Released June 23, 2008

PIKETON, Ohio -- Although Appalachian Ohio is home to 12.5 percent of the state's population and covers nearly a third of its land mass, it holds only 1.7 percent of the state's philanthropic assets in grant-making foundations.

Becky Nesbitt is working to change that.

Late last year, Nesbitt began her new position as specialist for Ohio State University Extension's new Philanthropy Education Program. Among the program's goals: increase awareness of the economic power that philanthropy can have on communities and help communities increase their assets by establishing new community foundations or affiliated funds. Her position and the program are funded in part by a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation.

"My job is to help leaders and community members learn more about what philanthropy is, why it's important to practice, and figure out ways we can do it," said Nesbitt, who works from the OSU South Centers in Piketon.

She explains that communities can raise funds to address public concerns in three ways -- from government, from corporate donations, and from philanthropic investment. Communities that have formed a community foundation have an edge in building their assets from philanthropy, she said, and can then turn around and invest that money in their community.

However, only about one-third of the 29 counties that make up Appalachian Ohio have a community foundation, Nesbitt said. And few people understand the benefits that local philanthropic efforts can have.

"I worked for Extension in Gallia County for 20 years in community development, and we never talked about philanthropy as a strategy to grow our county," she said. People often think of philanthropy only in terms of something big -- something that only the Bill Gates of the world could practice. That's not so, she said.

"Let's say there's a widow who has lived in a community all of her life and has deep ties to it," Nesbitt said. "She may consider setting aside a small portion of her estate for the community, but if there's no vehicle to accept it, she may decide to leave that money to her alma mater or some other organization outside of that community. The idea is to help counties capture and retain the resources that already exist locally."

A community foundation also can act as a resource to allow a community to accept other types of funding, Nesbitt said. "There might be an opportunity to get a $300,000 grant from the state, but it requires a 20 percent match from the local community. A community foundation could be a resource to provide that match."

There are some shining examples of counties with vibrant community foundations in the Appalachian region, such as Scioto, Muskingum and Coshocton, as well as the regional Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, Nesbitt said. She hopes to spread word of their successes to leaders in other areas of the region to show how a community can empower itself by capitalizing on the power of philanthropic efforts.

Nesbitt is working with Extension educators throughout Appalachian Ohio as well as the region's three Economic Development Districts, established by the Ohio Department of Development, to work with community leaders and expand the philanthropic opportunities in the region. For example, she is establishing meetings with community leaders to coincide with the Economic Development District annual dinners, the first of which is Sept. 25 for the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission.

"I want to share some basic information about philanthropy, the impacts philanthropic efforts can have on the community, and suggest ways a community can get started," she said. She also plans to re-establish the Stories of Philanthropy Luncheon, highlighting the generosity of local philanthropists. The luncheon is planned for November, National Philanthropy Month.

"One misconception I've been coming across is that I'm here to raise money for the university," Nesbitt said. "Don't worry -- I'm not a fundraiser. I'm not going to be asking people for money when I visit their community." Instead, she hopes to help communities in some of the poorest areas of the state build their assets and create new opportunities for growth.

For more information on the Philanthropy Education Program, contact Nesbitt at nesbitt.21@osu.edu or (740) 289-2071.

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http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~news/story.php?id=4695

Contacts: Becky Nesbitt, (740) 289-2071, nesbitt.21@osu.edu

Martha Filipic, (614) 292-9833, filipic.3@cfaes.osu.edu