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http://www.elfinforestfoundation.org
The Elfin Forest Community Foundation was established to administer a permanent endowment fund and to fund grants aimed at preserving, maintaining, and enhancing the overall quality of rural life within the Elfin Forest area.
While the San Marcos landfill was in operation, the city of San Marcos collected “host fees” for each ton of trash deposited there. Because of the landfill’s location, Elfin Forest residents where severely impacted by its operation, while San Marcos citizens never noticed it. As a result of strong urging and persistence by Elfin Forest residents, the city agreed to set aside a small fraction of the host fees as a mitigation to our community.
The Elfin Forest Community Foundation was originally established as the Community Compensation Advisory Board in 1994, as a Town Council sponsored subgroup to investigate the whereabouts of the mitigation tipping fees collected by San Marcos in 1991. It then became the Community Foundation by a resolution of the Elfin Forest Town Council on February 3, 1995. Now it exists as a public foundation and a California corporation established under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Community Foundation's mission is to enhance the quality of rural life in the greater Elfin Forest community. One of its primary functions is to administer the remediation trust established by the San Marcos City Council for impacts to the community resulting from the operation of the San Marcos landfill, which is now closed. Established as an autonomous and independent entity, the Foundation is governed by a board of nine directors which are elected residents from within the community. The Foundation is limited by its governing charter and by-laws, to the funding of grants aimed at preserving, maintaining, or enhancing the overall quality of rural life within the Elfin Forest area.
The Foundation has established a structure in which worthy projects, initiated by individuals, ad hoc groups, or recognized organizations, could be brought forth to the community for grant funding. Only those activities which can be shown to benefit the public good are eligible for grant funding. Similarly, it is the intent of the Foundation to provide a mechanism by which individuals, estates or family trusts can donate funds to the community of Elfin Forest.
The funds available to the Foundation originate from two sources. The first is from direct donation and the second is from the Trust established by resolution of the San Marcos City Council to partially offset impacts associated with the San Marcos landfill. Interest generated from the investment of these funds forms the pool from which grant funds are drawn. The Trust has been established with the expressed intent of preserving principle while allocating the accrued interest from these funds. In so doing, the Trust will provide for the long term benefit of the entire community. Directly donated funds are subject to the inherent restrictions under which they were donated.
Foundation grants are generally focused at those activities which serve the widest segment of the community. For example, projects may include such activities as planting trees near a public right of way, establishing and dedicating an open space easement, building and dedicating a horse/hiking trail, the purchase of a defibrillator for the Fire Department, or perhaps enhanced security type patrol. Activities are envisioned to be active in nature and not simple studies or such things as community or personal legal fees.
The first two grants were awarded in May 1996 and went to the development of a trails staging area near the fire station and an Escondido Creek trash removal projects organized by The Escondido Creek Conservancy. Other projects included tree planting, a fire safe garden, fire department pagers and masks, and contributions to the Elfin Forest picnic and parade and for this community guide.
Grant applications are encouraged from anyone with ideas and motivation to improve the Elfin Forest community. Proposed projects must be on a not-for-profit basis. Interested persons are invited to contact an EFCF director to obtain an application and/or assistance in completing an application. Applications are considered semi-annually and presented at meetings that are open to the public.
To qualify for funding, grant applicants must meet the following basic requirements:
· Grants are generally awarded for the procurement of items necessary to achieve a project’s goal. Except in unique cases, the cost of labor is not a reimbursable expense. Documentation is required to support the Foundation’s annual IRS submissions.
· Grants are generally awarded to residents and landowners of the Elfin Forest community. In limited instances, an outside group may be funded if the activity has an immediate and direct impact on the community.
· Unless amended in the by-laws, the Elfin Forest Community is as defined as County Service Areas 107.
· The request must be on a not for profit basis and benefit the public good.
· Benefits a large segment of the Elfin Forest community
· Builds upon previous community investment
· Has matching funds or labor.
The EFCF will not fund projects associated with taking legal action against any individual or group (other than for the protection of the EFCF) or sponsorship or opposition to a political candidate or issue. Expenditures of any grant funds by individuals or organizations requires documentation to support the EFCF annual tax returns.
Applications for grants are considered in the spring (April 15 deadline) and fall (October 15 deadline) of each year. Projects should be completed within one year from date of funding. Persons interested in additional the EFCF or who wish to obtain the grant guidelines and are invited to contact:
Elfin Forest Community Foundation
20223 Elfin Forest Road
Elfin Forest, CA 92029
Please feel free to contact any of these individuals for information on how to apply for grant funding or to set up a heritage trust for dedicating property, easements, or money to the Elfin Forest Community.
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