 A Journey of Empowerment
For over two decades, the Women’s Fund has evolved from a visionary idea shared by 20 local women into a transformative leadership hub serving Grand Forks and Walsh Counties in North Dakota and Polk County in Minnesota. Led by residents dedicated to uplifting and empowering women, the Fund's mission and programs continue to expand. Jill Proctor, Chair of the Women's Fund and President/CEO of the Downtown Development Association, offers insights into the Fund’s growth, achievements, and vision for the future. "I believe in the power of supporting and uplifting women in our community," she begins. "Serving as Chair allows me to help drive meaningful change, foster collaboration, and ensure we’re making a lasting impact." Evolution and Influence Since its inception in 2002, the Women's Fund has significantly expanded its influence. From an idea shared by its founders to now, the Fund has blossomed into a powerful community resource. This progress can be seen through tangible achievements, including the growth of their endowment, grants provided to local nonprofits, and the overwhelming success of the Women’s Fund Leadership Academy. "What started as a push to see more women in leadership has evolved into a sustained effort to create opportunities, foster mentorship, and support organizations that uplift women and girls," Jill explains. "The Women’s Fund has become a catalyst for meaningful progress." The Transformational Power of the Leadership Academy One of the Fund's cornerstone programs is its Leadership Academy, renowned for its effectiveness in developing confident, capable leaders. "The Academy helps women gain confidence, skills, and connections to step into leadership roles in our community," Jill says. Graduates of the Academy frequently achieve significant professional and personal milestones, including promotions, entrepreneurial ventures, and influential roles across sectors. The Academy combines personal growth with professional skills in its approach to leadership. “Participants gain valuable insights through the CliftonStrengths assessment, build confidence in their leadership style, and develop their personal brand.” They also get to learn about and explore financial readiness, which helps them make informed business decisions. “This comprehensive approach makes the Academy especially effective in cultivating strong, capable women leaders.” The Fund also acknowledges the importance of introducing leadership concepts early. For instance, it has awarded grants to BioGirls, an organization dedicated to enhancing self-esteem among young girls through empowerment and community service. “BioGirls focuses on helping young girls build confidence by engaging in both self-discovery and service to others—two values that resonate deeply with the Women’s Fund’s commitment to personal growth and community impact,” Jill explains. Community Engagement as a Core Value Genuine connection with the community is foundational to the success of the Women’s Fund. Jill believes this is crucial, stating, "Our efforts thrive when the community unites to support initiatives empowering women and girls. We strengthen this support through fundraising, the Women’s Fund Leadership Academy, sponsorship of unique women-focused events, and initiatives that provide vital resources.” Their diverse board also ensures authentic representation and engagement. “We strive to have a board from diverse backgrounds and industries to connect with different pockets of the community.” Whether through financial contributions, advocacy, or collaboration, collective power ultimately drives meaningful progress and amplifies the Fund’s impact. A Powerful Partnership Collaboration with the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and Region bolsters the Fund's capabilities. “Their staff have been instrumental in managing our fundraising efforts and overseeing our endowment, ensuring we remain financially stable,” Jill says. Collaborative events, including Summer Solstice and Giving Hearts Day, showcase this powerful partnership and the strength of community-focused organizations working together. Envisioning the Future The Fund’s ambitious goal of achieving a $1 million endowment speaks to its tenacity and passion for improving individual lives and the greater community. Growing the endowment would ensure sustainable, long-term operations. “With this increased support, we could expand programs like the Women’s Fund Leadership Academy, offer more grants to nonprofits, and create additional opportunities for women and girls to thrive,” Jill explains. Achieving this milestone would empower current and future generations for years to come. Addressing Challenges and Creating Solutions Despite the Fund's success, significant challenges remain, notably the lack of women in key community positions. Jill recognizes this issue’s effect on career advancement and visibility for women. “While progress has been made, there are still too few women in prominent roles across business, government, and the community. This gap can make it harder for women to access leadership opportunities, build confidence, and advance in their careers.” The Women’s Fund addresses these challenges proactively through leadership training programs and strategic grants, aiming to normalize leadership roles for women throughout various community sectors. Strength in Diversity Inclusivity remains a central tenet of the Women’s Fund's philosophy. "Creating spaces where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel valued, empowered, and welcomed strengthens our entire community," Jill