F. Tredway Shurling Fund
When the Community Foundation of Central Georgia was in its early years a number of the community’s forward-thinking business men and women contributed both money and other resources to help seed the Foundation gather a critical mass of assets
Among those initial contributors was prominent businessman Tred Shurling, who gave the Foundation a gift of real estate that subsequently was marketed and sold. “It was clear to a lot of us then that the Community Foundation could be a success and that over the long term it could have a tremendous impact on our community,” Mr. Shurling said. “With its growth, it now has significant resources and is doing significant things. It’s making a difference.”
Mr. Shurling established the donor advised fund that bears his name, and once the land was sold, he began making grants to worthy organizations throughout the community. Twice a year now, he looks at community needs and the requests that come to him, and he and his wife, Nancy, have the pleasure of taking an active role in deciding how the grants from the Fund will be distributed.
“The Community Foundation has provided us with the best possible means of giving back to the community. The Foundation provides the staff and all record-keeping functions, freeing us from the administrative chores of operating a foundation independently. They provide a real service. It’s very efficient, and they’re such good custodians of the money.” — Tred Shurling
By working through the Foundation, the Shurlings also are better able to identify community needs that fit their own field of interests. “We’re able to help out with a lot of things across the board, especially those that help children,” Mr. Shurling said. “We’ve been able to contribute to the Museum of Arts and Sciences, the Macon Symphony, and other worthy non-profits.” The Foundation also maintains a permanent record of each fund holder’s charitable interests and gifts, ensuring that the focus of the family’s wishes will be safeguarded for future generations. And when fund holders receive a request from an organization they are not familiar with, they can turn to the Foundation to provide them with knowledge. “If I want to know something about an organization, find out who’s doing a good job, the Foundation can provide that,” said Mr. Shurling.
Mr. Shurling said he learned the principles of philanthropy from his parents, who strongly believed in giving monetary support and volunteering time and efforts toward enhancing worthy goals within one’s community. “They taught me that when you’re fortunate enough to have some time and money, you need to give back and try to make your community a better place than you found it.” said Mr. Shurling. “It gives you a really good feeling to know you can leave things a little better than you found them.”