annualreport
Introduction
Administration & Organization
Program Initiatives & Grant Activity
Grants Approved 2002
Grants Paid 2002
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2002 Annual Report

Board of Directors

Ashley W. Hodges
Michele W. Shutter
Katherine S. Weaver
H. Michael Weaver

Officers

H. Michael, Weaver Chairman and Vice President
Richard L. Moore, President
Ashley W. Hodges, Vice President
Michele W. Shutter, Vice President
Katherine S. Weaver, Vice President
William E. Stone, Treasurer/Assistant Secretary
Margaret B. Moore, Assistant Secretary
Hunter Hodges, Assistant Secretary

 

 

I. Introduction

The Foundation: The Weaver Foundation is a family foundation that focuses its philanthropy and involvement in the greater Greensboro, North Carolina area. The Foundation was formed in 1967 by Herman and Mike Weaver; a fuller history may be found at our web site.

We do not accept unsolicited grant applications although inquiries are accepted by telephone, mail, and email. Areas of focus are listed below; beyond these primary areas, the Foundation is open to considering a wide range of projects and programs that enhance life in greater Greensboro.

 

Two special interest areas have been paramount in our activities in the last two years. These include a special grant focus on collaborative grants in the area of services to children and youth and support and involvement in the Action Greensboro community development effort. Both of these are described further in the section on Program Initiatives and Grants.

 

The Environment: The Weaver Foundation, like most other nonprofit organizations and educational institutions has suffered the vagaries of the economic environment. Our endowment has been affected by the overall decline in the value of almost all forms of investment. While we have been able to honor all current grant commitments without deferring payments or reducing grant amounts, we have lost a considerable amount of flexibility in making new grant commitments. Private foundations have an annual minimum five percent distribution requirement based on the value of its assets. While some foundations nationally reduced the total amount of grant dollars available, based on the decline in asset value, the Weaver Foundation Board decided that we would exceed the distribution requirement in 2002. It is likely that this situation will continue into 2003, however, the balance between invading assets and the effect of this move on future grantmaking and meeting current needs in the community is one that merits careful and considered judgment.

 

 

II. Administration and Organization

Administration: Staff and Board members of the Foundation continued involvement in a variety of community and foundation-related activities toward the Foundation’s goal of providing both financial resources for nonprofits and carrying out a role of personal and organizational leadership in the community and beyond.

 

Foundation President, Skip Moore, chaired the 2002 Family Foundation Conference, sponsored by the Council on Foundations and held in New Orleans, and participated in the program. He will facilitate a session at the 2003 meeting in San Jose, CA, and will be on an orientation program for potential new member foundations for the Council. Board members Mike Weaver, Katherine Weaver, and Ashley Hodges attended the conference.

 

Skip Moore is also serving on two committees for the Council on Foundations. The first of these is the Membership Committee, which in 2003 will review and recommend a new structure for the dues and membership programs of the Council. He also serves on the Advisory Committee for Executive Programs. This is a three-year effort to develop a set of programs and activities appropriate to veteran and senior staff members of foundations.

 

The development of the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, a collaborative of foundations from across the state, has been underway for most of the last year. Leadership for the effort came from Tom Ross of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (Winston Salem), Tony Pipa of the Warner Foundation (Durham), and Merrilee Jacobson of the Progress Energy Foundation (Raleigh). This group will be formalized at a meeting on January 16, 2003 by inviting foundations to join, and will provide an ongoing forum for staff and board members of the community foundations, independent and family foundations, and corporate foundations to share information, programs, and ideas. Skip Moore served on a steering committee for the organizational effort and assisted in developing the policies and structure of the group.