explains, highlighting the importance of all experiences in shaping the Fund's strategies and programs. Everyone Has a Role Community participation is key to the Fund’s ongoing success. Jill invites people to donate, volunteer, or share information about the Women’s Fund on social media or by word of mouth. “If you have a special skill or talent, whether it’s mentoring, public speaking, or offering professional expertise, we’d love for you to share that with the Women’s Leadership Academy. And simply spreading the word—telling others about our mission and sharing our events—can amplify our impact. " Sustaining Momentum Under Jill Proctor’s passionate leadership, the Women’s Fund continues to significantly contribute to the growth and wellness of Grand Forks, building a legacy of empowerment and leadership. “ Serving as Chair is an honor,” Jill says. “The Women’s Fund has become a catalyst for meaningful progress, and I’m proud to be part of its ongoing evolution.” Learn more about the work of the Women's Fund at gofoundation.org/wf. Written by Grace Hertzler, a published writer, activist, and friend of the Community Foundation.  Whether you’ve supported a fund at the Community Foundation, established your own fund, or are considering whether to get involved, it’s important to know that the team at the Community Foundation keeps a watchful eye on tax law changes that could impact your plans for charitable giving.
You’ve probably seen a lot of news about the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1), which passed the House of Representatives by a narrow 215-214 vote on May 22, 2025. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it’s expected to undergo significant changes before anything becomes final. The main point to keep in mind is that nothing is set in stone yet, and it’s impossible to know exactly how these tax law changes might affect you and your charitable giving until the process is complete. Our team is happy to help you think about how you might update your charitable giving plans whether or not certain provisions in the proposed legislation are enacted into law. For example, many people include provisions in their estate plans to continue supporting the causes they championed during their lifetimes. They like the idea of leaving a legacy to improve the quality of life in our community across generations. Next time you’re considering an update to your estate plan, please reach out. The Community Foundation team is happy to work with you and your advisors to structure a legacy gift that is meaningful to both you and the community you love. Related to legacy giving, it’s important to note that although the federal estate tax applies to a relatively small percentage of taxpayers, the impact can be significant (currently the top rate is 40%). If the total value of your assets (including real estate, investments, retirement accounts, business interests, life insurance you own, and personal property) exceeds $13.99 million as an individual, or $27.98 million as a married couple, the estate tax could be an issue for you. You’re likely aware that higher estate tax exemption enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) is set to sunset at the end of this year, but under the proposed legislation, the increased exemption would become permanent. If you’re nevertheless still anticipating the possibility of a taxable estate, incorporating a gift to a fund at the Community Foundation in your estate plan can help reduce the tax’s impact. Of course, people don’t give to charity just for tax reasons. Whether or not you expect to wind up with a taxable estate, the Community Foundation can help you achieve your goals for making a difference in our community for years to come. Another provision in the proposed legislation that might have caught your attention relates to the standard deduction. The bill would maintain the higher standard deduction levels from the TCJA and even add a temporary increase through 2028. As a result, fewer taxpayers would itemize deductions, which means fewer people would be able to claim a charitable deduction (although most people don’t support charities solely to get a tax deduction). The bill also introduces a modest “above-the-line” charitable deduction for nonitemizers in the amount of $150 for individuals and $300 for joint filers. Finally, the bill would sharply raise excise taxes on the investment income of large private foundations, with rates going up from 1.39% to as much as 10% for the largest foundations. Foundations with less than $50 million in assets would not see any change. Remember that the Community Foundation offers alternatives to private foundations, including donor-advised funds, that allow you to support your favorite charities and address important local needs. So what’s next? The Senate is expected to start reviewing the bill in June, and the process could stretch into July or August as both the House and Senate work out their differences before sending the bill to President Trump for signature. We’ll keep you updated as this develops. If you have questions or want to talk about your charitable giving options, please reach out. Our team is here to help you support the causes you care about and address community needs in the most effective ways possible, no matter what happens to tax laws. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation  As individuals, families, and businesses get more involved in charitable giving, it’s not uncommon to become overwhelmed with all the options for supporting favorite charities. Plus, it can be hard to know what really makes a difference.
