Central Kentucky Community Foundation presents at Facility Managers Meeting
Our thanks to Central Kentucky Community Foundation (CKCF) president/CEO Davette Swiney for presenting during our March Facility Managers Meeting. The meeting took place at CKCF’s Home of Philanthropy in Elizabethtown, which serves as the foundation’s headquarters.
Before Swiney’s remarks, EHCIF Vice President Andy Games discussed a new initiative from the Lincoln Trail Area Development District (LTADD) designed to provide quality Work-Based Learning Opportunities (WBLOs) for Hardin County high school students. WBLOs can include mentoring, job shadowing, internships and pre-apprenticeships. The initiative, known as Project Opportunity, is made possible through a partnership with the Kentucky Career Center – Lincoln Trail (KCC-LT). Initially launching in Hardin County, the program will officially be implemented next school year with the hope of having at least 50 opportunities available. Employers interested in registering for the program can visit ltcareercenter.org/work-based-learning-opportunities.
During her remarks, Swiney discussed the history, mission and impact of CKCF. Established in 1960, CKCF initially served as a cornerstone for educational leadership, coinciding with the establishment of Elizabethtown Community College, now known as Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, in 1964. Since its inception, the foundation has disbursed millions of dollars in scholarships, played a pivotal role as the educational liaison during the transformation of Fort Knox and laid the groundwork for the development of Hardin County Schools. Through its evolution, the foundation has significantly expanded post-secondary educational opportunities for Hardin County residents.
The organization transitioned to become a community foundation in 2011 and now describes itself as the philanthropic focal point in the region, serving as a resource, leader and catalyst to people who wish to improve life in their community. In 2023, the foundation ended the year with $36 million in assets.
Last year, CKCF augmented its impact by introducing 20 new funds, bringing the total of distinct funds to 225. Additionally, the foundation allocated $1.8 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and awarded scholarships to 142 students in 2023. CKCF’s reach extends across the Central Kentucky region, encompassing Hardin, LaRue, Nelson, Washington, Marion, Hart, Grayson, Meade and Breckinridge counties.
Some of the initiatives funded by CKCF include Get Ready! Camp, a free summer program for children from birth to age five that provides a unique learning experience for area children and increases community awareness of the importance of early childhood learning; Heels Together, a women-led initiative uniting money, ideas and actions to create a lasting change for women and girls, their families and communities; and the Dow Sustainability Grant held in partnership with the Dow Company Foundation, which includes a community outdoor space, an investment in environmental strategies and a support space for area nonprofits created in the spirit of philanthropy.
“That philanthropic work with corporations can look like a lot of different things,” Swiney said. “The best way it starts is with conversation. You know what matters to you, You know what matters personally, you know what matters to your employees and you know what matters to your company. And we can have a conversation to explore what best works for you.”
To learn more about CKCF, visit ckcf4people.org.
Also during the meeting, Beth Mather and Cathy Wilson, organizers of the annual Tails & Ta-Tas 5K event, spoke to attendees about the annual fundraiser, opportunities to get involved and its impact on local cancer care. Launched in 2017, Tails & Ta-Tas extends an open invitation to community members for a dog-friendly run/walk, aiming to raise community awareness about breast cancer while generating funds for Baptist Health Foundation Hardin. Throughout the years, Baptist Health Foundation Hardin has been able to purchase items such as an LED vein-finder, a rapid heat oven, a soundsystem, a patient recognition bell for Baptist Health Hardin’s Cancer Care Center and Radiology/Oncology departments and much more through funds donated by Tails & Ta-Tas. Through proceeds from last year’s event, a $28,000 check was presented to Baptist Health Foundation Hardin. To support the fundraiser and learn more, contact bmather1955@gmail.com or call 270-872-6889.
Next month’s facility managers meeting, set for Thursday, April 18, will take place at our office on Ring Road and will be presented by United Way of Central Kentucky.
For more information, or if interested in attending the next facility managers meeting, please contact the Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation at 270-737-0300.