On March 2, 2023 Central Kansas Community Foundation (CKCF) hosted the annual CKCF – Affiliate Summit entitled Lead. Match. Grow. Our Guest Speaker was Ed O’Malley, President and CEO of Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) and formerly with Kansas Leadership Center, created an environment of inspiration for the nearly 50 attendees at the Sand Creek Event Center in Newton, Kansas. His message encompassed the vision Kansas Leadership Center exemplifies with a basic tenet that everyone has a leadership position, and the best results and achievements are experienced when it is exercised by all. He shared highlights from his latest book, When Everyone Leads: How The Toughest Challenges Are Seen And Solved, to guide his genuine message calling our group of board members and staff to be active in our work serving communities. Several books were given away during the days events and activities.
As we transitioned from LEADing to MATCHing, O’Malley acknowledged the history of KHF providing matching grant funds for the establishment and growth of Community Foundations in Kansas for more than 20 years. He celebrated with us as we announced our new partnership with Patterson Family Foundation. They are investing in eligible community foundations, across Kansas and part of Missouri, a 70,000-match program for growing rural communities. This is a tremendous opportunity for the central Kansas service area. O’Malley encouraged engaging in our foundations in new ways and taking bold steps to achieve this match and beyond that work to understand what ones community is really seeking to achieve, identifying what is the not only the mission but what is the vision. How will you know you are successful.
In preparation for launching MATCH initiatives, Megan Smith was brought on to the CKCF team as a Development Consultant. Megan has over 15 years of experience in fundraising. During the Summit she walked through guidelines for the Patterson Family Foundation match program and offered her services for support of affiliate planning. With the excitement of this opportunity, we recognized Marketing and Communication preparation will be key. Laurel Woodward-Breckbill, a freelance Marketing Consultant for CKCF was invited to provide tips on storytelling, marketing tools and use of social media for broadening awareness as a foundation as well for a specific event. Table top discussions were sprinkled in throughout the day and provided participants a chance to share ideas and best practices from raising awareness to event ideas. Laurel as well as Andrea Braker at Community Creative Services are resources to affiliates to help supporting their marketing and communication efforts.
Thanks to staff at CKCF and the Development and Appreciation Committee for making the venue comfortable and inviting. We also thank Lyndsey Cakes and Bakes for providing the lunch.
