Barbara Bartle is a woman of quiet faith who says almost in a whisper: “I believe there is a core of love inside each one of us. We all have the capacity to share that love and generosity.â€
As president of the Lincoln Community Foundation for almost 12 years, Bartle has certainly found her core, always trusting the Foundation could put that deep, abiding love into action.
“All of us want to make a difference, to be a part of something larger than ourselves,†she says. “We all want to create lasting change that will endure long after our involvement has ended in our community. The Foundation serves as the keeper of our legacies for Lincoln forever.â€
Retiring as president of the Foundation at year’s end, Bartle leaves behind more than a decade of vast change, achievement of breadth and depth touching every facet of the community. In fact, it’s tough to wrap your arms around everything this extraordinary woman has accomplished since she arrived at the Foundation in 2010. The number of donor funds more than quadrupled during her time, assets tripled, and Give to Lincoln Day was born.
Community leaders see Bartle as a woman they describe as a visionary driven by decency, wisdom, fortitude and a deeply rooted work ethic. Bartle, meanwhile, sees herself as a small-town girl who has worked hard to make a difference.
“I am fortunate to have learned this from my family,†Bartle says. “My children would say they heard the same mantra from me. Lose yourself in service to others.â€
John Chapo, president/CEO of the Lincoln Children’s Zoo – and a member of the Foundation’s Legacy Society – says Bartle will leave behind a legacy of leadership and love: “Barb’s patience, gentleness, encouragement and passion for service are her bedrock. These qualities have been essential in guidance during divisive, and economically and socially challenging times. She has empowered, encouraged and increased philanthropy to better serve all of Lincoln. She knew that all citizens are philanthropists and have the power to share.â€
Bartle envisions a community foundation as the heart of a city – the intersection of public, private, nonprofit and philanthropy, supporting Lincoln’s needs.
Case in point, she looks to the recent Lincoln COVID-19 Response Fund, a collaborative effort with the Foundation, Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and the United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County – resulting in more than $1.2 million of donations for 66 nonprofits on the frontlines.
“Barb has championed many noteworthy initiatives in her time at the Foundation, but her leadership in the COVID pandemic stands out to me,†says Phyllis Acklie, the Foundation’s 2020 Charity Award recipient. “Within only weeks of establishing the fund, the Foundation had deployed the first round of grants to nonprofits … providing support during a time of great need.â€
These lessons in generosity and service are embedded in Bartle’s DNA – a mom who crocheted caps for cancer patients until the end of her life – and a father who told stories of a pioneering great grandmother, a single mom who raised five children in the Sandhills and modeled a life of true grit.
Bartle holds those stories close to her heart.
“I never knew my great-grandmother, but I knew her story,†Bartle says. “She talked about how there will always be adversity, but it is what makes us stronger. This is true in our personal life as well as the life of our community. This is how we develop character.â€
Bartle was raised in Cozad, Nebraska. As a child, she spent hours volunteering for story hour at the city library, pretended she was teaching a classroom of dolls, later worked as a car hop at the local A&W – and started her professional career as a small-town elementary teacher in Elmwood.
“I so clearly remember our first Give to Lincoln Day, because I thought Lincoln felt like a small town,†she says. “There was a buzz, a sense of wholeness and unity. The community liked that feeling too.â€
The result, of course, was the phenomenal success of Give to Lincoln, a campaign that has now raised more than $40 million, reaching a record-breaking $8 million in donations this year despite a global pandemic.
However, when Bartle first moved to Lincoln in 1984, she knew few people. She substitute taught and eventually landed at the soon to open Lied Center for Performing Arts as the first volunteer coordinator for the Friends of Lied. Then she moved to the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools, where she worked for 18 years, started Fund-A-Need and helped launch the Community Learning Centers.
“I learned so much in those years,†she says: “How to put together a board, how to fundraise, set up committees, meet and work with key leaders, find a talented staff.â€
All those puzzle pieces came together in 2010, when she was named president of the Lincoln Community Foundation, offering the chance to continue to support education and also to address the needs of an entire community.
