Annual Meeting
2023 BLF Annual Membership Meeting
Introduction
Agenda
BLF Financial Statements for Fiscal Year 2022
BLF Grant Cycle History 2006-2022
Elections of Board Trustees
List of Organizations Applying for 2023 Grants (spreadsheet format)
Message from Board of Trustees regarding determination of 2023 funding recommendations
Meeting materials in downloadable PDF documents
YouTube Video
Introduction
The BLF story. Founded more than 30 years ago by members of the Co-op Bookstore to honor Bill Long, we follow the principles that Bill championed: participatory democracy and local impact. Our members, board, and the organizations and causes we support are all part of the Oberlin community.
The BLF reach. This year 19 organizations submitted 21 project requests totaling just over $70,000! During this year's annual meeting (held for the first time in several years as an in-person event) the membership will discuss the applications and then vote to fund the requests.
The BLF approach. All of our grants go to meet the needs of the Oberlin community. Our organization has no employees and few expenses. Our application process is as simple as possible. With a donation of $10 or more ($5 for students), anyone can become a member of BLF.
The BLF Annual Meeting. During the Annual Meeting members will conduct the Foundation business - review the activities of BLF since the last annual meeting, hear financial details, say goodbye and thanks to outgoing trustees and elect new board trustees. Then members will hear from representatives of the non-profit causes about their organizations and missions related to their grant applications, after which the members will vote on how to distribute grant funding! The event will begin at 6:30 pm with a social reception. The business portion of the meeting begins promptly at 7:00 pm. Details from the meeting will be posted on this website.
Join us or renew! It’s easy to do. Go to our Documents page, download the Donation & Membership Form and return it with your contribution, or contribute through PayPal. (link button below).
The Annual Meeting will also be livestreamed on YouTube for those who want to see the meeting but cannot attend the in-person event. Link to livestream of BILL LONG FOUNDATION ANNUAL MEETING 2023.
Help us spread the word about BLF. Ask your friends to become members, too!
Bill Long Foundation Annual Membership Meeting Agenda
Meeting materials in downloadable PDF documents
Kendal Heiser Auditorium - April 19, 2023
6:30PM Social Half-Hour - 7:00PM Membership Meeting
Meeting livestreamed on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/BLF2023livestream
1. 6:30PM – Social Half-Hour - Time to snack and to talk and meet with Grant Applicant Organizations
2. 7:00PM – Call to Order/Welcome
3. Review of 2022 BLF Annual Membership Meeting Minutes - Dick Baznik
Motion/Vote to approve
4. President’s Report - John Memmott
5. Treasurer’s Report - Michael Reynolds (Assistant Treasurer)
2022 Financial Documents and Report
Motion/Vote to accept Treasurer's Report
6. Nomination & Election of Board Trustees –Dick Baznik
Thanks to Richard Baznik, Carol Lasser, Evyn Lundy, and John Memmott for their service on the board.
Trustees continuing in their 3-year terms: Brandon County, Liv Hanson, Peter Jensen, Michael Reynolds, Julia Robinson, and Brittnei Sherrod
Trustee seeking new 3-year term: Jill Sawyer
Nominations by the BLF Nominations Committee for open Trustee positions (3-year terms): Stephanie Mata Granados, Kathleen Jackson, Del Mason, and Sandra Miller
Discussion of Slate and Motion/Vote to approve
7. Report on Tools & Training Program – Liv Hanson
8. Update on last year's Community Land Trust $30,000 BLF Funding - Liz Burgess
9. 5-10 minute stretch
10. Causes - Brandon County & Carol Lasser
- 2-minute presentations by grant applicants
- 1-2 brief questions per organization
- Motion(s) and vote(s) to approve or amend Board recommended awards
Final Motion and Vote by membership to accept overall funding of all projects
11. Other Business
12. Adjournment
Links
Annual Meeting Information: https://www.blfoberlin.org/annual-meeting
Meeting livestreamed on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/BLF2023livestream
Grant Process Information: https://www.blfoberlin.org/grants
Membership Information and Donations: https://www.blfoberlin.org/donating-membership
Online Passthrough Donation Form: https://bit.ly/BLFpassthru2023
Bill Long Foundation Website Homepage: https://blfoberlin.org
Bill Long Foundation Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BillLongFoundation
Bill Long Foundation Mailing Address: P.O. Box 0141, Oberlin, OH 44074
Bill Long Foundation Email Address: blfoberlin@gmail.com

Financial Statements
Bill Long Foundation Treasurer's Financial Statement for Fiscal Year 2022

Bill Long Foundation Grant Cycle History for 2006-2023
Election for Board Trustees
Slate for presentation to the BLF members:
Trustees leaving with strong warm appreciation for outstanding service: Richard Baznik, Carol Lasser, Evyn Lundy, and John Memmott.
Trustees continuing in their three-year terms: Brandon County, Liv Hanson, Peter Jensen, Michael Reynolds, Julia Robinson, Brittnei Sherrod.
Trustee continuing and seeking a new three-year term: Jill Sawyer (writer and Oberlin businesswoman)
Nominations for open board seats (three-year terms):
· Stephanie Mata Granados (Oberlin College student)
· Kathleen Jackson (Executive Director of FAVA)
· Del Mason (retired Oberlin pediatrician)
· Sandra Miller (semiretired Oberlin businesswoman)

