WCCF board. “Montgomery County started its fund with a $2 million donation, and Clark County has amassed more than $9 million. We’ve got some catching up to do!”

 

With a goal of reaching the $1 million mark for its endowment fund—which is a permanent resource for current and future residents—the WCCF board initiated the Give a ZIP! campaign. From May 21 through Aug. 31, Woodford countians are asked to make a donation using their ZIP code as a guide: 40383 or 40347, depending on where they live.

 

“You can make a nice gift—and a lasting impact—with a contribution of $403.83 or $403.47,” Rouse said. “If that’s more than your budget allows, you can donate $40.38 or $40.37—one time or as a monthly contribution. And hey, if you want to move the decimal point in the other direction, we’ll be thrilled to accept your donation of $4,038.30 or $4,034.70—or even $40,383 or $40,347!”

 

To support Woodford County Community Fund through the Give a ZIP! campaign, go to bgcf.org/woodford. Rouse asks that you give one of those amounts—and not round up or round down—because the WCCF board is tracking which ZIP code raises the highest amount.

 

“We’re in a friendly competition with our neighboring counties, so we might as well hold a friendly competition among our Woodford neighbors,” Rouse said. “When we tally up the score, we know the whole county will win.”

 

To learn more about the Woodford County Community Fund, visit bgcf.org/woodford. Or call Jane Higgins, BGCF’s liaison to WCCF, at 859.721.2349.