Donating & Membership

Dear Friend of Oberlin,

We ask you to consider sharing your charitable dollars with the Oberlin community by: becoming a new member of the Bill Long Foundation (BLF), by renewing your membership, or by making an additional donation. The collective generosity of BLF’s membership continues to fund community organizations supporting projects and activities that address basic human needs and enrich cultural life in the Oberlin community.

The BLF story — Founded in 1989 to formalize the Oberlin Consumers Co-operative’s support of local charitable initiatives and later named to honor OCC and Co-Op Bookstore manager Bill Long, BLF follows the principles that Bill championed: participatory democracy and local impact. Our members, our board, and the organizations and causes we support are all part of the Oberlin community.

The BLF reach — Last year, BLF awarded $45,125 in grants to 21 Oberlin non-profit organizations. Annual meeting attendees pledged an additional $12,672, bringing the total amount to $57,797. The grants funded a range of projects focusing on education, visual arts, social services, music, environmental stewardship, childhood literacy, tuition assistance, and community meals, as well as $500 to BLF’s Mini-Grant Program (formerly the Tool Grant program) to fund small scale projects. The full list of projects and partners is available at BLFOberlin.org.

The BLF approach — All membership dues and donations go towards grants supporting the Oberlin community. BLF is run by volunteers at minimal expense. Joining is simple: Give $10 or more ($5 or more for students) and you’re a BLF member!

 The BLF Annual Meeting — The 2025 Annual Meeting at Kendal at Oberlin was filled with community spirit as new faces and longstanding BLF members and grantees came together to support Oberlin. Next year’s Annual Meeting will be on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026, at Kendal’s Heiser Auditorium. We invite you to join us, meet with grant applicants and discuss their missions, then vote on how to distribute BLF funds! The event begins at 6:30 pm with a reception. The business portion of the meeting starts promptly at 7:00 pm. Watch BLFOberlin.org for details.

Join us or renew — By giving to the Bill Long Foundation today, you carry on this proud history of making a difference for our community. Just add your contribution and mail the enclosed Donation & Membership Form, use our website’s PayPal link, or scan the QR code in this letter.

 Spread the word about the Bill Long Foundation. Ask your friends to become members, too!

Sincerely,

 Brandon County, BLF Board President

The Bill Long Foundation Board of Trustees: Brandon County, Kathy DeRuyter, Lilly Dodson, Brittnei Forlenza, Nick Hudnell, Kathleen Jackson, Del Mason, Stephanie Mata Granados, Sondra Miller, Julia Robinson, Jill Sawyer

Donate to the Bill Long Foundation
(Link takes you out of this website to a PayPal page)

Donor Privacy Policy: All information concerning donors or prospective donors, including their names, addresses and telephone numbers, the names of their beneficiaries, the amount of their gift, etc., shall be kept strictly confidential by the Bill Long Foundation, its board and volunteers, and will not be shared with any third party unless permission is obtained from donors to release such information.

If you have comments or questions about the Bill Long Foundation’s donor privacy policy, please email blfoberlin@gmail.com or write Bill Long Foundation, PO Box 0141, Oberlin, OH 44074-0141.

(adopted by the Board of Trustees - March 16, 2017)