inspiration from donor Carolyn Sweers
July 7, 2020
Repurposing a Donor Advised Fund to address immediate needs of the community
The Evanston Community Foundation could not possibly conduct our work in the community without the consistent and generous support of its donors. During this critical time, donors reached out to share how they could best support the work of the foundation. Carolyn Sweers was one donor who provided a very thoughtful approach.
Sweers utilizes a Field of Interest fund at ECF to provide gifts to arts organizations. When she received Monique’s letter describing the work of foundation leadership and the immediate need to address the disproportionate number of people of color impacted by the pandemic, she sprung into action. Initially, she thought that the arts were a good route to encourage the development and interest of children. It seemed that it would be a good use for her fund. However, the pandemic uncovered the inequities in the community.
“When I read Monique’s letter, it powerfully came together and I sent in a cash contribution. In addition, I reached out to ECF to explore with them how to repurpose my Field of Interest fund."
Many of the Foundation’s endowed funds are earmarked for special purposes through Field of Interest funds. Our active funding areas include arts and culture, basic human needs, boys and young men, community development, early childhood, education, environment, family support and counseling, health, housing, women and girls, workforce development, and youth. Gifts to any of them increase ECF’s ability to support community interests in that area now and in the future.
“I wanted the funds that I had been donating to be available and relevant for those who needed care," Sweers added. "I asked the foundation to use the available dollars wherever there was need. I trust the foundation and its leadership to know where to apply the funds. When I die, ECF will get a huge transfusion. There will be no strings attached.”
This was such a thoughtful and generous solution to address the critical needs of our community members. Carolyn wants people to understand how the foundation meets community needs in a way that cuts across funding areas.
“The foundation is uniquely positioned to have a community-wide response to imagine new structures and new ways of doing work, while taking care of people.” Sweers believes that we should ask people what they need and not tell them what they need. “We should not rob people of power in the attempt to help them.”
When asked what else people should know about collaborating with ECF, Sweers shared, “The foundation can provide timely next steps in the glaring inequities in the community and in the world. We hope to come out of this pandemic better than we entered.”