By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With more than $11.5 million in assets, the 2023 fiscal year was a growing year for the Barton Community College Foundation. Revenue and gains were up 158% from the previous year with a much better year in the market for investing.
Barton Foundation Executive Director Lindsey Bogner said many ask if the Foundation has $11.5 million in assets, why they don’t just pay for more things.
"Only 1.7% of that is cash," said Bogner. "That's why we don't just pay for things. A lot of that, 49.3% is restricted investments. We earn investment interest from that. 36.3% is current investments. The rest of it is cash and pledges receivable."
The Foundation awarded $563,307 in enhancement grants, which are directed to Barton projects and programs. Out of the all the Barton projects, 59% of the enhancement grants went to workforce training, with a large portion to the new Ag and Transportation Complex.
There were five new funds or endowments established in the 2023 fiscal year, and Bogner said she is awaiting a significant donation in the near future.
"I am happy to report that the college will be receiving the largest gift to date this year from a planned gift that was started 10 or 15 years ago," said Bogner. "Those types of gifts take a long time, but they are able to be bigger. The splash is the amount, but it's the hard work and the relationship that you build up until then that really makes the difference."
The Foundation awarded $302,254 in scholarships to 284 students during the 2022-2023 school year. Of the scholarship money, 55% was awarded to students from Barton, and 95% went toward students from the State of Kansas.
