CFSEA: Donor impact – The rural fund of 40 Mile

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

As part of our ongoing series about how the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta (CFSEA) impacts your community, this week’s article focuses on donor impact. Donors have the flexibility to give in ways that work best for them, knowing their contributions pave the way for a brighter future. 

Today, Stephanie Hlady shares her story. 

“I feel like I have been aware of CFSEA for over 30 years. I am always in awe of the amount of good foundations do for communities,” says Hlady. “All of us in the County of 40 Mile give to many projects, initiatives, and charities. Many of us support local, regional, and probably global causes. All of these are important and serve vulnerable people or fund valuable programs. Giving, whether it is your time, your energy, or your money, is an important structure in any community.”

She continues, “We started a named fund within the Rural Community Fund of 40 Mile with the help of our initial donors. My husband, Rob, and I started with a goal to support youth and education and thankfully, our initial donors supported this goal as well. Specifically, we hope to get those youth who currently view post-secondary education as ‘not for them’ thinking about how further education can be their next step. I believe this scholarship will support a commitment to education and learning to keep rural Alberta progressive and help our communities flourish.”

For Hlady and her husband, the CFSEA was the way to ensure their investment continued indefinitely. 

“We knew our goal of youth education, and we knew we wanted to commit our money and now we needed the CFSEA to make this investment possible. We wanted our donations to live forever. That is the strength of a foundation. This charitable investment is professionally managed, with a strong process to administer the fund. We will continue to contribute to the fund and the interest from the fund will be dispersed to students in the form of a scholarship.”

“I believe this type of giving is forward-thinking and strategic, and we get to help a youngster in the community realize their vision,” she concludes, “So, in that sense we the donors are the true benefactors of this fund.”

Learn more about donor giving on the CFSEA website: cfsea.ca/donate-watch-it-grow.