2023 BLF Grants Funding Proposals
Organization, amount requested, short description of project, link to their online resources
Common Ground - Cindy Nord Center for Renewal
Requesting $5,000
Healthy snacks for summer campers & garden play area
https://commongroundcenter.org
Community Action to Save Strays (CATSS)
Requesting $2,500
Assistance for care of cats in stressed need homes
Credo Music
Requesting $4,000
4 scholarships for local students attending summer Credo Festival
Firelands Association for Visual Arts (FAVA)
Requesting $2,000
Scholarships for Education Programming & Fall-o-ween artist/pumpkins
Girls Electronic Arts Retreat (GEAR)
Requesting $1,600
Consumable supplies and equipment for June camp activities
https://www.girlselectronicartsretreat.org
Lorain County Imagination Library
Requesting $3,000
Book fees for Oberlin children enrolled in Lorain County Imagination Library
https://www.peoplewhocare.org/lcil
Mad* Factory
Requesting $2,500
General operating support
Ninde Scholars Program
Requesting $1,600
High School student expenses (food) during summer program
https://www.oberlin.edu/bcsl/programs/ninde-scholars
Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra (NOYO)
Requesting $2,880
Financial aid for musicians to participate in reduced-price instrumental lessons
Oberlin Chalk Walk
Requesting $850
High quality pastel chalk for use by Chalk Walk participants
https://www.facebook.com/events/1122156985163161/?ref=newsfeed
Oberlin Community Services - Emergency Services Support
Requesting $8,000
Support for direct emergency assistance
https://www.oberlincommunityservices.org/what-we-do
Oberlin Community Services - Juneteenth Community Picnic
Requesting $4,700
Juneteenth community picnic food and beverages
https://www.oberlincommunityservices.org/community
Oberlin Community Mural Project
Requesting $1,000
Expenses incurred during painting of mural on Main St.?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/oberlin/albums/72157719771375182/
Oberlin Community Music School
Requesting $1,600
Scholarships for students attending summer camp music lessons
https://www.oberlin.edu/community-music-school
Oberlin HS Interact Club BackPack Program
Requesting $3,000
Supplying needy students with backpacks of food for weekends
https://oberlincityschools.wordpress.com/2022/04/05/ocsd-receives-temporary-relief-funding%EF%BF%BC/
Oberlin Weekday Community Meals (OWCM)
Requesting $10,000
Operating expenses
https://www.facebook.com/ObieHotMeals/
OberlinKids Community Collaborative - Equal Access PreSchool
Requesting $5,000
Scholarships for high-quality preschool program attendance
OberlinKids Community Collaborative - Family Engagement
Requesting $5,000
Provide monthly Family Engagement Literacy and Learning Kits
Providing Oberlin With Efficiency Responsibly (POWER)
Requesting $2,500
Home repair materials & labor for weatherization, safety, & conservation
Road to Hope - Margeau House
Requesting $1,600
Purchasing stove, vacuum cleaners, miscellaneous household items
Ruby N. Jones Community Scholarship Fund
Requesting $2,000
Higher education college scholarship support for Oberlin students in need
https://www.msrubyscholarship.org
If you would like to add to the BLF grant funding for a specific cause or causes that are of special significance to you please complete the online passthrough donation form:
https://bit.ly/BLFpassthru2023
The Bill Long Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under the regulations of the Internal Revenue Service.
Message from Bill Long Foundation Board of Trustees regarding how Trustees determined their 2023 funding recommendations:
1. The Bill Long Foundation (BLF) is a membership-powered community foundation that gives grants to support projects and activities in Oberlin that address basic human needs or enrich cultural life. Membership in the foundation is open to all. Members elect volunteer trustees who manage all operations and award grants based on the vote of members attending the annual meeting.
2. The trustees reviewed all grant applications for completeness and considered to what extent each application aligns with the BLF mission statement. In most years there are a few applications that are incomplete or do not align with our mission statement, with the result that they do not make the final cut; that was true again this year.
3. The trustees considered the BLF’s financial situation (primarily our investments with Lesjak Planning and BLF members’ donations, as well as current market trends and our financial advisor’s advice) in order to determine how much total money to recommend be awarded at this year’s annual meeting. This year (following a significant decline in the markets and our investments) we came up with a total amount of around $48,000 based on the following considerations:
· We started with a 6% annual draw (a fiscally sustainable amount recommended by our financial advisor--based on our portfolio and market trends) from our March ‘23 investments total of $308,936, making for a starting amount of $18,536 available this year for grants.
· To that investment withdrawal, we added our March ‘23 checking account balance of $31,549 (primarily unrestricted donations from BLF members), making for a total of $50,085.
· From that total of $50,085 we held back 3.6% (approximately $2,000) for operating expenses in the coming year (insurance, PO Box, Bill Long’s model train support, etc.), making for a final total of $48,288 as the board’s recommended upper limit on grant awards in 2023.
4. The trustees determined how to divide the recommended total (this year $48,288) among the qualifying grant applications (this year 21 applications requesting a total of $70,330). Our decisions were guided primarily by three factors:
· To what extent was the proposed project beneficial to Oberlin residents.
· The relative sizes of the applicant organizations and the resources available to them from other sources.
· The extent to which the project focuses on high priority community needs.
A final note: The trustees have made these funding recommendations with careful consideration for the immediate needs of Oberlin residents, as well as for the longer-term financial stability of the Bill Long Foundation so it can continue to serve Oberlin residents.
Meeting materials in downloadable
PDF documents on Documents webpage
Agenda
2022 Annual Meeting Minutes
Treasurer's Reports
2023 Board of Trustees Election Slate
2023 Grants Proposal Spreadsheet
Board Grant Funding Recommendation Explanation

2023 Meeting Agenda

2022 Meeting Minutes

Trustees Election Slate

Grant Funding Spreadsheet

Explanation for Board Funding Recommendations

Treasurer's Financial Report

Grant Cycle History 2006-2023
If you would like to add to the BLF grant funding for a specific cause or causes that are of special significance to you please complete the online passthrough donation form:
https://bit.ly/BLFpassthru2023
The Bill Long Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under the regulations of the Internal Revenue Service.