From Humble Beginnings To Great Things

Grant County Community Foundation fund had a humble beginning in 2006, with the very first donation of $250. 

Six years later, in 2012,  that $250 grew to $250,000 when Grant County Gives was initiated - becoming a $250,000 asset affiliate of Western Kansas Community Foundation.

Down the road five more years, in 2017, organizers made the decision to bring the certified nonprofit foundation home to Grant County with assets of $1,650,000. It would be in 2024, another seven years forward, that the foundation reached $5 million in assets.

And today? Grant County Community Foundation has been relocated to their "forever" home and now has $6.6 million invested - a true testament to the hard work and support of the Grant County community and proof that with the right support, "from humble beginnings can come great things". 

Saturday night, January 31, the foundation hosted their inaugural "Rooted and Radiant" gala, at the Delgado Venue in Ulysses.

"Thank you for coming to our inaugural Rooted and Radiant gala for Grant County Community Foundation - we are excited you're here," said Grant County Community Foundation Executive Director Sabrina Gaddis, who told the Ulysses News in an interview prior to the event, that the purpose for the gala was exposure for what the Foundation is and does. Gaddis said there has been some confusion about GCCF and Grant County Gives, and those involved in the Foundation wanted people to know they are more than just "Grant County Gives".

According to Gaddis, the event was also an opportunity to thank ticket purchasers for their support of the foundation. Tickets, which were initially offered at $80 each, went up to $100 each January 8. Approximately half of the ticket purchase was a tax deduction for the donation to GCCF, because the monies were going to the charitable non-profit organization. The foundation had a goal of selling 320 tickets for the event - a goal that was reached by organizers. Those in attendance were able to enjoy cocktails, hors d' oeuvres, a steak dinner, a variety of delicious desserts and entertainment by Hunny B's Rhapsody.

“We are really excited to have Hunny B’s Rhapsody perform at the gala," Gaddis said prior to the event. "Cindy Bea is a 1980 graduate of Ulysses High School and she performs with her daughter, Chelsea Dee.” A niece of Cindy's assisted with the sound system for their performance.

Ticket holders were also able to have a chance at winning cash at the gala.

"We had a couple of anonymous Donors donate $1,000 to give back to the community," Gaddis said. 

The lucky ticket was drawn at 9 p.m., with Ted Lindahl being the lucky ticket holder. Lindahl then donated the $1,000 back to the Foundation. The monies will be put in to the Enrich Grant County Fund and will count towards a new goal - $50,000. According to Gaddis, an anonymous donor pledged $50,000 to the foundation if they can raise an additional $50,000 by April 30, 2025.

It was announced at the gala that GCCF is undertaking a million dollar campaign to boost it's Enrich Grant County fund. According to GCCF, the unrestricted fund allows them to "grant money to local charitable organizations without being restricted to a specific type of use". Once they reach $1,000,000, they said they will be able to annually award approximately $50,000 from this fund forever, "long after we are gone," Gaddis said.

The current balance of that fund plus pledges is $348,000. Should they be able to raise the $50,000 and then receive the pledged additional $50,000, that will bring the fund to $448,000.

Gaddis noted they hope to make the gala an annual event. She expressed her appreciation to the GCCF board of directors.

"Thank you so much for your support of the event," Gaddis said. "Thank you for allowing me to bring the wild idea of the gala from the committee to you. I saw some eye rolls around the table at that meeting and they said, 'What? you're going to sell 320 tickets?' And I said, 'We are sure going to try.'"

Gaddis has been the executive director for a little more than a year and a half.

See more, page 11.