 

The Board introduced a number of initiatives for consideration during the year that pertain to the organization and functioning of the Foundation. Among the topics under discussion included addition of outside directors to the Foundation Board, systems for involving a broader range of family members in Foundation activity, development of a systematic spending policy, reacting to and handling potential geographic dispersion of the family and continuing interest of future generations in the Foundation, what conditions might lead to the dissolution of the Foundation, and creation of an external investment committee. Each of these initiatives will be discussed and considered in future months, with no deadline for completion. However, steps were taken to create the Investment Committee which will become active in 2002.

 

Board Member Development: One of the issues facing family foundations in particular is that of preparing future generations of family members for service on the Board of Directors. Increasingly family foundations are developing programs that begin teaching the concepts of philanthropy and service at a younger age with the idea that incremental involvement and experience will both prepare these future leaders to carry on the family’s civic legacy as well as for service in a formal way on the Board and committees. To this end, a program of activities emphasizing community knowledge and involvement, an understanding of foundations and grantmaking, and an understanding of the work of the Weaver Foundation in particular was devised. Family members desirous of board service in the future will have an opportunity to participate in the program as it fits their personal and professional development. Additional activities to reach younger family members will be developed during the coming year.

 

Foundation Investment Committee/Performance: The Foundation’s approach to investment management was formalized with the creation and appointment of an Investment Committee. Composed of seven members, the Committee will have full responsibility to invest and manage the Foundation’s assets.

 

The Committee met four times in 2002. Much of the initial work included developing a new policy on asset allocation and manager selection as well as meeting with current investment managers. After the allocation policy was developed, the Committee broadened the number of managers and modes of investment. This process will be completed in 2003.

 

Members of the Committee include: Mike Weaver (Chair, Weaver Foundation/Weaver Investment), Skip Moore (President, Weaver Foundation), Lee McAllister (President, Weaver Investment), Bill Moore (Chapel Hill), Tom Darden (Raleigh), Mark Yusko (Chapel Hill), and Gregg Ireland (Chapel Hill). Each Committee member is appointed for a term of three years, except for the Foundation President who serves ex officio.

 

The Foundation’s investment portfolio, like those of many other organizations, was buffeted by the national and international economic uncertainties. The Foundation’s assets on January 1st, 2002 were $21,836,711 while the average market value for the 2001 year was $23, 456,329. (By IRS regulations, the Foundation must use the average annual market value of its assets to establish its minimum distributable amount.) At the end of 2002, the asset value was $17,946,129 and the average market value was $20,045,519.

 

 

III. Program Initiatives/Grant Activity

Special Program Emphasis on Children/Youth: The first year of the program phase of this emphasis was carried out during the year, following a design phase competition that resulted in funding of four programs. There was some delay in initiation of each of the programs following the design phase that resulted from a need for formalize guiding boards, employ staff, and develop actual programs based on the design effort. By the end of 2002, however, all four programs were well underway and making progress toward their goals.

 

The programs are:

 

Adoption Alliance (Children’s Home Society with Family Service of the Piedmont): This project is blends foster care preparation, adoption counseling and services, and post-adoption counseling, services, and follow-up into a continuous system. Over eighty-six individuals were served during the initial year. These include young people who were moved into foster care and into the adoption process as well as birth, foster, and adoptive family members. The number of referrals from social workers in the Department of Social Services is increasing with the anticipation that the population served will increase during 2003.

 

Bridges to Success (UNCG School of Education, UNCG Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Jackson Middle School, Center for Creative Leadership, and Reading Together): This project brings a number of independent programs and services at Jackson Middle School into a coordinated network with services designed for each child based on his/her needs. Jackson Middle School serves one of the most economically impacted areas of Greensboro and faces particular challenges in student performance, parental involvement, and program success. The program’s goal is to enhance performance by connecting in school and after school programs and by developing cooperation among agencies serving the student/family population. The programs include an after school tutoring and activity program, leadership skill development programs, and parental coaching and involvement. Based on internal School performance comparisons, it appears that students and families who are a part of the Bridges to Success program are making greater gains in reading and math than those who are not participating.

