McGrady named manager of Community Foundation
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
As a measure of its success in receiving and distributing donations to island nonprofits, the year-old Community Foundation for Nantucket recently named Jacqueline McGrady as its first Foundation Manager. McGrady, who began her position on July 16, will be engaged in marketing and fundraising, plan community forums on island issues, organize the CFN's new office, assist donors with giving plans and help nonprofits receive funding from the foundation's endowment.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent Jacqueline McGrady, an Episcopal priest whose ministry has included churches in New York, New Hampshire and on Nantucket, moved back to the island in January 2006.

"We have high aspirations for Jackie with her capabilities," said CFN Treasurer Phil Stambaugh.

The nonprofit Community Foundation for Nantucket, whose president is Peggy Gifford, was established to aid benefactors in determining which charities of the island's more than two hundred they want to offer contributions to and to simplify the donation process by carrying out associated administrative duties. CFN does not compete for funding; rather, it is an informational source with a permanent endowment from which funds are distributed to local charitable organizations. Donors may give unrestricted funds to the endowment or name the agency they wish to receive their donations.

McGrady, 42, is the daughter of Nantucketers Jack and Patricia McGrady. Jack McGrady, the former Deputy Police Chief and now a court officer, was with the Massachusetts State Police on the mainland when his daughter was born, but she grew up on the island. After graduating from Nantucket High School in 1982, she earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Amherst College, then enrolled in Harvard Divinity School for her graduate studies where she earned her master's degree. She attended the General Theological Seminary in New York City, and was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1992.

Her ministry service has included churches in New York City, Garrison, N.Y., Nashua, N.H., where she met her husband of 12 1/2 years, Peter Swenson, the Director of Nantucket Behavioral Health Services, and then Burlington, Mass. before the couple, who have children John Carl, four, and Sarah, two, moved to Nantucket in January 2006. Last year, McGrady assisted with services at St. Paul's Episcopal Church after Rev. Joel Ives left for a ministry on the mainland.

"When I came back to Nantucket the intent was that Peter would work and I would raise the children, but I became more aware of the needs in our community," said McGrady. "Through knowing Peggy Gifford and Bob Felch (CFN vice-president) at St. Paul's when I was filling in as priest, we discovered that we had a mutual interest in helping to meet the needs on the island and they told me about the Community Foundation. We were talking about that and it just progressed. When I was no longer working at the church they called me and hired me.

"It's important to Peter and me to assist in the community," she continued, adding that she has also volunteered to serve on the Council for Human Services. "It's who we are. Even though I have two small children it is important to me to give to my community. I'm excited to be able to do this. I like the whole idea of a community foundation. I think it's perfect for Nantucket."

Stambaugh said that since the foundation was founded it has received $40,000 in stocks from long-time summer resident Donald Shackelford that were converted to funds and managed until the Nantucket Lifesaving Museum was ready to receive monies to help with its expansion. Shackelford, who is on the board of the Egan Maritime Foundation that owns the museum, recently gave CFN another $100,000 in cash to be donated to the museum in two separate gifts within the next year.

Additionally, Stambaugh said another donor has given the foundation $30,000, of which $5,000 was requested to go specifically to the Nantucket Rental Assistance Program overseen by the Nantucket Interfaith Council, and $15,000 to the foundation's operational fund to establish an office and hire an employee (that person now being McGrady) and asked that $10,000 go into the foundation's permanent endowment for unrestricted distribution. Another donor also gave $5,000 for the endowment, which currently stands at $23,000.

Stambaugh said the CFN goal is to create a $1 million endowment over the upcoming year. While any amount from any private or business source is welcomed, as are willed amounts from an estate, the foundation hopes for some sizable pledges nearing $100,000 to reach the endowment goal within the next few months.

"If we could find 10 of those people we'll be off the ground," said Stambaugh. "Over time, community foundations elsewhere have become the major grant giver for local communities."

The Community Foundation for Nantucket is sharing an office with Habitat for Humanity Nantucket at 3 Freedom Square in The Commons. The concept of community foundations as unique charitable instruments began in 1914 and today there

are more than 650 across the nation. I