2020 Annual Report

From the 2020 Board Chair

Since our start in 1982, Truman Heartland Community Foundation has made it our mission to connect people, ideas and resources to strengthen our region. Never in our organization’s history has this work been more important than it is now.

Though unable to gather, meet or celebrate in person, our community faced the challenges of 2020 with a united front and an outpouring of generosity. In partnership with fundholders, Truman Heartland granted more than $5.3 million to nonprofits, including $240,000 in COVID-19 response grants – a new record for grantmaking. This response will continue to be a source of pride as our region moves forward.

The year required many pivots. Together, we adapted, learned and committed to providing resources and relief when it was needed most. In 2020, Truman Heartland awarded $485,813 in scholarships to deserving area students and accelerated the grant application review process to provide $310,810 through our competitive grants program to help nonprofits serving the community in the face of this crisis.

Whether reacting to the unforeseen, like COVID-19, or providing ongoing support to our communities, Truman Heartland is committed to responding to immediate needs and navigating toward a shared vision for the future. In 2020, we launched the Job Skills for New Careers initiative. With $120,000 in contributions from fundholders and $60,000 in support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the new initiative helped 81 participants – many unemployed due to the pandemic – get on a path to better paying, in-demand careers and provided resources to help them build financial stability in their lives.

In this annual report, we celebrate the exceptional response to these unprecedented times and the generosity and collaborative efforts that are helping us move forward and giving us hope for tomorrow. Now more than ever, your trust and investment in Truman Heartland is making a difference in our community. Thank you.

- Melanie Moentmann
2020 Truman Heartland Board Chair

Ensuring Endless Support for Changing Needs

Faithful Friends Leave Transformative Gift to Community

A generous $2.8 million planned gift from lifelong friends Willa L. Fancher and Martha A. Taggart will ensure their affection for the region is felt forever. Read More 

Investing in Brighter Futures

Scholarships Help First-Generation College Student Follow Her Own Path

Alexxus Lindsey’s final year of nursing school looked very different than she expected, but she’s used to taking a non-traditional path to reaching her goals. Read More 

2020 Program Highlights

Youth Advisory Council

Engaging students in philanthropy has been part of Truman Heartland’s work for decades, inspiring nearly 120 students annually to use their voices to make a difference in the community. Read More 

Job Skills for New Careers

Launched in early 2020, the Job Skills for New Career initiative is developing innovative new partnerships and changing the lives of hardworking members of our community. Read More 

2020 Scholarship Award Recipients

Though unable to gather to celebrate, we awarded more than $485,000 in scholarships – a new record – providing a reliable source of funding for 235 students during stressful and uncertain times. Read More 

2020 Competitive Grant Recipients

In response to the pandemic, Truman Heartland accelerated the grant review process and partnered with fundholders to award more than $310,000 in grants to area nonprofits. Read More