Erie Community Foundation

FAQs

What is The Erie Community Foundation (ECF)?
The Erie Community Foundation is a collection of nearly 500 charitable endowments operating under the administrative umbrella of a single public charity

When did ECF start?
ECF traces its history back to 1935 when Elisha H. Mack, co-founder of the Boston Store, created a charitable endowment fund. After the tax reform act of 1969, Mr. Mack's fund was transformed into a public charity, The Erie Community Foundation, a process finalized in 1971.

Are community foundations common?
There are only about 700 such foundations in the United States and the market value of our endowments is annually ranked within the top 10 percent of our peers.

What is the Nonprofit Partnership (NPP)?
The Nonprofit Partnership as a membership-based management support organization. There are nearly 150 dues-paying members and literally thousands of Erie County residents who have participated in NPP programming. The end result is better service delivery and a stronger nonprofit sector.

What is the Fund for New Leadership?
We are encouraging a new generation of civic and philanthropic leadership through our Fund for New Leadership . Each year we host, or sponsor, a number of donor education events. We encouraged many significant new nonprofit collaborations through our $250,000 partnership project Request for Proposal (RFP). We worked closely with several organizations to obtain a $300,000 grant from The Heinz Endowments, the first significant investment made by that Pittsburgh-based foundation in our community.

How can we contact you?
You can either e-mail through our contact page or call ECF at (814) 454-0843.

How is ECF governed?
Michael Batchelor is president of ECF; he leads the foundation along with our Board of Trustees. Our trustees serve three-year terms, renewable to nine years. This process assures continuity of input and the presence of strong civic leaders guiding our foundation.

What does your Council of Advisors do?
The recently created Council of Advisors, which first met in April 2005 and now meets quarterly, is a volunteer group comprising Erie professionals and community representatives with technical expertise in grant making and an interest in civic issues. Their mission is to guide and inform ECF grant-making with a specific focus on fourth quarter special projects.

How can I give a gift?
While our named funds normally begin with gifts of $10,000 or more, ECF accepts gifts of any size. Gifts can be made to our general fund or to any of nearly 500 named funds. Additionally, we have significant experience facilitating gifts of appreciated securities, real estate, as well as with the creation of charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder and charitable lead trusts.

What kind of fund can I create?
Named funds are typically established with a minimum gift of $10,000 or more. Exceptions can be negotiated; for example, younger donors who participate in our Fund for New Leadership may launch a named fund for as little as $1,000. Funds may be established during a donor's lifetime, or via bequest.

For more on becoming a donor click here.

What is the Elisha H. Mack Society?
The Elisha H. Mack Society is for those who include ECF in their will or other estate-planning vehicle. We do not need to know amounts. We simply wish to compile a large list of local donors as we know it will encourage others to give and to consider ECF when estate planning. By joining, members agree to be listed in our annual report and other publications.

How do I apply for a grant?
Each quarter, our Board of Trustees reviews grant applications in order to provide funding from our unrestricted funds. Grants from unrestricted resources are typically between $5,000 and $30,000. Each grant application is part of our mission of "growing a brighter future."

Is ECF affiliated with other community funds?
The Erie Community Foundation shares administrative, investment and program services with several affiliate organizations. To take advantage of these opportunities, and to benefit from our broad-based public support, interlocking governance must exist.

Current affiliates include: Corry Community Foundation, Findley Lake Community Foundation, The North East Community Foundation, Union City Community Foundation and the Nonprofit Partnership.