The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) is now managing a private trust fund that benefits the Brandywine Creek State Park in Wilmington.
The Woodlawn Trustees set up the trust fund nearly 40 years ago - but this summer announced it was moving to the Delaware Community Foundation.
DCF president and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay says transfer of that fund’s $2.2 million to the new Brandywine Creek Woodlawn Fund achieves two goals, “One is - it’s about the vision by the Woodlawn Trustees that they wanted to make sure that their resources are going to be committed to protecting the state parks for all time. And secondly - it’s about our commitment to expanding opportunity for everybody in Delaware to have access to open space.”
The Woodlawn Trustees transferred 350 acres to the State of Delaware in 1981, nearly doubling the size of the park. Woodlawn donated half to the state - and the state used matching federal funds to buy the other half. Trust fund income has helped the state’s Division of Parks and Recreation cover park operations, maintenance and security.
Comstock-Gay says this transfer of the trust has been in the works for some time, “Well the Woodlawn Trustees have gone through a lot of transition over their time. The fact is, they have been supporting the parks but actually moving the funds over to DCF to become part of this larger pool of assets was something we’ve been talking with them for a few years. But it really is a continuation of those efforts that have been around for a long time.”
Comstock-Gay notes the addition of the Brandywine Creek Woodlawn Fund makes DCF home to more than $10 million of funds benefiting Delaware State Parks.