“Barb has the critical skill to bring a diverse group of people to the table for making a plan and making a commitment to make lives better,†says Marilyn Moore, vice chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “The results, including such efforts as affordable housing and scholarships for quality child care and workforce development, make Lincoln a better place … Perhaps more important is the realization that it's possible for people with good hearts and good minds to come together to address issues that seem at first glance to be too big, too complex, too costly. But she has shown it can be done.â€
The Lincoln Community Foundation was clearly her path. In fact, under Bartle’s leadership:
• Foundation assets grew from $62 million to $190 million.
• Annual grants to the community grew from $4 million to more than $21 million.
• The first Community Land Trust in Nebraska was established to address affordable housing.
• Initiatives were introduced, spearheading support for veterans, quality early childhood education, south of downtown revitalization, affordable housing, building strong neighborhoods and capital improvement projects.
• The Foundation facilitated the wildly successful community-building efforts of Lincoln Vital Signs and Prosper Lincoln.
But ask Bartle about the secret to her own success, and she inevitably points to others.
“Lincoln’s greatest asset is its people,†she says. “The Foundation has a 66-year history of building relationships with individuals, a tremendous staff, a board of community leaders, past board members, trustees, donors. They are all ambassadors working together, trusting and leading with the boldest of dreams for our community.â€
Kent Seacrest, special project consultant for the Foundation, describes Bartle this way: “She wakes up every morning recognizing that each Lincoln citizen has different circumstances, resources and opportunities – and goes to work tirelessly the rest of the day to improve everyone’s situation … Barb has the unique set of talents, knowledge and compassion to be able to reach out to and successfully communicate with wide segments of Lincoln citizens, advocates and leaders. She is a bridge builder, consensus builder and equity builder.â€
Frankly, Bartle isn’t sure what she will build next, but looks to these words from Meister Eckhart: “And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.â€
She would like to learn something new, maybe take piano lessons again and spend more time with her grandchildren. In July, she will start her one-year service as district governor for Rotary International.
But she also gets a faraway look in her eyes when she adds — almost in a whisper — “and, yes, I’ll keep trusting the magic of new beginnings.â€
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Barbara Bartle Forever Fund
Barbara Bartle’s children have established the Barbara Bartle Forever Fund: “Honoring Barbara Bartle’s visionary leadership and longtime career.â€
Kim M. Robak, chair of the Foundation’s Board, explains: “Barbara Bartle truly believes prosperity for all means a stronger, more diverse, more innovative community. And a community that provides for all can harness our many assets, build to meet future challenges, and create economic and social opportunities.
“To honor Barbara’s career, her children established the Barbara Bartle Forever Fund,†Robak adds. “This fund, administered by the Lincoln Community Foundation, will provide ongoing community grants to meet Lincoln’s future needs. I can think of no greater gift to honor Barbara as she retires.â€
To find out more, go to lcf.org.
Signature celebration for Barbara Bartle Tuesday
A signature event celebrating Barbara Bartle will take place on-stage at the Lied Center for Performing Arts Tuesday, Nov. 23, from 5-7 p.m. with special remarks starting at 6 p.m. Call 402-474-2345 or visit lcf.org/celebrate to RSVP.
In addition to working together at Community Action, the two women connected with many across Lincoln through their participation in Leadershi…
Barbara Bartle in Tower Square, located at the corner of 13th and P streets, which was made possible in part by endowed funds at the Lincoln Community Foundation. A public plaza that serves as a gathering and events space is also home to a stunning art glass tower, Ascent, designed by international artist Jun Kaneko, who resides in Omaha. Since its dedication in December 2014, Tower Square has been used to gather, celebrate, pay vigil and peacefully demonstrate.
Barbara Bartle and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird enjoy the day’s festivities in Tower Square on Give to Lincoln Day in 2019. Give to Lincoln began under Barbara’s leadership at the Foundation and has raised more than $40 million for local nonprofits in its 10-year history.