Annual Report 2018-19

Awards and Recognition 2018-19
Message from the Board Chair and President & CEO January 2020
Community Foundation Honored by Bar Association of Lehigh County
The staff and board of the Lehigh Valley Community
Foundation were honored to serve the Lehigh Valley
community during fiscal year 2019. Our impact
continues to grow, marked by significant increases
in the number of charitable funds established at
the Foundation and the tremendous growth in total
grantmaking from all funds of the Foundation. In
addition, our foundation-directed grantmaking efforts
were strategically aimed at several critical community
needs: improving the effectiveness of the nonprofit
sector, and providing a larger pool of resources to
meet unanticipated community needs.
The community foundation began an important
initiative aimed directly at improving the
effectiveness of nonprofit organizations across
the Lehigh Valley by establishing the Nonprofit
Effectiveness Fund. LVCF targeted both financial and
staff support to strengthen governance, management,
and operations of nonprofit organizations so they
can prosper and be impactful for years to come.
Working with ten nonprofit organizations using
a comprehensive approach to gauge and improve
effectiveness, the Foundation provided financial and
intellectual support for those selected to participate
in the pilot program. Third party consultants
were engaged to provide expertise in key areas of
effectiveness and the Foundation hosted several
Community of Practice events and focus group
discussions.
In addition to the Nonprofit Effectiveness work,
LVCF increased the resources available for nonprofit
organizations which experience unanticipated
Tom Campbell
Chair, Board of Governors
shortfalls. By expanding its Community Assistance
Fund, the Foundation is able to provide an important
resource that can address emergency and other
opportunities which arise outside of traditional
grantmaking cycles. Organizations which serve the
community during times of crisis, such as hurricanes
and earthquakes, benefit especially from the
Community Assistance Fund.
Finally, LVCF spearheaded an important census
awareness initiative aimed at ensuring accurate counts
during the 2020 Census. LVCF has joined a statewide
group of community foundation leaders and will be
providing grants to several nonprofit organizations
and partnering with the Complete Count Committees
in both Lehigh and Northampton counties, and
Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. It is our hope
that these efforts will reduce the loss of federal funds
which provide critical resources for community needs.
At the end of 2019, we thanked five Governors
who had a major role in the growth and impact of
the Foundation. Denise Blew, Beall Fowler, Jim
Margolis, Matt Sorrentino, and Mike Stershic all
had a major impact on the work of the Foundation
during their terms on the board of governors. At the
same time, Anne Reid, Kerry Wrobel were added to
the board in 2019, and Marguerite Haeussler, Sybil
Stershic and Greg Ramos were welcomed in 2020.
Once again, we thank you—our donors, professional
advisors, and friends of the Foundation—for your
continued support of philanthropy in our community.
We look forward to working with you in the future.
Bernard J. Story
President & CEO
The Bar Association of Lehigh
County (BALC) honored the Lehigh
Valley Community Foundation with
its 2019 “Liberty Bell Award” at the
2019 Law Day Luncheon.
Each year, BALC honors a leader in
the community for contributing to
the promotion of freedom under
the law. LVCF was selected by the
Law Day Committee of the Bar
Association of Lehigh County.
“The Community Foundation was
selected because it works hard
every day to meet its mission,” said
Ray Bridgeman, executive director,
Bar Association of Lehigh County.
Erika Riddle Petrozelli Named to “Forty under 40”
Lehigh Valley Business, a leading
area publication, named Lehigh
Valley Community Foundation’s
Erika Riddle Petrozelli, associate
vice president for philanthropy, as
one of the 40 young professionals
from the greater Lehigh Valley
selected as a 2019 “Forty Under
40” honoree.
“LVCF promotes philanthropy in
order to improve the quality of
life in our region, to encourage
collaboration among area
philanthropists, and to serve as a
source of information and expertise
regarding charitable giving.”
The Lehigh County Lawyers’
Charitable Fund that was
established by the Bar Association
of Lehigh County in 2007. “By
alleviating the administrative
burden, the Community
Foundation allows our organization
to concentrate on raising funds
and making gifts for maximum
impact,” Bridgeman explained.
“We as so proud that Erika was
selected for this honor,” noted
Bernie Story, president and CEO
of LVCF. “It is a well-deserved
recognition for her leadership and
the work that she does to improve
the lives of people in the Valley
through community involvement.”
“Congratulations to LVCF for being
our 2019 BALC Liberty Bell Award
Recipient.”
Erika Riddle Petrozelli
a Rider-Pool Collective
Impact Fellow
Erika Riddle Petrozelli,
associate vice president for
philanthropy at the Lehigh
Valley Community Foundation,
was selected for the 2018-
19 Rider-Pool Foundation’s
Collective Impact Fellowship
program. The foundation
created the Collective Impact
Fellowship Program in 2014
to address and improve
complex quality of life
challenges in neighborhoods
surrounding Allentown’s
downtown Neighborhood
Improvement Zone by training
and supporting current and
emerging community leaders.
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