 

Children’s Advocacy Center (Family Service of the Piedmont, Guilford County Social Services, Guilford County Health Department, Greensboro Police Department, and Guilford County District Attorney): This project is creating a center through which the investigation, care, and prosecution (when appropriate) of child abuse cases is carried out using a team approach. Children’s Advocacy Centers operate in other parts of the country and there is a national accreditation process that measures the operation of such a center. There are two key elements in the Center. The first of these is the "forensic interview" of the child abuse victim that is carried out by a trained interviewer and observed by representatives of other agencies, thereby negating multiple, repetitive interviewing. This is followed by the second key element, that is, staffing of a case by a team drawn from participating agencies that determine the variety of activities needed to resolve the issue. The first part of the year was devoted to organizational effort and the employment of a trained forensic interviewer. That accomplished, interviews began in May, 2002. Over sixty cases were handled during the remainder of the year and it is anticipated that the case load can increase to as many as 120 per year. At that time there will be a need for an additional interviewer and, perhaps, an office in High Point.

 

Youth Partnering (Horsepower, Youth Focus, and One Step Further): This project expands the therapeutic horse programs of Horsepower to also serve behaviorally challenged youth at Youth Focus and to provide positive volunteer role models through the court diversion/youth sentencing programs operated by One Step Further. A model curriculum for the new student population was secured from another source and adapted for local use. Counselors working with many of the behavioral and emotionally challenged students at Youth Focus have attested to improvements in behavior, performance, and self image through participation in the program. The effort has had a similar effect on young people in the diversion and teen court programs.

Leadership and Community Development/Action Greensboro:

Support and participation in the activities of Action Greensboro continues to be a major activity for Foundation staff. In addition to the grant of $1 million for project support, the Foundation allocated $1million from the Weaver Parks Fund at the Community Foundation to support purchase of land for the new center city park. An annual grant of $35,000 is also provided for operations of Action Greensboro, where Skip Moore serves as president of the Board and is a member of the steering committee.

 

It was an active and significant year for Action Greensboro. A short summary, but certainly not a comprehensive list of activity, in each task force area follows:

 

  1. Economic development: A nationally-recognized economic development consulting firm, Market Street Services, of Atlanta, was engaged to work with the various agencies and organizations in Greensboro that focus on some aspect of economic development. The result of this effort was formation of the Greensboro Economic Development Council, a non-staffed or funded council, that includes the major agencies, that will coordinate activities. Six working groups were also created in areas such as economic recruitment and retention, small business development, and marketing. These workgroups will identify and coordinate activities of particular focus and report through the Council. There is an increased positive feeling that the new Council will at last begin to put some of the fears of duplication and overlap to rest.
  2. Small business development/entrepreneurism: Support continued for the Triad Entrepreneurial Initiative that Action Greensboro cosponsors with the Winston Salem Alliance. During the year the office was relocated from Forsyth Tech to the Piedmont Triad Partnership and a new executive director was engaged. The program continues to expand. Additionally the renovation of the Nussbaum Center was completed, resulting in more spaces for start up companies. The Chamber of Commerce is development a Minority Business Affairs effort through formation of a coordinated effort among several organizations.
  3. Supporting the Public Schools: The work of Commitment to Excellence, the support fund for the public school continues successfully. This program sponsors a summer experience, patterned after the Governor’s Schools, for advanced students; recognizes improved schools; and, provides support for teachers throughout the system. Generally the program is responsive to the goals and needs of the Superintendent and works closely with the System staff. A second effort underway is the formation of the Guilford County Education Network. This will be a citizen-based organization that will work to instill a sense of ownership and support for the schools and for education in Guilford County. Jim Morgan, an attorney from High Point, is the current chair. Skip Moore serves on the Board.
  4. Attracting and retaining young professionals: This effort has coalesced into an organization called Vision Greensboro. A board has been established with subgroups working in areas such as employment by local companies, development of social activities and atmosphere for young professionals, and leadership/volunteerism.
  5. Improving the brand/image of Greensboro: This effort is carried out through the Chamber of Commerce. During the first year the effort focused on general positive awareness of the City. During the second year it will be more focused on community needs and developments.
  6. Improving and revitalizing the center city: Of all of the Action Greensboro initiatives in the last year, this area was most in the public eye due to the efforts to secure approval for the baseball stadium. Finally approved, Action Greensboro, primarily through Bryan Foundation support, will construct a new facility for social and health services for Guilford County. In return the County will deed over the property on Eugene Street currently used for these purposes. A new baseball stadium will be constructed with the target opening for the 2005 season. The new stadium will be owned by a nonprofit organization and contracted to the baseball team. A housing incentive fund that underwrites the interest on construction loans for residential projects downtown, after the certificate of occupancy is secured, has been a factor in two projects underway and one that is now being designed. DGI, Inc. is taking the lead on further definition of the district plans for the Center City.