The Community Foundation is here to help make charitable giving easy, flexible, and effective. Our team loves hearing comments that often reflect pleasant surprises when people get started working with the Community Foundation to make a difference in our region’s quality of life. Here are a few examples: “We had no idea that the paperwork to set up a fund would be so straightforward. Had we known our family fund could be set up in less than an hour, we would have done it a long time ago.” “In this day and age of 1-800 numbers and online chatbots, it has been such a refreshing change to have a real life conversation with knowledgeable professionals. I know I can ask any question and get a fast and friendly response that goes above and beyond my expectations.” “We feel so good about being part of a large, diverse, local, family of giving. We love knowing that we are ‘in this together’ with other donors who are supporting their own favorite causes and it all rolls up to the collective good for our community.” These comments are heartwarming - and they are also based in reality. That’s because community foundations are designed to make charitable giving straightforward and impactful for donors by providing expert guidance, streamlined processes, and a high level of flexibility. One of the most significant ways we simplify the giving process is by handling all administrative and tax-related details. For example, when you make a single contribution of appreciated stock to a donor-advised fund to support all your annual giving, you receive a single tax receipt for the gift, regardless of how many grants are made from that fund to various nonprofits throughout the year. This eliminates the need for multiple receipts and simplifies tax reporting, making it easier for you to document deductions and keep your records organized. Additionally, the Community Foundation provides written acknowledgments for gifts and handles all necessary IRS documentation, further reducing the administrative burden on you and your family. Another key advantage is the Community Foundation’s ability to accept a wide range of assets as charitable gifts, including not only cash or marketable securities, but also complex assets such as real estate, closely-held business interests, mineral rights, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and even agricultural assets. This flexibility helps ensure that you can support your favorite causes in the most tax-efficient way possible. Whether you are considering a new gift, planning a legacy, or simply seeking advice on maximizing the impact of your philanthropy, the Community Foundation provides ongoing support and local expertise. We simplify the legwork so you can focus on the joy and meaning of giving and the positive difference you are making in the lives of others. Please reach out to the Community Foundation team anytime! The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  “Philanthropist” is a big word that often conjures up images of the ultra-wealthy making big donations to charities, especially when people like Bill Gates have been in the headlines lately. But the definition is much broader than that. Merriam-Webster defines “philanthropist” as “one who makes an active effort to promote human welfare.”
Anyone can be a philanthropist. That’s certainly the spirit behind the Community Foundation’s mission to improve quality of life in our region. People get started in philanthropy in many ways. Here are just a few:
From there, many people take the next step to get even more involved by providing financial support, including:
Along your journey, the Community Foundation team is here for you as a sounding board and a resource. Many people decide to establish a fund at the Community Foundation after several years of informal giving. A donor-advised fund in particular can be useful to organize giving to multiple charities and streamline tax reporting. For inspiration, consider the recently-released TIME100 Philanthropy 2025 which highlights a diverse array of individuals making a difference - from billionaires like MacKenzie Scott to community leaders, activists, and innovators who leverage their unique skills, platforms, and resources to drive change. This broad representation demonstrates that impactful giving is not limited to those with vast fortunes; anyone can contribute meaningfully, whether through money, time, expertise, or advocacy. Indeed, many on the list are recognized for aligning their philanthropic efforts with personal passions or areas where they can make a unique impact, such as Dolly Parton’s focus on literacy, José Andrés’ humanitarian food relief, and Billie Jean King’s advocacy for women in sports. What’s more, the rise of collective giving, strategic philanthropy, and new collaborative funding models make it easier for people to pool resources and maximize impact. Please reach out anytime, wherever you are along your philanthropic journey. The Community Foundation is here to help everyone make a difference at every level of wealth and background. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  Over the last few weeks, our team at the Community Foundation has talked with dozens of nonprofit leaders and people who serve on charities’ boards of directors about the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1) that passed the House of Representatives by a narrow margin on May 22, 2025. Understandably, many nonprofit organizations are concerned that this legislation might impact their work.
