The Dayton Foundation looks ahead to the next 100 years

Celebrating its 100th anniversary last year, the most logical question to ask The Dayton Foundation is: What’s going to happen over the next 100 years?

“We will continue to grow,” says Michelle Lovely, senior vice president of Development and Donor Services. “We are not only becoming more well known in the community, but more utilized, and that is mainly due to our advisers.

“We partner with our advisers. It might be a financial adviser. It might be an attorney. It might be a CPA. Most of our business comes through referrals, either through an adviser, or someone who has worked with us.”

And it’s not just our local region that is taking notice. The Dayton Foundation is one of the fastest growing and most innovative foundations nationwide. Earlier this year, total assets of The Dayton Foundation surpassed the $1 billion mark, with the organization representing more than 4,000 donor funds.

In the most recent ranking of nearly 800 community foundations nationwide, The Dayton Foundation ranked 40th in the U.S. in grants in terms of total dollars, made 39th in the nation for new gifts received and was rated at 42nd in market value of its assets. The Dayton Foundation is ranked second among all community foundations nationwide in the number of charitable funds under management and the number of grants awarded—more than community foundations in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago.

So what the secret of its success? In one word: inclusion.

“The one thing about The Dayton Foundation is that we pretty much work with any size donor,” says Lovely. “We have free charitable checking that anyone can utilize and that sets us apart from other community foundations.

“Many other community foundations have minimums that people have to keep in a fund, while we have no minimal balance requirements. I think that’s helpful, but we also have an account that is free. The other thing that separates us from other community foundations is the fact that we have over 50 different money managers, everything from major banking institutions and brokerage firms to the smaller boutique brokerage and investment firms.”

For those who work with The Dayton Foundation, it really all comes down to experience and trust.

“I have worked with a lot of clients with The Dayton Foundation and really got to know all that the foundation does,” says a retired CPA requesting anonymity. “The Dayton Foundation is the perfect choice for my needs and the needs of my clients.

“Over the years, I have become very familiar with all of the programs they offer and the benefits they offer that help my clients and other people. They have plenty of tools, but it’s not just their programs as much as it is their capabilities. I have also worked with them for so many years, so I know they will follow my wishes. But more than that, they have such a good history in our community.”

The Dayton Foundation was founded in 1921 by Dr. D. Frankland Garland, John H. Patterson, Julia Shaw Patterson Carnell and Robert Patterson. The tax-exempt organization receives and invests charitable gifts from individuals, families, businesses, not-for-profit organizations and other foundations.

“Those are just a few of the things that separate us from other community foundations,” adds Lovely. “And that will keep us growing into the next century.”