Beyond the Numbers: 2025 Financial Report
When most people read a financial report, they look for the big numbers; how much was raised, how much was granted, how much has grown.
Those numbers matter. But on their own, they do not explain how a community foundation actually works, or why certain changes are important. To really understand that, you have to look at how the pieces connect…how funds are built, how they grow, and how they turn into impact over time.
What Growth Really Means
This year, our total assets increased from $62.2 million to $79.6 million.
That kind of growth is significant, but it does not function the same way it would in a business or personal account. Much of what we steward is designed to last. Many funds are endowed, meaning they are invested so they can generate support year after year rather than being spent all at once.
So, when investments grow by 15.7%, it does not just mean there is more money available today. It means those funds are now better positioned to give consistently in the future.
Growth, in this context, is less about expansion and more about stability; making sure resources are not only available now, but protected and strengthened for what comes next.
How 411 Funds Actually Work
That long-term thinking becomes clearer when you look at how our funds are structured.
We currently steward 411 funds, and each one represents a different way of giving. Some are created to support a specific organization. Others focus on broader causes. Some allow donors to stay actively involved, while others are designed to do their work steadily over time.
When you step back, the mix of funds starts to tell a story.
About a quarter of our funds are designated funds, providing consistent support to specific nonprofits. Another portion reflects agency funds, created by nonprofits themselves—an important sign of trust and partnership.
Scholarship funds reflect long-term investment in students and access to education, while donor advised funds show that many donors want to stay actively engaged in their giving.
And then there are the funds that create flexibility—unrestricted and field of interest funds. These allow us to respond when needs shift, when something unexpected happens, or when an opportunity emerges that no one could have planned for.
Together, this mix creates balance. It allows us to honor long-term commitments while still being able to adapt in real time.
Where Flexibility Becomes Critical
That balance, however, comes with an important reality.
While our total assets are nearing $80 million, only about 17% of those assets are unrestricted.
That distinction is very important. Restricted funds are essential—they ensure that causes people care deeply about continue to be supported over time. But they are, by design, limited to specific purposes.
Unrestricted funds work differently. They allow us to:
Respond quickly when something changes
Support gaps that aren’t already funded
Say yes to opportunities that don’t fit neatly into existing categories
As Board Treasurer Ryan Robinson shared, this flexibility is what allows the Foundation to act with intention and agility.
And looking ahead, strengthening that flexibility will be critical. Because the needs of a community do not stay fixed, and the ability to respond to them should not be either.
From Funds to Impact
Understanding all of this helps explain how the numbers turn into action.
This year, 977 grants were awarded, totaling more than $3.5 million. That includes over $455,000 in scholarships supporting 115 students. Over time, more than $37 million has been reinvested back into the community.
Those numbers represent real outcomes—programs that continued, services that remained available, and opportunities that stayed within reach.
And behind each of those outcomes is a structure that made it possible: funds that were built to last, and resources that were available when they were needed most.
A Community Effort
None of this happens in isolation. More than 670 donors contributed this year, with an average gift of $864. That tells us something important. This work is built collectively.
It is not driven by a single source, but by many people choosing to invest in their community over time. That kind of participation creates stability. It ensures that this work can continue and grow, because it is supported by people who care deeply about where they live.
Why It All Matters
A financial report captures a moment in time. This year’s numbers give us confidence, but more than anything, they reflect what this work is built on.
Since 1974, Marietta Community Foundation, along with our staff, Board of Directors, and committees, has been serving Washington County. That is more than 50 years of steady work, thoughtful decisions, and a long-term commitment to this community.
That kind of history does not happen all at once. It is built over time through relationships, through trust, and through people who choose to be part of something bigger than themselves.
That is what these numbers represent. And that story is still being written. We invite you to be part of it. To give, to get involved, and to help carry this work forward for the next generation.
