Grant County donors have given more than $1 million through the Grant County Gives program, according to Executive Director Judy Keusler. Keusler spoke to Grant County Commissioners during their regular meeting October 18, announcing the organization is celebrating reaching this level of giving.
“It’s that time of year again,” Keusler said. “This year we are celebrating over a million dollars that was donated through Grant County Gives.”
The monies donated were given through Grant County Gives from Grant County citizens, according to Keusler, and were then donated to Grant County organizations.
“Those organizations all pledge that if they participate in Grant County Gives,” Keusler noted, “all the money they receive will be spent in Grant County, so that money flows back to local businesses. In your world, a million dollars may not be much, but in our world that’s big dollars. We think that is worth celebrating.”
Last year, the total given was $144,360, according to Keusler, noting that during 2021, there were 52 local businesses who worked together to create a matching fund of $45,850. Every donation made during the Grant County Gives campaign receives a proportional match from that match fund and flows through to the non-profit organization(s) of the donor’s choice. The donations last year amounted to 46.77 percent.
“I would say for at least five years it’s been right around 50 percent for the match,” Keusler said, adding, “that makes fundraising for these organizations important because it increases everybody’s donations to their favorite organizations. We don’t know yet what this year’s total will be, but we have a nice match fund to begin with. This year there are 32 organizations.”
McGaughey asked if around 50 percent was normal each year for raising funds.
“The last three years are the highest it’s ever been,” responded Keusler and board member Ken Keusler.
Even a pandemic did not keep people from giving.
“It was lower during the Covid-19 year,” Judy Keusler noted, “but people still gave. We thought everything would be very depressed, but no, the match fund came up high and so did the donations.”
McGaughey said he thought things might have “dwindled off a little bit” after Covid.
“We haven’t seen that and we hope we don’t,” Keusler responded, “(Grant County Gives) has proven to be a good event for the lifeblood of our community. We hope it continues. We understand that (with some events) that happens, but we hope this isn’t one of them.”
Grant County Community Foundation, in addition to the $144,000 that was given out during the Grant County Gives campaign, was able to make grants totaling $133,000 to various organizations last year due to the generosity of the donors involved.
“It’s important what we are doing,” Keusler said. “Our important role is holding and preserving the wealth of the community.”
Keusler said the transfer of wealth now is coming from Baby Boomers.
“Between 2021 and 2030, Grant County residents are estimated to hand down $293 million to their heirs, many of whom live outside of the county,” she said. “As that happens, wealth drains from the county, and you are certainly familiar with the erosion of wealth within the county. We believe, and we hope you do too, that without deliberate planning - that’s going to have a high impact on our future.”
Those working for the local organization are continuing to work towards helping the community. They are currently working on a campaign to raise another $1million by December 31, 2023, through their Grant County Forever Campaign. One way donors can consider helping is through the money they leave behind.
“Grant County Community Foundation is suggesting that each of us leave 5 percent of our wealth in our estate planning to the community,” Keusler said. “The community foundation is trying to strengthen its organization so we can do a good job of handling that inherited wealth. If that would happen, it could result in a nest egg of $14.6 million, yielding about $750,000 a year (to be used for) grants and community initiatives. We believe that would be a tremendous boon if we could step into that role and receive those donations. Five percent isn’t enough to disinherit anybody’s family - that isn’t the intent. It’s to remember where you earned your money and leave some at home.”
To strengthen the foundation, according to Keusler, they have a campaign - Grant County Forever - going on to try to raise $1 million by the end of 2023.
“This is right to our operating endowment so we can hire full-time staff and start trying to gather grants through the community and provide some leadership for our community efforts,” Keusler said.
Currently, the foundation has only one paid staff member, Sue Ellen Borthwick, who works part time. Borthwick works two days a week. The others involved in the organization, including Judy and Ken Keusler, are all volunteers.
According to a recent press release from the organization, “Grant County Gives has become an important event in the lifeblood of the community energizing the organizations to host an amazing array of interesting fundraisers and encouraging a spirit of giving...... We need to think ahead because it’s an uphill climb.”
By giving now to the Grant County Forever Campaign, they said, “we can lay the groundwork now for a strong future for Grant County.”
Those wishing to donate to the Grant County Forever Campaign may do so by mailing donations to Grant County Community Foundation, PO Box 65, Ulysses, KS 67880.
The 32 organizations participating in Grant County Gives this year are: American GI Forum Educational, BWMGC Hospital Auxiliary, Career and Tech Educational Scholarship, Compass Behavioral Health, DU Good Events Inc., Friends of the Grant County Library, Furever Friends, Genesis Family Health, GCCF Operating, Ginger's Hope, Grant County Ambulance Service, Grant County Extension 4-H Fund, Grant County Health Department, Grant County Historical Society, Grant County Recreation Fund, Grant County Senior Center Fund, Grant County Scholarship Foundation, High Program, Inc., Impact Ulysses, Kansas Children's Service League, LARDVS Inc (for Grant County victims), Loaves and Fishes, Restored by Grace, Southwest Health Transport, Substance Abuse Treatment Fund, Ulysses Animal Shelter Fund, Ulysses Boy Scouts, Ulysses Girl Scouts, Ulysses Stampede, USD 214 Educational Fund, USD 214 Teacher Recruitment and Women Of Purpose.
Donating to your favorite causes during Grant County Gives Week makes your donation go farther than ever, and there are many ways to donate. Make one donation and indicate which of the 32 non-profits should receive your gift (one or more). A proportional match from the matching fund will be added to your gift for the organization(s) of your choice.
Match Fund Donors are: Grant County Community Foundation, Jerry Brown, Mark and Debbie Faulkner, Golden Plains Credit Union, Pioneer Communications, Pioneer Electric, Scout Energy Partners, Ulysses Rotary Club, Welcome Home B&B, Gold, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding LLC, General Pest Control, Grant County Bank, Prairie Vista Dental, Ulysses Building Supply, Birla Carbon, First Dental, Dream First Bank, Jeff Harms Farm Bureau FS, H&R Block, Lowes Market, Mandy Jane's Boutique, McDonalds, Merit Energy, Shelter Insurance, Skyland Grain, Southern Star, Tarbet Construction Co Inc, Ted's Plumbing LLC, Turning Points LLC, Twice Upon A Time, Ulysses Ace Hardware, United Country Stutzman Realty, Western Kansas Irrigation, Air Comfort Consultants, American Implement, Bank of Ulysses, Casey's General Store, Cory Nagel Agency, Ceshalyn Rust State Farm, Frazee Abstract & Title Inc., Grant County Farm Bureau Association, Garden City Coop, Grant County Insurance, Grant County Drug, Lana Long Crop Insurance Agency, Leighty Ag Appraisal Services, Ulysses Eye Care, Warner Automotive and West Acres Grain.
There are four events this year to generate funds for Grant County Gives. Donations generated by these events will be equally divided between the 32 participating organizations:
Kingpin's Bowling
Saturday, Oct. 9, 3-6 p.m.
Percentage of sales
Bear Creek Coffee Co.
Sunday, Oct. 30, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Percentage of sales
Main ARTery
November 4, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Mandala Cups Workshop
Donating gallery profits
Ulysses Ace Hardware
August Purchase Roundup
Donating Roundup Amount
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