News

Wichita County Community Foundation Reaches Endowment Goal

February 8, 2018

By Laura Berning, WCCF President 2017 marked the 15-year anniversary of the Wichita County Community Foundation (WCCF), an affiliate of WKCF. It was also the last year to raise money for matching GROW II funds from the Kansas Health Foundation. With these major milestones in mind, the WCCF board launched a capital campaign to reach one million dollars in endowed funds before the end of 2017. More than $260,000 in gifts were received throughout the year, making our ending endowed balance just over $1,000,000. To help meet this million-dollar goal, the Foundation board members reached out...

New Board Members

February 8, 2018

Josh Biera received his Bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University, KS in 1992. He was also a student athlete during his collegiate years. Josh is a Lieutenant with the Kansas Highway Patrol in Garden City. He has served on the St. Dominic school board, Fort Hays State University Alumni Association, Department of Public Safety with Garden City Community College, Real Men Real Leaders, and several other organizations. Josh is married to Jeanine, who is a native of Sublette, KS and they have two children, Lincoln and Tylee. Josh and his family have been residents of Garden...

New Funds

February 8, 2018

Dr. Stephen Meyers Endowed Fund Established by St. Catherine’s Hospital Development Foundation. The purpose of the fund is to support advancements in education to nurses and respiratory therapists working in the Maternal and Child Service Department. Law Enforcement Explorer Program (LEEP) Fund Established by the City of Garden City. The purpose of the fund for the Garden City Police Department is to provide support to young adults interested in a career in law enforcement and raise a personal awareness of the criminal justice system through training, practical experiences and other...

Match Day Success

February 8, 2018

The Western Kansas Community Foundation is grateful to the sponsors who generously provided the $50,000 matching dollars for our inaugural Match Day on November 28, 2017: Gold Sponsors: Brookover Land Enterprises, Luther and Ardis Fry, Eric and Jena Fry, Lee and Brenda Reeve Silver Sponsors: High Plains Orthodontics, The Commerce Bank, Western State Bank Bronze Sponsors: American Implement, American State BAnk, Dr. William and Jean Clifford, Dairy Farmers of America, Friends of Match Day, Donald and Kathy Diehl, Kirk Olomon, Midwest Energy, Scheopner's Water Conditioning, The Garden City...

What if Christmas Means a Little Bit More?

February 8, 2018

By Stacie Hahn, Program OfficerSomeone once said “Christmas isn’t a season, it’s a feeling.” Well, it certainly felt a lot like Christmas in the WKCF office in December. Providing grants to deserving non-profits is the heart and soul of the Foundation’s work, but once a year, our Board does something special. When the last grant cycle of the year comes around, currently in November, the Grant Committee meets to determine the recipients. For all intents and purposes, this meeting is much like the previous meetings and ones that have yet to pass, except for one...

Check out the 2017 Annual Report

November 16, 2017

Check out the 2017 Annual Report. View annual report

Multiply Your Gift On Match Day, November 28

October 12, 2017

Western Kansas enthusiasts have an opportunity to make local communities even greater on Match Day, November 28. On that day, qualifying donations to participating organizations could double, thanks to a match pool provided Western Kansas Community Foundation (WKCF) and local patrons. “One of Western Kansas Community Foundation’s goals is to help local nonprofits thrive,” said Conny Bogaard, Executive Director at Western Kansas Community Foundation. “Nonprofits are more sustainable when they have endowments— or ‘savings accounts’—that support their efforts forever.” Fourteen nonprofit...

"Women of Purpose" Kicks-Off Membership Drive with Breakfast

October 12, 2017

Mist hangs in the air outside. Laughter echoes down the hallway. Smells of coffee, sweet breads and egg casserole waft through the air. The room pops with hues of burgundy, burnt orange and golden yellow, pumpkins line the window sills, cornucopias filled with autumnal foliage are the focal point of each table. On September 26th, the Women of Purpose kicked off their annual membership drive with a come-and-go breakfast event. Forty-eight ladies faced the misty morning and enjoyed a breakfast that was prepared by the Women of Purpose Executive Committee members. The event was hosted at the...

Welcome Rebecca Colburn, Operations Director

October 12, 2017

WKCF is welcoming Rebecca Colburn as the new Operations Director. Rebecca Colburn was born and raised in Dodge City, KS. She earned a BA in Integrated Marketing in Communication from Wichita State University and has served as Marketing Director with University Mall in Pensacola, Florida, and a Residence Inn by Marriott in Miami, Fl. While in Jacksonville, Rebecca was one of the co-founders of the Young Professional Chamber, which has now been in successful for over 12 years. Rebecca is married to Richard Colburn and they have 4 children together: Madison, Isabella, Landon and Adilynn....

From Conny's Desk -- October 2017

October 12, 2017

By Conny Bogaard, Executive Director The last three months of the year are always extra busy for the nonprofit field when so much effort goes into the promotion of end-of-year giving. Our affiliate partners in Wichita County and Grant County are running their campaigns locally. We’re excited to host our 2017 Match Day event in Garden City on November 28th in support of the fundraising efforts of 13 local nonprofits and 2 endowed funds under WKCF’s administration. A complete list of participants can be found on the Match Day page. Community Foundation giving days are part of a growing...