Cumberland Community Foundation celebrated its 45th year and presented its annual report this evening at its Founders & Friends event at Cape Fear Botanical Garden. The foundation made announcements about grants and focus areas at the annual gathering of individuals who have created endowment funds (“founders”) and current volunteers (“friends”) at the community foundation.

Notable milestones announced included:

• Achieved re-accreditation in National Standards for Community Foundations.
• Asset Growth – Assets reached an all-time high of $152,313,772.93, with over 75% of assets endowed.
• Funds Managed – Managed 673 donor funds.
• Funding Provided – Total grants and scholarships awarded exceeded $9.5 million.
• Scholarship Awards – Awarded $1.1 million in new and renewed college scholarships.
• Summertime Kids Program – Sent 1,480 children to summer camp, the highest number since the program began in 1992.
• Women’s Giving Circle – Distributed a total of $904,506.08 to programs supporting women and their families since 2008. 
• GivingTuesday – Distributed $2,880,346.99 to 81 nonprofits through the November 2024 campaign.
• Nonprofit Endowment Partnerships – Awarded $1,296,190 in support to local nonprofits from their agency and designated endowments, demonstrating success towards helping nonprofits move towards sustainability goals. 

Board Chair Ricky Lopes thanked the audience, saying: “Over 10,000 people have made donations since 1980. The success of our community foundation belongs to many people who care about this community.”

Lopes shared the board’s five focus areas for grantmaking from the foundation’s unrestricted endowments through 2030:

1. Visual, performing arts, and educational enrichment, especially for children;
2. Nutritious and affordable food for all children, especially during summer when schools are closed;
3. Strong and impactful nonprofit organizations to serve our community; 
4. Access to services and supports systems for the most vulnerable populations;
5. Investments in the local quality of life to become a more vibrant and united community where people want to live.

Lopes closed by announcing a $1,000,000 grant to the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, the largest grant ever awarded from the foundation’s unrestricted endowments.  The gift will be used for startup operations for the new school and scholarships for medical students.  

To close the ceremony, board member Vera Bell announced the winner of the 2025 Mary Lynn McCree Bryan Leadership Award. The award was created in honor of Mary Lynn Bryan who served on the board of directors for 24 years and as chair of the board for four. The award in her honor recognizes the importance of the board member role and celebrates exemplary nonprofit leadership.

Brigadier General, Retired, William “Jay” Gothard received the award for his leadership of the board of Armed Services YMCA at Ft. Bragg. Gothard has served on the Armed Services YMCA Fort Bragg board of managers for over nine years in various capacities and the board chair for the last five. Lopes thanked BG(R) Gothard for his leadership to make life better for military families in need.

The presentation ended with a thank you to those who give and volunteer at Cumberland Community Foundation.

Established in 1980, Cumberland Community Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation that accepts donations and administers endowments for the benefit of the community.  The foundation manages 673 individual charitable funds totaling $152 million in assets.