Greater Portland Foundation

Report to Board of Advisors

George Bryson, Director

This file created specifically for Shalyn Beaulieu

Report to Board of Advisors

Executive Summary
The Greater Portland Foundation aims to enhance the
lives of all residents of Portland and the surrounding
area by building a community endowment, addressing
common needs through philanthropy, and providing
leadership through grants and partnerships.
As a community foundation, the Greater Portland
Foundation is supported by local donors. A board of
private citizens governs the foundation and works for
the greater good of the Portland community. Funding sources include bequests and living
trusts, which are invested in perpetuity. The earnings on investments are then distributed
to worthy organizations or causes. The Greater Portland Foundations assets are among the
top five for community foundations in the United States.

History and Background

Formatted: Heading 1

The Greater Portland Foundation was established in 1920 by Phillip Stark. He wanted to
combine the charitable resources of Portlands leading families and create an endowment
for future generations. His visionary idea has grown into a solid organization that has
benefited millions of lives in the last 100 years. He wanted to combine the charitable
resources of Portlands leading families and create an endowment for future generations.
The Greater Portland Foundation is organized around three principles: philanthropy, sound
investments, and leadership. The foundation sponsors more than 1,000 funds established
by residents, families, organizations, and corporations. The funds offer innovative,
rewarding ways to donate to the Portland community. The foundation protects
philanthropic assets through a diversified investment strategy while meeting the particular
wishes of our donors. Finally, the foundation awards grants to projects, programs, and
organizations that benefit Portland in areas of economic growth, neighborhood
revitalization, artistic expression, and educational success.

Philanthropy

Investing

This file created specifically for Shalyn Beaulieu

Leadership

Report to Board of Advisors

Financial Summary
The assets of the Greater Portland Foundation are combined into a few diversified
investment portfolios. Each portfolio is assigned a risk level consistent with the provisions
of the charitable funds. Overall, the foundation seeks investments that generate a
maximum long-term total return to preserve the principal of the funds. The following table
provides highlights of the Greater Portland Foundations finances over the past five years.
Total assets
Operating expenses
% of total assets
Contributions
Grants

2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
$ 100,359,292 $ 109,533,703 $ 118,921,082 $ 212,983,721 $ 225,450,982
1,200,000
1,145,430
1,208,578
1,279,119
1,425,788
1.20%
1.05%
1.02%
0.60%
0.63%
7,155,600
8,345,800
9,575,270
9,200,570
9,800,950
5,340,900
6,267,800
7,500,120
10,103,970
9,675,800

The Greater Portland Foundation uses six types of assets: education, donor advised, donor
designated, planned giving, field of interest, and unrestricted. These assets are invested in
corresponding types of funds, as shown in the following chart.

Assets by Fund Type

8%

5%
28%

11%
6%

42%

Education

Donor advised

Unrestricted

Donor designated

Planned giving

Field of interest

The financial summary workbook and chart are available on our Web site at
http://www.gpf.cengage.org/.
Greater Portland Foundation
George Bryson, Director
(503) 555-1701

This file created specifically for Shalyn Beaulieu