Sitting down with the new director of corporate philanthropy

This spring, long-time volunteer and board member Jean Moran joined the staff of the Quad Cities Community Foundation as the nonprofit’s first director of corporate philanthropy. As she settles into this new position, Jean sat down to discuss the Community Foundation’s history of supporting corporate philanthropy and how that work is going to expand. 

Hi, Jean! Can you take us back to when you first became involved with the Community Foundation? 

I was introduced to the Community Foundation by a family friend about 15 years ago. I remember the very first event being a women’s luncheon. It was so energizing. I heard about all these other opportunities, committees, and ways to get connected and give back. I left saying, “I’m going to do all of them!” As I became more involved with the Community Foundation by volunteering on committees, I saw how my efforts were amplified by the organization to make an immediate impact—that made me want to do more. Eventually, I found myself on the board of directors and was the board chair for two years. 

How will your board experience help you be effective in your new role?

“Are you a business looking to contribute to your community? Let’s connect—email me to learn more!”

The Quad Cities Community Foundation’s board is a group of talented volunteers—CEOs, attorneys, community leaders, financial experts, and business owners. Through my board experience, I built connections that provided a great springboard to help us grow this part of our work. Additionally, I saw first-hand how generous donors make a true difference to our region in such a positive way.

How has the transition to staff been? 

The transition has been easy because the team at the Community Foundation is incredibly welcoming and supportive. The skill sets, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to organizational ethics, integrity, and passion for the work have been beyond impressive to me. It reminded me about what I already knew as a volunteer and board member—this organization puts the needs of the community first by stewarding donors and supporting the nonprofit sector in very effective and trustworthy ways. The presence of such a talented team, coupled with the opportunity to engage in meaningful work and positively influence my community, fills me with excitement to embrace each workday enthusiastically!

What is the goal of your new director of corporate philanthropy position?

While corporate philanthropy isn’t new to our work, this position is, so we get to shape it as we find out exactly what the businesses in our region need. We have many longstanding business partnerships. We want to reach more businesses of different sizes and help them all give back to our community as effectively as possible. 

More and more businesses are seeing the value of corporate giving. It matters to their employees, their customers, and the communities in which the businesses operate. The Community Foundation is here to offer our charitable expertise and guidance, and  I am absolutely thrilled to help connect businesses to causes that align with their values and help them make the maximum impact with their contributions!

Will Van Camp