1. Co-chairman Denny Barnett queried participants on shifts in the funding landscape. | 2. Karen Haren listened as David Smith described strategies to address long-term and short-term needs. | 3. Peter Yelorda, right, drew laughs from Alice Ellison and Jim Dougherty.


Basic Services, Sustainability

Munro Richardson raised the question of how donors and funding organizations balance the need of agencies that provide basic services with those dedicated to sustaining the cultural life of the city.

“It is interesting you bring that up,” answered Laura McKnight, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. Within the previous week, McKnight and her colleagues had the opportunity to help some donors balance those imperatives. Although those donors had planned to invest in those cultural institutions
they had supported all along, they chose to dedicate 20 to 25 percent to fund emergency-assistance needs.

“Some would argue art is a human need,” said Peter Yelorda, executive vice president of community affairs for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. “And in some communities art is more of a human need than others because it presents opportunity.” That
much said, Blue Cross and Blue Shield also tries to balance needs.

“It’s nice that, as much as we all work with donors on big-picture things,” said McKnight, “they haven’t lost that
understanding that the social fabric has to stay strong for institutions to grow.”

Major Jeffrey Smith, divisional commander of The Salvation Army in Kansas City, sought consensus on the understanding that “human needs need to be met first.”

“Arts are certainly important and make for a good community,” Smith said, “but in times like this, priorities need to shift to make sure that people are cared for.”

“I think it is a balance between strategies,” observed Richardson. He thought it essential for organizations to set a long-term strategy consistent with donor intent. Still, he argued for the need for funders to remain flexible in the face of crisis. He cited Hurricane Katrina in this regard, as well as the “economic Katrina” that we are now weathering.

“There are obviously situations that come up, and we step outside the bounds,” said Pat McCown, CEO of McCownGordon Construction. Still, he argued that even the urgent needs of a given nonprofit should align with
the corporate strategy. Ultimately, McCown added, funders have to manage their funds with purpose and direction.

For UMB, everything depends on donor intent, said Jan Leonard, the bank’s managing director for charitable trusts and foundations. On the client side, it depends on whether a given trust document allows for discretion
or not, said Leonard. Those clients whose trusts permit flexibility are shifting their resources to meet immediate needs. “They are aware and sensitive to that if there is discretion,” said Leonard.

On the recipient end, Dennis Chapman, the associate executive director for development at City Union Mission, was blown away by the city’s response to the Mission’s increased needs. “That is why I speak so much of the generosity of Kansas City,” said Chapman. “It is amazing.”

On the corporate side, said Alice Ellison, Blue Cross and Blue Shield is very intentional about its involvement in the community. “Most of us live in the community,” said Ellison. “Many of us go beyond our daytime jobs to be involved in different charitable endeavors throughout the community.”

“I think it goes to the passion first,” added Jan Leonard, “and if you are a good fundraiser you ask that question of a donor: ‘Where are your passions?’”

 

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