Among many troubling elements are provisions that could affect fundraising strategies to attract annual gifts, major gifts, endowment gifts, and planned gifts. Here are three provisions that are especially important to watch. Corporate giving What’s the provision? The proposed legislation introduces a 1% “floor” on corporate charitable deductions, meaning corporations could only deduct charitable contributions that exceed 1% of their taxable income, up to the existing 10% cap. What’s the concern? This provision could discourage corporate giving, particularly for companies that typically donate less than 1% of their income, as their contributions would no longer be deductible unless they surpass that threshold. The uncertainty over whether corporations can deduct the full value of their contributions or only the amount above 1% adds further ambiguity, potentially leading to reduced corporate support for charities. Is it all bad news? Many corporations support charities through sponsorships that come out of their marketing budgets, not their charitable giving budgets. The proposed legislation does not impact a corporation’s ability to deduct marketing expenses. Private foundation giving What’s the provision? The pending bill would restructure and increase taxes on private foundations, specifically the net investment income tax. The bill replaces the previous flat rate with a graduated structure, imposing higher rates on larger foundations - up to 10% for those with assets exceeding $5 billion. What’s the concern? The proposed increase in tax liability could potentially reduce the amount of funding available for charitable grants, as private foundations may have fewer resources to distribute after accounting for the higher taxes. Additionally, increased compliance costs associated with these new tax structures could further divert funds away from charitable activities and into administrative overhead. Is it all bad news? Donor-advised funds could become an even more important source of funding if the new laws cause some donors to shift away from private foundations as their primary organizing structure for their philanthropy. In the case of donor-advised funds held at the Community Foundation, this could be good news because the Community Foundation actively works with donors to use their donor-advised funds to keep charitable dollars flowing to charities in our community. Individual giving What’s the provision? The proposed legislation affects individual giving by extending provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that were scheduled to sunset at the end of this year. Specifically, the standard deduction is slated to remain high under the proposed legislation, as is the estate tax exemption. What’s the concern? The chilling effect on charitable giving of a higher standard deduction and higher estate tax deduction is likely to continue. Is it all bad news? The bill includes a modest charitable deduction for non-itemizers, allowing up to $150 for single filers and $300 for married couples. Collectively, these changes potentially could make fundraising more challenging for charities. What’s important to keep in mind, though, is that nothing is set in stone–yet. Significant changes to the bill are likely as the Senate starts reviewing the bill in June. The process could stretch into July or August as both the House and Senate work out their differences before sending the bill to President Trump for signature. We’ll keep you posted as the situation develops. We are here for you! This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  It is an understatement to say that 2025 has been rough for charitable organizations. Economic volatility, a challenging political climate, and tax reform on the horizon are major factors for many nonprofits.
Despite the harsh realities of external factors, here are three potential bright spots for your organization’s staff and board to consider as you continue the hard work of delivering on your mission. Generosity tends to endure through crisis History shows that even during economic downturns, disasters, or uncertainty, the spirit of generosity persists. Donors are motivated not just by surplus wealth but by a deep belief in the causes they support. In other words, the people who care about your organization really do care. Even in the wake of major recessions and national tragedies, nonprofits have adapted to new realities, rallied donors, and continued to raise the funds they need to carry out their missions. Keep talking to donors Certainly not all donors are affected the same way when times get tough. Some may find it hard to give due to financial constraints, while others may be less financially affected and continue giving at historical levels or even beyond. It’s important for a nonprofit’s board and staff to keep communicating with donors, avoid making assumptions about capacity or lack thereof, and stay confident and passionate about your mission and its importance to the lives of the people you serve. In other words, don’t stop asking donors for gifts, and don’t narrow the range of gifts you’re seeking. Annual giving, campaign giving, endowment giving, and planned giving all are still on the menu. Now is not the time to take a step back. Step up your own game There is no better time to get better at fundraising than during a challenging time! You and your team may look back and be glad you were forced to get more efficient, creative, and strategic about engaging donors in every aspect of giving, including endowment and legacy giving. Double down on testing new ideas on a few donors so you can “fail small” and see what works. When you see results from a particular strategy, take note! If something works during really tough times, imagine what could happen when things turn around. Please reach out to the Community Foundation team! We are happy to serve as a sounding board to help you navigate these turbulent times so that your organization can emerge stronger and better than before. Philanthropy is essential to maintaining and improving quality of life in our community, and we are all in this together. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  Many charities and their boards of directors are evaluating strategies to grow the organization’s endowment during these challenging economic times. One way to do that is by strategically leveraging donors’ financial contributions through corporate or other matching gift programs.
