Our Approach
We embolden extraordinary ideas today and invest in our shared future for tomorrow.
We’ve supported caring people of all incomes and interests to do good in Lancaster County for nearly 100 years. While it might look different from year to year, we always support our community in these ways:
- Impact Community Good. We work with donors and community members to grant dollars to local organizations and initiatives that are bringing fresh, innovative, impactful ideas for Lancaster.
- Inspire Community Giving. We help individuals, families, and businesses support the causes they care about through legacy gifts and funds.
- Ignite Transformative Community Initiatives. We catalyze and support influential initiatives that bring businesses, educators, community benefit organizations and the community together.
Since 1924, we have cared for our community’s endowment. Today, we steward more than $200 million in community assets that help support Lancaster County every year. Because these dollars are endowed, we are able to activate a small percentage every year while the majority of the funds remain invested to grow in value. These resources give our community the opportunity to make grants to local organizations today and create a chance for people to invest in Lancaster for future generations.
Our Strategic Focus Areas
Our community’s needs are always changing. Our Strategic Focus Areas help us keep sight of the right goals for today. Our organizational strategy focuses on two big ideas. These ideas help clarify our own efforts and create opportunity for our community to join forces around important community issues.
Equity
We live in an extraordinary community. Yet, the experience of living in Lancaster is not one of equal opportunity for all. We believe every person deserves a safe and respectful community to live and thrive; a place where all individuals are valued, supported, and feel like they belong.
We are taking action within our organization to infuse equity more deeply into our practices and programs. We invite our community to learn more about how cultivating a more equitable community will benefit all of us.
Bridge Building
It’s often so easy to see what divides us, but if we look carefully, we can also see what binds us together. Hopes for our children and grandchildren. The love we have for our family, friends, and neighbors. Our communal spaces, interconnected past, and shared future.
If we want to seize our community’s greatest opportunities and solve our biggest challenges, we must commit to mutual respect and curiosity. In times of growing distrust, disconnection, and dehumanization, the act of courageously leaning in to truly listen and learn from each other is critical to our connection and healing. As a multi-racial, multi-faith, multi-generational community, we believe that finding strength in our shared humanity and building bridges of understanding is our best way forward.
Our work is rooted in these values
For the Lancaster County Community Foundation:
Integrity means that we stay true to our word and are transparent. We are responsible, ethical, and embrace fiduciary excellence.
Relationships means valuing and stewarding the interconnectedness of the varied groups in our community which come together to help us thrive.
Equity means fair access to resources and opportunities. Due to systemic, historical, and persisting societal barriers, some members of our community need more resources than others to achieve their full potential.
Innovation means modeling and amplifying new approaches and creative thinking in our community and beyond. It means embracing failure and learning from it. It is how we position our community for a stronger shared future.
Courage means remaining committed to our values even as we realize that not all will agree with us.
We believe that in order to embolden an extraordinary community, we must continue to challenge ourselves and continue to learn from you. Together, we can strengthen our shared community for generations.
