Staff promotion news & adopting a results based approach

NORWALK, March 12, 2015 — As a way of expanding its commitment to playing a leadership role in addressing critical community issues in the county, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation has announced two key promotions.

Nancy von Euler, currently program director, is being promoted to vice president of programs. She will be responsible for strategic leadership for all aspects of the program department, overseeing community impact initiatives and grantmaking policies and strategy. She will be a liaison between the Community Foundation and the nonprofit community, and a key partner with external constituent groups, such as community leaders and donors.

Ms. von Euler has held several critical roles at the Community Foundation over the past seven years. She began as program director for its Fund for Women and Girls and then became program director for economic opportunity and health and human services. Most recently she has led the community impact work of PT Partners, the Community Foundation’s award-winning public housing initiative.

Karen R. Brown, currently vice president of programs, will become vice president of innovation and strategic learning, a new position. She will be responsible for keeping the Community Foundation abreast of trends and best practices in the community foundation field and promoting internal and external learning, innovation and thought leadership.

Ms. Brown has served at the Community Foundation for 16 years, heading community leadership efforts and overseeing its partnership with Social Venture Partners CT. While at the Community Foundation, she conceived of and led the Urban School Fellows Program and Fairfield County Funders’ Collaborative for Affordable Housing, and she played a key role in the early design of the Family Economic Security Program at Norwalk Community College.

The Community Foundation also announced that it is adopting Results Based Accountability to measure the impact of its competitive grantmaking and community leadership initiatives.

“Results Based Accountability is a worldwide movement for nonprofits, funders and government agencies to measure the impact of their work,” said Elaine Mintz, director of the Community Foundation’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence. “It is a data-driven approach to making change in our community, by focusing on the quality of life results we seek for those in our region.”

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence is providing training and support to organizations that receive funding from the Community Foundation in how to use RBA to measure their impact and improve their programs.

“I am thrilled to have these talented, committed women play such important roles on our team in order to accelerate the future accomplishments of the Community Foundation, our fundholders and donors,” said Juanita T. James, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “The work they are undertaking will help us deliver on our promise of making an impact by bringing together people and resources throughout the county.”

Fairfield County’s Community Foundation promotes philanthropy as a means to create change in Fairfield County, focusing on innovative and collaborative solutions to critical issues impacting the community. Individuals, families, corporations and organizations can establish charitable funds or contribute to existing funds. The Community Foundation is in compliance with the Council on Foundations’ national standards, and has awarded $180 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. For more information, visit www.FCCFoundation.org.