The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties hosted the fourth annual Founder’s Award Luncheon on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at the Kravis Center’s Cohen Pavilion.
President Brad Hurlburt gave a synopsis of the Community Foundation’s newly developed strategic plan. Some of the highlighted strategies included:
- Eliminating fund minimums and offering new fund options (i.e., flexible donor advised funds, corporate advised funds, etc.)
- Becoming more donor-centric by adding new technology and realigning staff members to provide a great donor experience
- Be the leading convener for change in our community
- Offer a flexible endowment option for nonprofits and simplify the grant process
Keynote speaker Alberto Ibargüen is president, CEO and trustee of the Knight Foundation. He discussed the importance of community engagement and detailed some of the projects Knight is working on in Palm Beach County and across the nation, including use of artificial intelligence and efforts to innovate and foster change.
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation received the 2017 Founder’s Award. The Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. It invests in journalism, the arts, technology and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers – including our very own Palm Beach County. Read more about the Knight Foundation here.
CBS12’s Suzanne Boyd was the event’s emcee. More than 430 attended the luncheon including board members, donors and fund holders, local nonprofit organizations, corporate sponsors and community leaders.
The Founder’s Award Luncheon’s premier sponsor was PNC Bank. Community sponsors include Julie Fisher Cummings; William and Jean Matthews; Florida Weekly; Northern Trust; Palm Beach Illustrated; South Florida PBS and The Palm Beach Post.
To view the photos from the Founder’s Award, please visit our Facebook page.
To hear Alberto’s keynote speech, please visit our YouTube page.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is one of Florida’s largest community foundations, an organization created with gifts from generous people committed to local causes. The nonprofit organization has provided nearly $129 million in grants and scholarships over its 44-year history. For donors, the Foundation serves as a philanthropic advisor and ensures the charitable dollars entrusted to it are available to the community – forever. For the community, the Foundation serves as a grant maker and a civic leader. Through the support of its donors and fund holders, the Foundation has been able to address some of the community’s most pressing needs, including hunger, housing and education. For more information, please visit www.yourcommunityfoundation.org or call (561) 659-6800.