You’re certainly aware that many employers will match your donor’s donation - often dollar for dollar - effectively doubling the impact without requiring the donor to give more. Sometimes an individual donor or a specific foundation will offer to match donations for a particular campaign or for a period of time. Of course, any type of match increases the total dollar amount flowing to your organization to sustain operations or grow your endowment. In addition – and a factor that charities often overlook – is that matching gifts also incentivize donors to give larger gifts because they know their contributions will be amplified. Indeed, research shows that 84% of donors are more likely to give if a match is offered, and one in three will increase their gift size when they know it will be matched. Here are two tips to attract matching gifts.
Both of these factors are important. Many donors are unaware of their eligibility for employer matching programs, so it’s a good idea to consider integrating matching gift search tools into donation forms, send targeted follow-up emails, or at least provide clear instructions on how to submit match requests. Promoting matching opportunities during key campaigns - such as endowment drives or special giving events - and combining corporate matches with major donor or board-funded matching challenges can create a sense of urgency and multiply the impact even further. Some organizations have seen campaign revenue increase by 30% or more when a matching gift offer is included. Beyond immediate fundraising gains, leveraging matching gifts deepens donor engagement and builds stronger relationships with both individual supporters and corporate partners. Donors who participate in matching programs often feel a greater sense of impact and are more likely to continue giving in the future. If you’re ready to explore how you can tap even further into matching gifts as a strategy to sustain your operating budget or grow your endowment, please reach out to the Community Foundation team. We are happy to discuss ideas for cultivating partnerships with local businesses and major donors for matching campaigns that can open new avenues for support and ramp up your organization’s visibility within the community. Making matching gifts a central part of your fundraising strategy can help unlock new revenue streams, inspire larger and more frequent gifts, and ensure long-term financial sustainability. We look forward to a conversation! This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  As you advise clients on charitable giving, you’re likely aware of the growing popularity of the donor-advised fund as a flexible, tax-efficient tool for philanthropy. Many families appreciate how donor-advised funds can streamline giving, foster family engagement, and serve as a launchpad for deeper community impact.
Recently, we’ve engaged with many professional advisors - attorneys, accountants, and financial planners - who work with clients utilizing community foundations in a variety of ways, ranging from contributing to important initiatives, supporting the community’s foundation’s operating endowment, making qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, or participating in foundation-hosted events that address critical local priorities. Interestingly, we have discovered that some advisors were not aware that their clients had established donor-advised funds through national financial institutions. Although these clients are familiar with the Community Foundation, they simply did not know that the Community Foundation could help them in multiple ways, including establishing a donor-advised fund to support favorite charities. It’s easier–and more beneficial–than you might think for your client to move a donor-advised fund to the Community Foundation! Here’s what you need to know: Tax and administrative advantages are the same The Community Foundation offers donor-advised funds with the same tax and administrative advantages as national providers, including:
Added value at the Community Foundation Unlike many national donor-advised fund sponsors, the Community Foundation offers a suite of high-touch, locally-informed services that can enhance your clients’ philanthropic strategies, such as:
What next? The steps to transfer a donor-advised fund are surprisingly simple:
We look forward to working with you and your clients to make the most of their charitable giving, especially by establishing a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation to serve as the cornerstone of the client’s charitable giving plan. With a donor-advised fund as a baseline, your client can begin to tap into all of the many ways the Community Foundation serves as a home for charitable giving, from strategic grant making to legacy giving and everything in between. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  If your client base includes business owners, you probably weren’t surprised by this observation in a recent Wall Street Journal article about the “stealthy wealthy”: “Behind a paycheck, the largest source of income for the 1% highest earners in the U.S. isn’t being a partner at an investment bank or launching a one-in-a-million tech startup. It is owning a medium-size regional business.”
