Annual Report Highlight: 2016 Better Giving Index

Since our establishment in 2008, most of the grantmaking we do is conducted together with our clients through donor advised funds.  In fact, last year approximately 20 percent of the $34 million received by Indian River County charities from foundations came from donor advised funds at Indian River Community Foundation.  We were curious to understand the trends associated with this generosity, and produced the Better Giving Index to begin to feature the organizations most supported by our clients in our first eight years of operation.  The eight organizations in the 2016 Better Giving Index are:  Indian River Land Trust, Indian River Medical Center Foundation, Vero Beach Museum of Art, Saint Edward's School, The Learning Alliance, United Way of Indian River County, Gifford Youth Achievement Center and McKee Botanical Garden.  Here are a few highlights, and more information about the 2016 Better Giving Index can be found in A Measure of Our Mission:  2015-2016 Annual Report.

• In the eight years between 2008 and 2016, eight local nonprofit charitable organizations have been awarded a cumulative total of 673 grants of $6.7 million from donor advised funds at Indian River Community Foundation.
• The largest grant during this period equaled $500,000 to the Indian River Medical Center Foundation.
• The average grant equaled approximately $9,900.