Why Use A Community Foundation?

Immediate and Maximum
Your client’s contributions are tax deductible in the year they are made. Because the Foundation is a public charity, contributions qualify for the maximum deductibility for income, gift and estate tax purposes.

Save Twice by Gifting Appreciated Property
By using appreciated property (e.g. securities or real estate) to make your gifts, your clients can avoid capital gains tax and typically qualify for an income tax deduction.

Flexible Gift Acceptance
In addition to cash, the Foundation is prepared to handle gifts of a variety of asset types. These are a few of the possibilities:

Publicly-traded and closely-held securities
Retirement assets, distributions from IRAs, life insurance policies
Vacation homes, the family farm, commercial or undeveloped real estate
Appreciated family business entities, such as LLCs and limited partnership interests

Investment Options to Increase Your Clients’ Gift Funds
The Foundation offers an actively-managed, highly-diversified investment portfolio, with excellent asset managers, a sophisticated investment consultant, and oversight by the Foundation’s Investment Committee. This team works closely to evaluate managers and provide ongoing monitoring to ensure sound financial management.

Customized Philanthropic Counsel
We are flexible and responsive to your clients’ unique needs. We make it easy for them to be highly strategic in using contributions for maximum community impact. The professional staff in our Philanthropic Services Department is available to assist you and your clients at any time.

Simplified and Consolidated Charitable Giving
The Foundation offers your clients the convenience of supporting multiple charities through a single gift. And our staff handles all the paperwork, from the transfer of assets and Gift Fund maintenance to tax reporting and record keeping. Your clients receive confirmation of all transactions, including contributions to their Gift Funds and grants to charities.

It’s Easy for Your Clients to Make A Grant
Over the phone, online at Donor Central, or by email. When your client’s grant request is in our office by Tuesday at noon, the grant check goes out to the charity by Friday close of business.

Grantmaking Services and Expertise
We are connected to thousands of local charities, so we can help make a difference by linking your clients to the causes they care about. Areas of giving are limitless and include everything from arts and education to environment and religion. If the charities your clients want to support are not currently “approved”, we will research the organization to confirm their valid tax-exempt status.

Choice of Recognition or Anonymity
Whether your clients wish to be recognized for their generosity or remain anonymous, the Foundation will honor their requests.

Online Access for Your Client to Their Fund
The Foundation offers your client a secure online site to fundholders. At Donor Central, your clients can:

Check Gift Fund activity including contributions, investment returns and grant distributions.
Make grant recommendations.