What’s more, the chances are very good that most of your business-owner clients are charitably-inclined. Indeed, more than 90% of small business owners have supported charities and community activities in the last year. This means that you and other tax and estate planning advisors ought to have at least a basic level of knowledge about the benefits and mechanics of giving closely-held business interests to charity. When properly executed, this technique can be extremely effective to achieve the client’s financial and philanthropic goals. Here are three very important components of this strategy: Stop before you use a private foundation. Some of your business owner clients probably have established a private foundation. But the private foundation is not the ideal recipient of private business interests. Donating closely-held stock to a fund at the Community Foundation is generally more tax effective than giving it to a private foundation due to several key differences in how the IRS treats these gifts. When your client donates closely-held stock to the Community Foundation, your client can typically deduct the full fair market value of the stock, up to 30% of adjusted gross income and also avoid paying capital gains tax on any appreciation. By contrast, if your client donates the same stock to a private foundation, the deduction is limited to cost basis up to only 20% of AGI, which is a significantly less favorable tax outcome. Mind the timing. Encourage a business owner client to start planning for a gift of closely-held stock before putting out feelers to potential acquirers and absolutely before any part of a deal is inked. This is crucial because a gift to charity will avoid substantial unrealized capital gains that have accrued in the business over the years only if the gift and the sale are genuinely separate events, avoiding the step transaction doctrine. Careful planning will help ensure that the client’s fund at the Community Foundation will receive 100 cents on the dollar for the portion of the stock it owns and the deduction won’t be thrown out. Respect the rules for valuation. Counsel your clients about securing a proper valuation for charitable deduction purposes at the time the business interest is contributed to the fund at the Community Foundation. Valuation has always been a critical factor in any type of tax or estate planning strategy. Recently, the additional wrinkle presented by the Supreme Court’s decision in Connelly v. United States makes things even more interesting. The Connelly decision impacts the way business interests are valued for estate tax purposes. In Connelly, the Supreme Court held that life insurance proceeds indeed ought to be included in the value of a company without offsetting the redemption obligation. This could translate to higher taxable estates for your business owner clients, creating further incentive to leave a portion of closely-held stock to charity. The decision is also a reminder that careful planning can potentially avoid pitfalls. As always, please reach out to the Community Foundation anytime the topic of charitable giving arises in client conversations. We are honored to be your first call on all matters of philanthropy. Most of the time, we can help. If not, we will absolutely point you in the right direction. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  There’s little doubt that you’ve seen extensive news coverage of the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1) that passed the House of Representatives by a 215-214 vote on May 22, 2025, and now moves to the Senate, where significant changes are expected before final passage. And that is the primary takeaway here: Significant changes are expected. This makes it impossible to predict right now how your clients might be impacted by tax law changes.
