Foundations Philanthropy Journal of North Carolina New ways to give Arts grants awarded The National Endowment for the JML Humanities announced 105 grants of $14.5 million to U.S. arts groups and individuals for the third quarter of this year. NOVEMBERR 1996 Community foundations team up with Merrill Lynch Four North Carolina community foundations have joined with Merrill Lynch & Co. in an alliance to increase charitable giving. By Barbara Solow In response to rising donor inter est in new giving vehicles, Merrill Lynch & Co. has formed an alliance with 34 community foundations - including four in North Carolina. The new partnership is aimed at INVESTING increasing charitable donations hy encouraging wealthy clients to make gifts to community foundations. The Foundation for the Carolinas in' Charlotte, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, the Community Foundation of Henderson County in Hendersonville and the Triangle Community Foundation in Research Triangle Park are participating in the new aliiance. Giving to community foundations offers numerous advantages to donors, including a lower tax burden, says W. Christopher Sin^eton, direc tor of Merrill Lynch’s nonprofit finan cial services division. For example, while a gift of appre ciated property or stock to a private foundation can result in a 20 percent reduction in a donor’s adjusted gross income, a similar gift to a community foundation can result in a reduction of 30 percent. “A private foundation is expensive to operate and create, whereas the establishment of a community foun dation does not involve costs” to the donor, Singleton says, “Another great benefit that community foundations provide to our clients is real knowl edge of local needs.” Studies by the Foundation Center show that community foundations are the fastest-growing segment of organized philanthropy. Community foundations are defined as publiciy- supported charities that administer funds contributed by individuals, other foundations, businesses and community organizations. The newest edition of “North Carolina Giving” shows that since 1991, the assets of Tar Heel commu nity foundations have risen by 41 per cent - from $194 million to $275 mil lion. Nationally, more than 400 commu nity foundations hold more than $10 billion in assets and make annual Look for MERRILL LYNCH, page 7 Giving back Parents fund lab in son’s memory An after-school computer lab for students at Brou^ton High School in Raleigh has been estabUshed hy the parents of the late Wade Edwards, a Brou^ton junior who was killed in a highway accident April 4. The Wade Edwards Learning Lab, which opens this week at 714 St. Mary’s St., also win be open during the school day for stu dents assigned by their teachers, ^, , and for teachers Wade Edwards and for parent training. It has 22 computers, all sponsored by individuals or busi nesses. The iab is an initiative of the Wade Edwards Foundation, which was created by Wade’s parents, Raleigh lawyers John Edwards and Elizabeth Mania, to inspire, moti vate and reward young people. Anania says she hopes the lab for Broughton students will serve as a model for similar labs at other high schools Other foundation initiatives include an annual statewide short story award for high school students, including $5,000 for the first-place winner, $2,000 for second place, $1,000 for third place and $2,000 to the winner’s En^sh department; a $5,000 college scholarship to the national winner of the National Conversation Essay Contest; and construction of an outdoor common area at Broughton. Wade Edwards was one of 10 winners this year of the national essay contest. For information, call (919) 856- 9355. Facing the future Merger could boost charity A proposed merger between Moses Cone Health System and Wesley Long Community Hospital in Greensboro is expected to resuit in the cre ation of a new foundation aimed at improving health care in the Triad. By Barbara Solow Greensboro The proposed merger of two non profit hospitals could lead to the cre ation of a $50 million foundation ded icated to improving health-care ser vices. The Wesley Long Community Health Foundation - to be formed as part of a planned merger between Moses Cone Health System and Wesley Long Community Hospital - would make annual grants of about $2.5 million to health initiatives in the Triad. The new foundation “will be a unique additional resource for our community,” Stephen Hassenfelt, board chairman of Wesley Long, said Look for HOSPITALS, page 7 A merger of Wesley Long and Moses Cone hospitals may lead to a new charity. Neonatologist James Pascale tends to a patient at Wesley Long. New at the top Banker heads Joseph Bryan Foundation Jim Melvin, whose career as a Greensboro banker dates back almost four decades, has been chosen to head a new founda tion established by the late phi lanthropist Joseph M. Bryan. By Barbara Solow Greensboro Jim Melvin, a former Greensboro mayor and long-time banking execu tive, has been named the first presi dent and chief executive of the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation for Enrichment of Greater Greensboro. In one of its first acts of philan thropy, the foundation in October purchased a 530-acre tract of land for $1.6 million that it will donate to Guilford County and the city of Greensboro for recreation and green space. Look tor MELVIN, page 7 Wake Education partnership in transition The Wake Education Partnership aims to improve schools in the county. The Wake Education Partnership has adopted a two-year strategy to become a leading voice for public education m Wake County. And Millie Herget, president of the fundraising and grantmaking organization, has resigned to return to the business sector. The new strategy comes in the face of long-standing concerns among the partnership’s member organizations about their voice and role in the partnership. The strategy calls for the partnership to create broad citizen awareness for pubhc education; to foster exchanges among schools, the community. teachers and parents for ongoing involvement in the schools; and to raise and distribute funds to support Wake students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The partnership will continue to raise money from corporations, foun dations and individuaJs - Including an annual campaign that this year raised more than $365,000 - but will expand its funding beyond its ei^t members to include other organiza tions involved in public education. 'The partnership distributes more than $1 million a year. Grants will he made in a number of priority areas that still are to be defined but that probably will include programs for at-risk stu dents; technology; staff development; and community collaboration. “We want the opportunity to get our funds closer to the children,” says Herget, the partnership’s outgo ing president. The partnership will encourage organizations seeking funds to find ways to collaborate with other organizations, she says. 'The partnership is seeking an executive director to succeed Herget. For information, call the partner ship at (919) 821-7609. BRIEFLY Billionaire creates George Soros, a Hungarian- born financier, has created a $50 million fund to help immigrants gain U.S. citizen ship. Support will include expenses for English classes, citizen education and the $95 naturalization fee new citizens must pay. Funds will fund for immigrants support nonprofits serving legal immigrants. Contact: Emma Lazarus Fund Antonio Maciel 888 Seventh Avenue 9th Floor New York, NY, 10106 (212) 887-0167. United Arts offers project grants The United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County is awarding grants of up to $1,500 to artists in Wake, Warren, Vance, Johnston and Franklin counties through its Regional Artist Project Grants Program. Three October workshops were held to help artists prepare applications. New directory lists award winners The Burroughs Wellcome Fund has published its first- ever directory of recipients of the fund's competitive scien tific awards. The directory lists 150 award winners, with addresses and telephone numbers. Call (919) 991- 5100 or visit the fund's Internet home page at http://www.bwfund. org/bwfund/ New Era founder indicted for fraud The federal government has filed an indictment against John G. Bennett Jr., founder of the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy, accusing him of scheming to defraud nonprofits of at least $115 million. The Pennsylvania- based foundation filed for bankruptcy last year. Charlotte play aims to combat violence This month, the Children's Theater of Charlotte is host ing a performance of "Nobody's Listening," a play that is part of a cooperative effort between city schools and the theater. It is funded by a grant from the Cannon Foundation. For information, call (704) 376-5745.