Beshear creates Commission on Philanthropy
Gov. Steve Beshear
FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear is asking private philanthropic foundations in the state to come together to address financial needs of public priorities like early childhood education and children’s health.
At a Capitol news conference, Beshear signed an executive order creating the Kentucky Commission on Philanthropy to ask private foundations to consider rallying around such common goals.
He stressed that no state money is involved in the program and that no private foundation should feel any political pressure to participate.
“State government can’t meet the demand for all the services required by the people of Kentucky, not under the current economic conditions,” Beshear said. “We need partners now more than ever, and we must continue to find ways to be responsive to Kentucky families and move the state forward. The time is right to join forces in an unprecedented effort for the greater good of the commonwealth.”
The nearly 850 foundations in the state collectively give away more than $120 million each year.
The new commission will be funded by private dollars from individuals, foundations and corporations. The governor appoints its members and chair. Its executive director will be Sue Feamster, president of the Feamster Group, which provides funding solutions for non-profits and associations.
Beshear said the commission will hold a Summit on Philanthropy in June 2009 to discuss its goals.
Members of the commission are:
Judith G. Clabes, Scripps Howard Foundation, Paris – chair
Rodney Berry, Public Life Foundation, Owensboro
Helen M. Carroll, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing NA, Erlanger
Ann Coffey, Women 4 Women Foundation, Louisville
Sandra Davis, Davis on the Highlands, Springfield
Scott Davis, Raymond B. Preston Family Foundation, Henderson
Laura Douglas, Eon-US Foundation, Louisville
William Engle, E.O. Robinson Mountain Fund, Hazard
Sandra Frazier, Tandem Public Relations, Louisville
Penny Friedman, InterAct for Change Kentucky, Cincinnati
Kelly Gilbert, Fidelity Investments, Covington
Billy Harper, Harper Industries, Paducah
Wade Houston, Houston-Johnson, Inc., Louisville
Charles Johnson, Houston-Johnson, Inc., Louisville
Bryan Lummus, Alliance Resource Partners, Lexington
Tim Maloney, Haile/USBank Foundation, Cincinnati
Jamal Mashburn, Lexington
Carolyn B. May, Community Foundation of Hazard-Perry County, Lexington
Anne Nash, Bluegrass Community Foundation, Lexington
Nick Nicholson, Keeneland, Lexington
Mike Philipps, Scripps Howard Foundation, Cincinnati
Angela Thomas, Spray Foundation, Lexington
Alan Turbyfill, Wilderness Trace Community Foundation, Danville
Tony Watkins, Community Foundation of West Kentucky, Paducah
Laura Williams, Knight Foundation, Lexington
Mary Whitten Wiseman, Tri-State Community, Inc., Ashland
Susan Zepeda, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Louisville
Wilbert L. Ziegler, R.C. Durr Foundation, Covington
–Jack Brammer
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Filed Under: Featured • State Government • Steve Beshear
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Another commission more money to pay out when the Commonwealth is hurting for money. Oh!! that’s right give out more furloughs cut more from other budgets.
Rep. David Floyd’s 2007 tax-me-more bill was a better idea. What will happen with this philanthropy scheme is they will work up a pile of money the first year and new programs will be set up or old ones expanded to spend the money. When the benefactors figure out they can get more bang for their buck without filtering their contributions through the government, the funding will dry up and then the taxpayers will on the hook for the programs.
Quick! Someone call Rep. Floyd!
This is Floyd’s bill:
http://www.kentuckyvotes.org/2007-HB-47
I hear Sen Bunning is intererested in takin gon some more “charitable work” – what is the pay like? do you have to work more than 1 hour weekly?