BUHLER, Kan. — For the past six years, the Buhler Community Foundation worked to earn $300,000 in matching grant funds from the Kansas Health Foundation. On Dec. 31, that goal was met.

The money was earned in 50 percent and 25 percent increments. The matching money from the Kansas Health Foundation was split between an operating endowment and a health endowment. A goal of the Grow II initiative was to make any participating community foundation more sustainable. The Grow II initiative put a strong emphasis on growing unrestricted and health endowment funds. During the match period, 2012 to 2017, the Buhler Community Foundation and eligible organizational endowments grew by a combined $701,338.32.

Fund for Buhler grew a total of $511,796.57

Buhler Public Health Fund grew a total of $3,140.00

Sunshine Meadows Retirement Community Endowment Fund grew a total of $94,041.00

USD 313 Educational Endowment Fund grew by a total of $92,360.75

The people of Buhler and friends of the community made this possible. “Your gifts and the additional money they brought in will impact the amount of grant funding we put back into the community each year. Our foundation will be more sustainable and better prepared for the future,” David Dick, chairman of the Buhler Community Foundation Advisory Board, said.

Each summer Buhler Community Foundation opens a competitive grant cycle then selects and funds programs demonstrating innovative ideas or critical needs, which can range from health and human services to the arts, to parks and nature. It also administers grants that focus on specific areas of interest. In 2017, the foundation awarded more than $10,000 in grants for the first time.

 

The Buhler Community Foundation’s mission is to inspire philanthropy, collaboration and innovative leadership to strengthen the community. The Buhler Community Endowment (Fund for Buhler) was launched on Aug. 23, 2009, to build a permanent charitable fund for the future needs and growth of the community.