Feature
Turning Ordinary Citizens Into
Philanthropists
By Roland Salmi, MBA | Westminster Consulting | Photos Provided By The RACF
R
oy Vaneliver was a simple man. He
began as a high school teacher and
eventually became a high school
administrator; he lived with his mother his
entire life and never owned a car. Roy didn’t
dress in top quality clothes, and often had
holes in the soles of his shoes, but he really
wanted to make a difference in education.
Sadly, Roy passed away in 2010.
Education was Roy’s whole life. Upon his
passing, he established scholarship funds
for students studying history and organ
studies, as well as students attending the
theological school his sister attended. His
intent was to make a major difference in a
student’s life so, on a revolving basis, one
student concentrating in one of these fields
of study receives an $80,000 scholarship.
This scholarship and other philanthropic
gifts are made possible by the Rochester
Area Community Foundation (RACF). The
RACF is nestled in the Historic East End,
placing it central within the city it works hard
to improve. Throughout the building, there
are several plaques and pictures honoring
past donors, founders, and activists at the
Foundation. Focused on being an anchor
for the Rochester area, the RACF provides
18 | SPRING 2015
a history of Rochester to donors, gives an
in-depth look at current issues, and creates
solutions to help the city thrive.
“The purpose of the Community Foundation
is [to be] a place for people to carry out their
charitable interests in a way that allows
the money to be available now and into
the future,” explains Dana K. Miller, Vice
President of Advancement for the RACF.
The Emergence of Community
Foundations
For the past century, community foundations
have cultivated community livelihoods by
allowing them to carry out the charitable
interests of donors. The first Community
Foundation was established in Cleveland in
1914. The Rochester Community Foundation
is a newer foundation—established in 1972.
It was Joe Posner, an insurance salesman,
who stressed the importance of having a
community foundation. Posner’s strong beliefs
drove his ambition to meet Rochestarians,
explain what a community foundation is, and
ultimately what it can do for the community.
It was because of his dedication the Rochester
Area Community Foundation was born.
While some may think the United Way
is similar in function to Community
Foundations, they play two different roles.
“The United Way is like the community’s
checkbook and the Community Foundation
is like the community’s savings account,”
explains Miller. The money that comes into
the foundation doesn’t get spent, but rather
invested for the long-term. The principal
stays intact, while the income from those
investments is donated to charities.
The RACF’s focus has been on individuals
who would like to create a long-term fund
with them. Essentially, donors create an
endowment fund which lasts in perpetuity,
giving to charity on an ongoing basis rather
than a single donation. Miller explains most
of the RACF’s gifts come from a will, a
charitable remainder trust, or some other
planned gift.
Donor Intent and Education
The RACF is very active in the community,
and is frequently in the public eye as a
supporter of events and programs. Donors
are obtained two main ways: directly and
through their professional advisor network.
Those who donate directly typically have
a previous knowledge of the Foundation’s