Hi all
The Longbranch Foundation (TLF) Board has been busy the last six months. In order to reinforce our work and identity on the Key Peninsula, we have created a new logo and look to our website. If you found this post on the website! Good for you!
This grew out of a need to help members understand that we are a separate organization from the Longbranch Improvement Club (LIC) even though we are linked in many ways. The LIC is categorized as a social welfare organization with members who pay to belong to the organization. Thus, by law, the LIC is categorized as a 501 c)4 non-profit. This designation means they can lobby or work politically on behalf of their members and they can charge for the work they do on behalf of the members as a yearly fee. Donations to an organization that can lobby are NOT tax-deductible. The need to create a way to continue the good work the LIC had been doing in the community for nearly 100 years led to the formation of The Longbranch Foundation (TLF) in 2016.
The TLF was created specifically as a 501 c)3 to be the organization to solicit donations and distribute grants/monies to local organizations in the south Key Peninsula, while allowing donors to be able to deduct their donations on their yearly Tax returns.
Our mission, vision and six charitable purposes remain the same! We want a thriving and sustainable South Key Peninsula Community and focus on six areas.
· Preserving and Maintaining LIC's Historic Clubhouse
· Maintaining and Improving LIC Grounds and Trails for Public Recreation
· Advancing Education by Supporting Scholarship Programs and Public School Activities
· Improving Environmental Protection & Public Safety at the Longbranch Marina
· Supporting Community Service Organizations and Activities
· Supporting the Community Wherever the Need is Greatest
The new logo represents our work since 2016 with our focus on preservation, education, and the local community. Also, the new website makes it easier to make donations through the website, and for local non-profits and schools to apply for grants online. The other great benefit of the website is you can now log your volunteer hours through the website with a direct link to Track-it-Forward to count your hours towards your LIC membership requirement.
We have also been busy dispersing grants and scholarships, with 6 scholarships given to Peninsula High School (PHS) Graduates this spring, an $9,000 grant to the Band Boosters for new uniforms at PHS, and grants to KPMS and Evergreen schools for special projects and end of the year field trips to the Point Defiance Zoo.
Sheryl Low, TLF President
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