Lincoln Community Foundation announces retirement of President Barbara Bartle

The Lincoln Community Foundation announced Barbara Bartle will retire at year’s end. Barbara was named President of the Lincoln Community Foundation (LCF) in 2010. Under her leadership, LCF has grown substantially, initiating significant programs which have increased philanthropy in the community while creating new partnerships with government, business, nonprofits, and neighborhoods. Barbara’s notable career spans 48 years of fundraising, program development, community engagement, and teaching.  

For more than 65 years, the mission of LCF has been to provide leadership and resources to help build a great city. A few of the many accomplishments under Barbara’s leadership the past 11 years include: 

• • The number of donor funds more than quadrupled  
• • Assets grew from $62 million to $175 million 
• • Annual grants to the community grew from $4 million to more than $21 million 
• • Give To Lincoln Day raised more than $40 million for hundreds of nonprofits 
• • Lincoln Littles Giving Day raised more than $2.4 million to help children from lower-income families with early childhood education 
• • Lincoln COVID-19 Response Fund raised more than $1.2 million to assist 66 nonprofits serving the most vulnerable populations  
• • First Community Land Trust in Nebraska was established in Lincoln to address affordable housing 
• • From Veterans initiatives to Lincoln Vital Signs and Prosper Lincoln, there have been multiple community building efforts to guide Lincoln’s vision toward a stronger, more diverse, and more innovative community.  

Barbara’s leadership, through her impact on the many organizations she has served, has been recognized with numerous awards. Some of those include the Association of Fundraising Professionals Nebraska Chapter Fundraising Hall of Fame, Lincoln Journal Star’s Inspire Awards’ Woman of the Year, Spirit of United Way Award, and the Grace Abbott Award honoring her advocacy for children and families in Nebraska. 

“We have been so fortunate to have Barbara Bartle at the helm of Lincoln Community Foundation for the past 11 years,” said Foundation Board Chair, Kim M. Robak. “She immediately set out to form the best staff, surrounding herself with talented, hardworking professionals. Barbara quickly connected with community foundations across the country, gathering great ideas and bringing them home. Her incredible passion and energy to raise funds and unite people together for causes that benefit Lincoln will leave a lasting legacy”.   

A search for Barbara’s successor is underway.  The Board of Directors of Lincoln Community Foundation is partnering with Kittleman and Associates, a national search firm focused on nonprofit CEO recruitment.  Individuals wishing to learn more or apply should visit www.kittlemansearch.com.