Families

Philanthropy allows giving to play a more permanent role within your family and community. Establishing a fund is the first step, and very easy to do. Best of all, as you grow in your philanthropy our team is always ready to help you get the best results from it.

Step 1 – Choose A Fund
Begin your philanthropic journey by selecting a fund type and designating a name for your fund. Based on your interests and goals, we can design a fund that's right for you and your family. Minimum fund balance is $10,000.

Donor Advised Funds
These family funds offer the flexibility to support a multitude of interests over time. They enable you to give to a wide range of organizations, issues and communities, now and in the future.
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Field of Interest Funds
Like many donors, you may be committed to a particular cause based on your own experiences. Field of Interest Funds make it possible to support programs, causes, and communities you are passionate about, for generations to come.

Step 2 - Contribute Charitable Assets
Because donors' situations are unique and change over time, we tailor philanthropic plans around all types of asset contributions — from simple to complicated. You can contribute any type of asset to establish your fund, and have the same flexibility in adding to it in the future.
See our investment options.

Cash
A cash gift made with a check, wire transfer, or credit card is the simplest way to establish a named fund at the Community Foundation. Gifts are deductible up to 50% of your adjusted gross income. Amounts exceeding this limit can be carried forward up to an additional five years.

Securities
Public and closely held stock gifts give you deductions for full fair market values up to 30% of your adjusted gross income. Amounts exceeding this limit can be carried forward up to an additional five years. As an added benefit, you avoid capital gains tax on the appreciated portion of the gift.

Real Estate
A gift of real estate can unlock high charitable value. There are many ways to gift property, depending on your financial and charitable goals. Your options will provide a fair market value tax deduction and, in many cases, the avoidance of capital gains tax.

Retirement Plan Beneficiaries
An inherited retirement plan imposes income tax obligations on an heir. Plans such as profit sharing, 401(k), or IRA are good assets to gift to a named fund since they are some of the few assets that carry inherited income tax burdens.

Charitable Lead Trusts
This vehicle permits your named fund to receive an income interest for a specified period of time. You can recommend gifts from your fund to charities once the trust ends. The trust then benefits the individuals of your choosing: children, grandchildren, relatives or others.

Life Insurance
You receive an immediate tax deduction approximating the cash surrender value of a life insurance policy when you name the Community Foundation as the owner and beneficiary. Additionally, all subsequent premium payments made by you are tax deductible.

Life Insurance Beneficiaries
Avoid federal estate taxes and create a charitable legacy by maintaining ownership of your policy and naming the Community Foundation as a beneficiary. During your lifetime you have access to its cash value and if you choose, can change the beneficiary at any time.

Bequests
You can establish or add to a named fund in your will or trust through a bequest to the Community Foundation. Your gift can fill any charitable aspiration, from establishing a Community Action Fund to leaving a family legacy to engage your children in philanthropy.

Life Income Plans
These options offer an income for life, while enabling you to leave a charitable legacy at a later time. Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Gift Annuities allow an immediate calculated income tax deduction and eliminate capital gains tax on appreciated gifts held over a year.

Step 3 - Donor Services
From the start, some families know exactly how they want to focus their fund's giving. Others use it to explore areas of interest. But wherever you begin, chances are your family's giving will change and evolve over time. So you'll appreciate always being connected to a community-rooted team whose services extend well beyond transactions. We're ready to help you when you need it — today or tomorrow.

Exploring and Planning
We will work with you to:

    • Create a charitable strategy with expert ideas on how to best reach your objectives
    • Arrange site visits to organizations under consideration
    • Research and evaluate organizations serving your areas of interest
    • Turn your philanthropy into a favorite family tradition

Making it Happen
Because giving should be easy and convenient, we offer:

    • Turnkey administrative services
    • Screening for grant requests
    • Online fund access, so you can review contributions, income, balances, and make grant recommendations any time

Evaluating the Results
What's working … and what could be improved? We will help you:

    • Determine the impact of your fund's grants
    • Advocate for your philanthropic objectives
    • Team with other donors to leverage the results you want to achieve
    • Steward your fund's grants in perpetuity to ensure ongoing effectiveness