Cottage Grove foundation prepares to spotlight its work in community.

Byline: RANDI BJORNSTAD The Register-Guard

COTTAGE GROVE - Going about its business without fanfare, the Cottage Grove Community Foundation has worked behind the scenes for 11 years, raising money to support community projects, most notably the purchase and renovation of the city's $1 million community center at 700 Gibbs Ave.

Now the group wants to become far more public, enlisting the capital of more donors and expanding the kinds of good works it helps finance.

At the moment, its endowments total $120,000, but the group hopes within the next several years to expand that to at least $1 million, said Sherry Duerst-Higgins, local real estate agent and president of the foundation board.

"When you walk through this center and see all the activity here - public library, meetings, chamber of commerce office, therapy pool, art exhibits - you realize how important this work is," Duerst-Higgins said. "We've kept a very low profile all this time, but it's time to change that. We don't want to be Cottage Grove's best-kept secret anymore."

To help put its name before the public, in March the foundation will announce $500 grants to 10 community organizations for their educational, medical, cultural, social or civic projects. The group also will award $500 scholarships to two graduating high school seniors.

In all cases, the grants will be made to groups and individuals within the boundaries of the South Lane School District.

Frank Simpson, a retired aerospace executive now volunteering his time as executive director of the nonprofit foundation, said the board of directors "hired" him three months ago to help the group "take its proper place in the community."

"This group wants to become a focal point for assessing what the community needs - and how to finance them - outside major government programs," Simpson said. "We want people to think of us as the (clearinghouse) that brings out public and private donors and also to (facilitate) grant requests."

To maximize its resources, the local foundation has put its funds under the umbrella of the well-established and well-endowed Oregon Community Foundation, Simpson said.

"When people put their contributions together in a foundation - even if individually they think they don't have much - it can do a lot of good in a local community," he said.

"If we pull together as a community, we can address many needs without taxes or bond issues or other public funding."

In the future, the foundation anticipates raising funds for projects ranging from youth activities to helping the city meet a $2 million commitment toward construction of a new PeaceHealth hospital, Simpson said.

Application packets for the $500 awards will be available Feb. 1 at the foundation office or at the chamber of commerce, both in the community center on Gibbs Avenue.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 28.

Awards will be announced March 21. Another round of grants will be made in the fall. For details, call the Cottage Grove Community Foundation at 942-0014.