Other Grants/Programs of Significance

Four additional grants made during 2002 should be noted for their importance and potential impact. These are:

 

Database for Homeless Services: This grant, of $25,000, provided for implementation of a web-based system that will track services provided to the homeless in Guilford County. Led by the Greensboro Urban Ministry, a coalition of providers was assembled to cooperatively build and operate the system (which is required by HUD to be implemented by 2004 for agencies that provide such services). Positioned as a membership alliance, it will become self-supporting through fees charged for users. Early indications are that other agencies providing social and health services will use the system and that it will become the basis for tracking a wide variety of such services. The implications for research and determining true social and health service needs are great.

 

Guilford College/Guilford County Schools: Building on the success of the Middle College program at Greensboro College, a new program called "Early College" is being implemented at Guilford College. This program is targeted toward academically-gifted students who will be located on the Guilford College campus. During their junior and senior years they will take both high school and college courses. The $75,000 grant was used to renovate a building to be used for offices, counseling areas, and meeting space for the Early College.

 

Hispanics in Philanthropy: This grant supports the participation of the Foundation in a collaborative effort with other foundations in Greensboro and North Carolina to strengthen nonprofit organizations primarily led by Latino citizens. While the growth of the Hispanic population in Guilford County has been rapid, there are very few nonprofits actually operated by Hispanics. Matching funds provided through the national group Hispanics in Philanthropy and through the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation multiples the effect of our grant threefold. Others in Greensboro participating include the Community Foundation, the Cemala Foundation, and the News & Record Foundation.

 

United Arts Council Challenge: This is a challenge grant, of up to $10,000 per year, that will be paid over five years if the United Arts Council is able to increase the amount of its annual fund in each of the next five years. Grants and Program Support: Including continuing support for the efforts discussed above, the Foundation awarded a total of $1,566,321 in new grants during the year, including discretionary and matching grants. Many of these grants are to be paid over a period of three to five years. A full list of grants approved during 2002 may be found in Attachment 1.

 

Grants Paid by Subject Area, 2002

 

Grants awarded by the Foundation are classified into subject areas for tracking purposes. As may be seen in Chart 1, the three major areas of support were health and human services, civic and community, and education. The grant supporting Action Greensboro, however, was classified as Civic and Community. One could argue for a classification of economic development which would change the percentages in a significant manner. Given that the projects are supportive of an overall environment that will support a healthy economy, the classification of civic and community seems more appropriate.

 

Actual disbursement of new and existing grants, including discretionary and matching grants, totaled $1,353,273 during 2002. Of the total amount distributed, $57,000 (4%) were discretionary grants recommended by a member of the Board or the President, and $14,221 (1%) consisted of matching grants that supported charitable gifts made by members of the Foundation Board, employees of the Weaver organization, or the President of the Foundation. A full list of grant payments made in 2002 may be found in Attachment 2.

 

Grants Paid by Type, 2002

 

 

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