Cumberland Community Foundation celebrated its 46th year and presented its annual report on Thursday, Sept. 24 at its Founders & Friends event at Cape Fear Botanical Garden. The foundation also announced a $500,000 initiative to support cultural programs for local youth. The event is the annual gathering of individuals who have created endowment funds (“founders”) and current volunteers (“friends”) at the community foundation. 

Maddie Kellogg, director of Donor Services, provided a report on the year ending June 30, 2026. Notable milestones included:

• Achieved re-accreditation in National Standards for Community Foundations.
• Asset Growth – Assets reached an all-time high of $174 million, up 22% from $152,313,772.93 in the previous year.
• Funds Managed – Managed 677 donor funds.
• Awards – Total grants and scholarships awarded exceeded $9.9 million, an all-time high.
• Scholarship Awards – Awarded more than $1 million in new and renewed college scholarships.
• Summertime Kids Program – Sent 1,500 children to summer camp, the highest number since the program began in 1992.
• Women’s Giving Circle – Distributed a total of $96,000 in grants to programs supporting women and their families, reaching $1,000,000 distributed since 2008. 
• GivingTuesday – Distributed $4.1 million to 82 nonprofits through the nine-day 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. 

Ricky Lopes, chair of the board of directors, 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.”

Kellogg announced the Arts & Enrichment for Youth Initiative, a $500,000 commitment to a five-year program to support arts and enrichment in Cumberland County Schools. The grant is made possible by the unrestricted endowments of the community foundation.

To close the ceremony, Judge Beth Keever, Vice Chair of the Board, announced the winner of the 2026 Mary Lynn McCree Bryan Leadership Award. The award was created in honor of Mary Lynn Bryan who served on the board of directors for twenty-four 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.

Janet Brower received the award for her leadership of the board of Sandhills Family Heritage Association in Spring Lake, NC. She has served on the board for ten years in various capacities and has guided the program impact in support for families and historic preservation.

Keever thanked Ms. Brower for her work to improve the quality of life in Spring Lake and Cumberland County.

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