Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation
Annual Report Fiscal Year 2013–2014
14
Nonprofit Excellence
Kim gives the Foundation a lot of
credit for investing in these organizations:
“It’s a challenge to help people understand
the value of what we provide. We are
trying to ensure that these nonprofits
are here into the future. And that they
are doing a better job of helping people
who have nowhere else to go for their
medical care. We want to make sure they
are the strivers and survivors.”
Helping Nonprofits Become
Stronger And More Sustainable.
One of the Foundation’s priorities has
been to support North Carolina nonprofits
by helping them become stronger and
more sustainable. Investments range from
training programs to direct support for
nonprofits that allows them to concentrate
on leadership, strategy and organizational
and communication capacity. When
nonprofits have strong boards, dependable
leadership and a culture of learning, they are
better able to achieve their core mission—
and in turn improve their communities.
Free clinics have been a primary focus
of the Foundation for more than a decade.
The health care climate has changed
significantly over the past several years.
Free clinics need to adjust to keep up
with these changing market conditions,
all while doing more with less. They need
to meet the acute needs of patients and
also improve patient health over the
long term. That’s why the Foundation
has partnered with Pathways to work
with clinics to go beyond short-term,
day-to-day thinking and to create long-
term action plans that address critical
infrastructure gaps. These Foundation
investments have helped clinics
demonstrate that they provide high-
quality care and strong health outcomes
for low-income and uninsured North
Carolinians, and they have given the
clinics the tools they need to strengthen
their operations so they can run as
effectively and efficiently as possible.
SKILLS-BASED VOLUNTEERING: GIVING WHAT YOU’RE GOOD AT.
Match a skill with a need. For nonprofits, the concept is more than just
a smart idea. It’s a lifesaver. That’s why, in 2013, the Foundation piloted
a volunteering partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North
Carolina and Catchafire, the nation’s leading pro bono talent provider.
The programmatches skilled BCBSNC employees with nonprofit projects
that range from utilizing those with communications backgrounds to
tapping a strategy guru for help in reviewing business plans. Or, in senior
visual interface designer Brian Wagner’s case, conducting an audit to
improve utilization of the Gaston County Cooperative Extension Services
website. David Fogarty, county extension director, was very grateful to
Brian for making the website an effective tool for delivering gardening
programs for Gaston County schools.
Perhaps Judy Long of The Free Clinics in Henderson sums up the
Catchafire pilot best: “Too often volunteers are asked to sweep and to
water the plants rather than contribute to organizations’ underlying
functions. This program asks them to bring their best skillset to the
table and do great work!”
To learn more about Catchafire, please visit
.
NC NONPROFITS
SAW A
DECLINE
INGOVERNMENT
FUNDING
IN 2013
42
%
OF
12
11
A S U R V E Y
R E POR T E D TH AT
NONPROFITS
WERE
UNABLE TO
MEET DEMAND
IN 2013,THE
MOST
IN THE SURVEY’S
H I S TOR Y
56
%
OF
