Communities of Coastal Georgia

Although the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation was not formally incorporated until 2005, the concept of a local community foundation had been discussed for a decade. It wasn't until the spring of 2003 that locals decided to form a steering committee to guide and inform the birth process, the foundation initially to serve Glynn, McIntosh, and Camden Counties.  Early in 2004 Jacksonville's community foundation offered to take the fledgling community foundation under its wing as an affiliate providing structure, staff, and investment vehicles. By that fall, a 14 member board had been named and office space obtained in downtown Brunswick.

Early 2005 saw an initial letter go out inviting prospects to become founders with a $50,000 pledge to be fulfilled within five years to grow the foundation's unrestricted endowment. The foundation's first executive director was hired, formal incorporation status was received from the IRS, and by-laws were created.  By the end of 2005, $3 million had been pledged to the Founders' Fund and the first donor advised fund set up. 

Having received its nonprofit status in spring 2006, the foundation named its second and current Executive Director, Lee H. Owen that July. The foundation changed its affiliate status with Jacksonville in the fall and became an independent community foundation. The year closed with the foundation making grants amounting to over $1/2 million; staff had grown with the addition of a donor services/grants officer and a website completed and launched. Continued growth in 2007 produced 70 Founders by December, with over $3.7 million in assets, in excess of three quarters of a million dollars in grants made, and over $1.5 million held in donor advised funds. 

2008 was dominated by working toward and achieving National Certification by the Council on Foundations being found in compliancewith all standards for U.S. community foundations, attesting to the efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of the foundation. Despite economic turmoil in the fall and early winter of 2008-2009, assets held at just under $4 million in 17 funds and a total of $587,000 was granted to 48 charities.

2009 witnessed the launching of our first initiative in the focus area of Literacy/Education when the Coastal Georgia Certified Literate Community Program was granted "participating community" status by the state board.  The Coastal GA CLCP focuses on Adult Education with the goal of assisting 9,148 adults throughout the tri-county area in obtaining their GED over the next ten years to achieve "Certified Literate Community" status.  Year-end assets stood at just under $4 million held in 18 funds.  Ninety-five grants for a total of $503,542 had been made bringing the total amount granted since inception to $1.85 million. 

2010 saw the community foundation take on role of "convener" around the issue of education as the focus of community concern. Zeroing in on the importance of early childhood literacy, the "Baby Steps" Initiative was launched with the mission of making sure that all children were ready to succeed upon entering kindergarten.  A forty member advisory council for early childhood literacy guides "Baby Steps." A private foundation was sunset into a fund at the community foundation, $1million was contributed to an existing fund and four new funds created, including an endowment for Arts and Culture.