Helping People Help People

Sappington welcomes new role with the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. 

When Eric Sappington joined the Community Foundation of Central Missouri as executive director on April 1, he jumped headfirst into a career that fuels his passion for creating and supporting growth and change. After just a short overlap with former executive director John Baker, who retired after thirteen years, Sappington said he has been working to spread the word about how the CFCM builds funds for organizations that support the people of central Missouri.   

“I had two weeks with John to learn the ropes,” Sappington said. “Since then, I have been able to get out and visit with people and meet a lot of business leaders, city leaders and nonprofit leaders.”   

Sappington spent the past fifteen years working at Missouri Valley College as vice president of advancement, where he says he worked to grow recognition and support for the campus. When the opportunity to join the CFCM came up, he says it was something he couldn’t pass up.   

“I recognized very early that I enjoyed working with people and organizations and finding ways to help their efforts,” Sappington explained. “While working for one campus was meaningful, I’ve realized that to be able to impact all of the organizations in the city of Columbia and central Missouri is extremely meaningful. When you work in higher education, you have to wear the colors of that organization, and when you work for a Community Foundation, you’re working with hundreds of nonprofits throughout the region that have different efforts they’re trying to support.”   

CoMoGives and So Much More   

The CFCM is most often recognized around Columbia for its CoMoGives campaign, an annual fundraising campaign that runs throughout the month of December. Last year’s campaign raised more than $2 million for 174 nonprofit organizations around central Missouri, and this year’s campaign is on track to generate just as much support for participating nonprofits.   

“This year, we have 170 organizations that will benefit from CoMoGives, and we are expecting to once again raise a little over $2 million in the month long campaign,” he said.   

While the community has a familiarity with CoMoGives, Sappington is actively working to raise awareness of all the ways the CFCM benefits the region.  

“Everybody in central Missouri has become aware of CoMoGives and how important it has become to our nonprofits each year,” he noted. “The $2 million last year was the most CoMoGives had ever raised, and we are looking forward to the month of December to do the same thing and reach up over that goal. But I also want to make people more aware of the CFCM and what we are able to do to help the city of Columbia and the region of central Missouri. It’s important that people know what a Community Foundation can be to an area, and CoMoGives is just one of the things we do.”   

Launched in 2010, the CFCM is one of eight community foundations in Missouri, and it serves twelve counties in and around Boone County. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, it is able to work with individuals and groups to establish funds for charitable giving. The CFCM invests the funds, then serves as the administrator of those funds, under the direction of the donor.   

“Individuals, groups, and businesses can set up these funds with no minimum,” Sappington said. “Some funds have started with a few thousand dollars, while other funds have been started with a couple hundred thousand dollars.”   

The CFCM currently holds funds established by 135 individuals, businesses and organizations throughout the region, totaling over $14 million. The administration of the funds, accounting, banking, and reporting are all handled by the CFCM, and there is only one hard rule that all donors must follow.   

“Money has to go to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and that is the rule,” Sappington added. “There are no restrictions on timing and no minimums. Organizations and individuals can give that money to whoever they want on whatever schedule they want, it’s all up to them. In other situations you have to give out a certain amount annually. That is one of the reasons people find that having a fund with a community foundation is beneficial.”   

Making Giving Simple  

Because there is only one rule that money must be given to nonprofit organizations, Sappington said there are many ways that individuals, organizations, and businesses can interact with the CFCM.   

“We try to make it easy for people to be philanthropic and give to nonprofits in Columbia and central Missouri,” he said.   

“Everybody in central Missouri has become aware of CoMoGives and how important it has become to our nonprofits each year. But I also want to make people more aware of the CFCM and what we are able to do the help the city of Columbia and the region of central Missouri. It’s important that people know what a Community Foundation can be to an area, and CoMoGives is just one of the things we do.” 

Eric Sappington, executive director, Community Foundation of Central Missouri

Sometimes, friends or family members will establish a scholarship with the CFCM in memory of someone who has died, then distribute funds based on a set of criteria that they determine. Or someone may receive a lump sum from a company upon their retirement and choose to set up a charitable fund. Someone else may have money resulting from the sale of stocks, bonds or real estate.   

“There are tax benefits to starting funds,” Sappington said. “This allows people to give money to nonprofits and avoid some of the taxes they may otherwise owe.”   

In addition to potential tax benefits, setting up charitable giving through the CFCM relieves the administrative burden of giving.   

“Sometimes people don’t want to deal with administering checks, so they just call us and have a check sent,” he explained. “Some people don’t want to deal with it, and would rather call and have it taken care of.”   

Embracing New Challenges   

While Sappington says his role at the helm of the CFCM is an exciting way to harness support for a large variety of nonprofits and a wide range of causes, the fact that Columbians and central Missourians warmly embrace and support philanthropy is also proving to be his biggest challenge.   

“The most challenging part of this position is getting my arms wrapped around all the nonprofit organizations and what their needs are and what they are working to do, and making sure I’m understanding all the people involved,” he said. “The learning curve of starting from ground zero and moving up is the biggest challenge.”   

For the married father of three, avid Kansas City Chiefs fan and fledgling empty nester, Sappington said the challenge is one he eagerly embraces.   

“I want to make sure the CFCM is out in front of people, I want to make sure people know how to get in touch with us, and if there are questions, we are always open to conversations,” he said. “We are just trying to do what’s best for the nonprofits here in the area by helping people help people.