Community Impact Fund positions Clinton for continued success

What needs and opportunities will our community face in the future? What critical work will be needed to improve quality of life? No one knows exactly what tomorrow will bring, but when new issues surface, the River Bluff Community Impact Fund can help address them by providing annual grants to nonprofits serving Clinton.

The fund is growing thanks to generous gifts from three community leaders: Carol Machael, Ron McGauvran and Dave Sivright. 

“I know needs for funding arise, and I depend on the Community Foundation to determine what is justifiable,” says McGauvran, a long-time Clinton resident who enjoys being active in the community and previously served on the Foundation’s advisory board. “A group like the Community Foundation needs to have the ability to address new needs and opportunities.”

Machael helped found the River Bluff Community Foundation in 2005 and served on its board until 2019. Recently, she made a charitable rollover gift from her individual retirement account to support the Impact Fund.  

“Since I’ve left the area for a warmer place, I recognize that my awareness of community issues is diminished — but I still want to help the people and places I care about,” she says. “The Foundation is best suited to make decisions that have a community-wide impact. The Community Impact Fund will continue to grow, and its focus is only limited by the vision of the board and donors. The good it can do is limitless. That's what I love about the fund: its enormous potential to make a difference.”

Machael recruited Sivright to the Community Foundation advisory board, and they have seen many grants awarded to deserving nonprofits in Clinton. They both recall an application from Northside Ministry, which provides lunches to children. “That project was memorable, as it proved that even with a small grant, we could have a big impact,” says Carol. 

Sivright trusts the Foundation to make decisions about where to award future grants from the Impact Fund. “I like the fund’s flexibility,” he says. “The board can respond to needs as they arise by keeping its finger on the pulse of the community and awarding grants to different organizations that address those needs in a holistic way.” 

We can’t predict the future. But today, through the Community Impact Fund, we can play a role in positioning our community for continued success. 

Future generations are counting on us. Make your gift today.