|  | | | | The San Miguel Community Foundation (SMCF), a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation
incorporated in the State of Texas, provides grants twice a year to
eligible Mexican non-profits that are the neediest at the time of
grant review.
In each of the last two years, the foundation
has donated over $100,000 to the San Miguel de Allende community
from its own treasury. SMCF was the recipient of the Chili and
Charros event in January, 2012 and the board was able to give an
additional six grants of over $5,000. USD to the NGO community.
The Board of Directors of the San Miguel Community Foundation at its strategy meeting agreed that preservation of our endowment is a basic general goal in planning our "giving" strategy.
SMCF agreed to aim for diversity in gifts, making a greater number of modest grants rather than a few substantial ones. The Board encourages matching grant applications.
The Board agreed that SMCF would not make grants to other 501-(c)-3 organizations nor to government agencies. Generally, we would not support "long-term" commitments, preferring annual awards with the possibility of renewal. SMCF grants are not available for operating expenses, salaries and grants do not usually include pilot programs.
Grant proposals are reviewed at the May (deadline April 15) and November (deadline October 15) board meetings. To submit a grant for the current grant review process, please go to “Grants” for the grant guidelines.
The Board recognizes that these considerations are guidelines and that circumstances may present a unique situation in which SMCF would wish to deviate from these guidelines.
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| | New Advocates of “Living here, Giving here”
By Gregory R. Gunter
“The motto ‘Vivimos aqui, y donamos aquí’—“We live here, and we give here’—has special meaning to me,” reflects Maritere Dobarganes, the Secretary and newest board member of SMCF, the San Miguel Community Foundation.
Professional translator Maria Teresa Garcia Dobarganes Barlow—Maritere, to friends—learned the lesson of giving back to the community from her father, Dr. Felipe Dobarganes, Director of San Miguel’s then-only hospital for over a quarter century. The current Hospital General is named after him, a reflection of his generosity with the community.
“My father treated any patient,” Maritere added, “regardless of their ability to pay. He felt it a duty to help our fellow citizens, however possible. I now practice that childhood lesson by offering my translation services to nonprofit groups, and look forward to drawing more of my fellow native professionals into the nonprofit community.”
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1. Maria Teresa Garcia Dobarganes Barlow joined the Board of San Miguel community Foundation this summer. |
| | Maritere’s lineage gives her both a lengthy and extraordinary insight into the local community. Arkansan Nell Harris Fernandez, co-founder of the Instituto Allende, was her grandmother; Nell’s sons, Jaime and Rudy, are half-brothers of Barbara, Maritere’s mother. In fact, Maritere perfected her English skills, living her senior year of high school in Nell’s home town of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Maritere began her community volunteer work here providing translation services in 1989, working with Lucha Maxwell’s Centro de Crecimiento, but has since volunteered her translation skills with organizations as diverse as Mujeres en Cambio, the Biblioteca, and Opera San Miguel. Following in her grandmother and mother’s footsteps, supporting the S.P.A. continues to be among her longtime passions.
“We’re fortunate to have gained two new Board Members this year,” says Donna Foudray, President of SMCF. “Although Maritere is our newest addition, Gary joined us this January.”
While Gary Fink, SMCF’s new Treasurer, demonstrates 13 years of residency in San Miguel, it was only this spring that he and wife Judy sold their winter home in Merida, choosing to stay year-round in San Miguel. “The timing was finally right,” Gary notes, about his ability to now serve full time.
Previously employed in the U.S. Social Security administration, Gary also worked several years in southern Africa, helping set up a social security system for countries like Zambia. With his wife, he has previously worked locally with non-profits Patronato Pro Niños and Feed the Hungry.
President Foudray notes SMCF recently distributed USD $50,000 in grants this May from their endowment to local A.C. organizations—those certified as Mexican non-profits—as one of their twice-annual grant distributions. This spring, SMCF also distributed six grants of over 56,000 pesos each, proceeds from this January’s Chili & Charros event, which will be repeated again next year.
SMCF also accepts direct donations for donors interested in receiving a tax-deductible receipt. Through SMCF’s U.S. 501(C)-3, funds are processed for a five percent fee and then distributed directly to the donor’s organization or cause of choice. “Donors can specify a certain charity by name,” notes Foudray, “or they can simply note that they wish to support children’s education, or perhaps health care.”
To learn more or make an easy online tax-deductible donation through PayPal, see the SMCF web site at SanMiguelCommunityFoundation.org.
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| | | | | | Prol Pila Seca 91A, Col San Antonio, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México 37700
Tel: 011 +52 (415) 152-7447 or (415) 152-5327, US/CAN: 1 (210) 858-5286 Email:info@sanmiguelcommunityfoundation.org |
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http://www.fragolan.com
 
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