The Geelong Community Foundation encourages individuals, families and organisations to develop a fund within the Foundation and make donations to meet the needs of our community now and in the future. These donations are retained as capital to build a perpetual and substantial fund for philanthropic purposes, with only the income from this capital used to make local community grants. The Foundation provides support to community organisations within the City of Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and Golden Plains Shires and the Borough of Queenscliffe. The idea of establishing a Community Foundation in Geelong was first considered in 1997 through United Way Geelong (now Give Where You Live). The United Way Board felt that there could be support in Geelong to develop a significant fund with a permanent capital base, which if invested well, would grow substantially. A portion of the annual income could then be used to make charitable grants. The Foundation was publicly launched in December 2000 and a number of those on that initial Committee became board members with Geoff Neilson being the founding Chairman. Andrew Lawson, previously a campaign chairman for United Way and a Past Chairman of the United Way Board, was asked to assist with starting the foundation as Executive Officer. In those early years, it was known that Ken Stott, a local, wished to ensure that his assets stayed in the Geelong community. He wanted his money to be able to give people a hand when they needed help. Geoff Neilson offered Ken Stott the opportunity to become a donor to the fledgling Foundation and Ken responded by making an initial donation of $2 million. Following that first donation he made further gifts and since that time his fund with capital growth has increased to around $11 million. Ken passed away in October 2005 and his name will live on forever as the inaugural and a major named fund donor in the Foundation.