Still, it’s important to be aware of key components of the bill that could impact estate and financial planning. Three key provisions rise to the top as advisors consider how their charitable clients might be affected: No sunset of estate tax exemption The bill makes permanent the expiring 2017 tax cuts under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). This means that the much-anticipated sunset of the increased estate tax exemption might not happen at the end of this year after all. If the estate tax exemption remains high, a smaller segment of your clients will be motivated to use charitable giving as a way to avoid estate tax. Still, though, because people rarely give to charity solely for tax avoidance purposes, your clients remain very interested in discussing charitable giving and incorporating philanthropy into their estate and financial plans. Standard deduction stays high Proposals in the bill would make permanent the higher standard deduction levels from the TCJA, and even add an additional temporary increase through 2028. The upshot here is that few taxpayers itemize their deductions, reducing the number of people eligible to claim a charitable deduction. The still-high standard deduction likely could signal continuation of the decline in charitable giving following the 2017 tax cuts. On the flip side, the bill introduces a modest "above-the-line" charitable deduction for nonitemizers—$150 for individuals and $300 for joint filers. Increased taxes on private foundations The bill sharply increases excise taxes on the investment income of large private foundations, raising rates from the current 1.39% to as much as 10% for the largest entities, although private foundations with less than $50 million in assets would see no change. What this means for your charitable clients is that private foundations may become less attractive. Many nonprofit leaders are concerned that this could impact charitable giving; it might also mean that donor-advised funds could become even more attractive. Certainly the Community Foundation remains committed to helping your clients establish donor-advised funds and other vehicles to actively support their favorite charities as well as ensure that critical local needs are addressed. So what’s next? The Senate is expected to begin its markup in June, with the process likely extending into July or August as both chambers reconcile differences before sending the bill to President Trump for signature. As always, the Community Foundation will keep you posted! Please reach out anytime. Our team is happy to discuss options for your clients’ charitable giving to ensure that they’re supporting their favorite causes and important local needs in the most effective ways possible under any set of tax laws. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  Working in Grand Forks as a Certified Public Accountant for most of my career allowed me the opportunity to really get to know the community and the excellent people who live and work here. I arrived on the scene at Brady Martz in 1991 - six years prior to the flood of 1997. The devastation of that flood and the impact on the community of Grand Forks was phenomenal. The office of Brady Martz and Associates was one of the businesses impacted not only by the flood but the devastating fire that followed. The physical presence of the business was lost… it seemed to me as a young professional that everything was lost! In the hours after the fire, I wasn’t sure I would even have a job. However, I did not yet understand the power of community – both the Greater Grand Forks community and the community of Brady Martz professionals.
As I watched Greater Grand Forks and our office re-build from the flood and fire, I marveled at the enduring spirit of the people in this region. With help from around the nation, including benefactors like Joan Kroc, and guided by outstanding leadership during that time, I watched the Greater Grand Forks community re-emerge stronger and better than before! Brady Martz re-located to one of the buildings that was erected shortly after the devastation passed. The Community Foundation itself was started in the aftermath of the flood. It was determined by community leaders that…“we felt that in the case of this gift (flood-related gifts) or future gifts, there ought to be a way to transform the giving impulse into philanthropic endowment.” Through the re-build process I felt like I had a front and center seat to watch the process of “community” in action. One definition of community in Merriam-Webster is “an interacting population of various kinds of individuals…in a common location”. My lived experiences in the Greater Grand Forks community have deepened my convictions about the importance of a strong community. Serving as a Community Foundation board member has allowed me to “give back” to a community which has provided deep and meaningful opportunities throughout my professional career. After watching the benefits of community during and after the Flood of 1997, I have a deeper appreciation and understanding of what a Community Foundation can do for a community. I am honored to serve on the Foundation board and to help advance the positive impact for our Greater Grand Forks community.  Unless. It’s a simple word, underwhelming even. It’s easy to miss the potential of one “unless.” Eighty-four years ago, one “unless…” changed my family’s path forever. My grandfather was dirt poor, literally. In his own words, he grew up, “...in a dirt floor shack in the foothills of Missour-a.” He was the fourth of seven siblings, the oldest boy. The Great Depression got to his father, like so many others. He left for work one day and never returned, abandoning his wife and seven young children in a state they didn’t know. Somehow, they all made it back to family in Iowa, where the children were separated among aunts and uncles after their mother’s mental health became too overwhelmed by the anxiety of it all. By all accounts, my great-grandfather was a generally terrible man with one redeeming quality: he was extraordinarily smart. Definitely not socially, or emotionally. More like Good Will Hunting, solving complex calculus on the hallway chalkboard smart. This trait was passed on to my grandfather, though it went unseen as he spent countless hours laboring at a neighboring dairy farm. Four days before my grandfather’s 20th birthday, Pearl Harbor was attacked. He knew he would be called to serve, but wanted to control his own destiny. He’d heard stories of the trenches in World War I. He didn’t want to die that way. He went to the Army recruiter’s office and made his request: he wanted to be an Army Air Corp pilot. “I’m sorry, son, you have to have a college degree to be a pilot” the recruiter told him. His heart sank. College hadn’t been in the cards for him. He thanked the recruiter for his time and began to leave. As he reached for the door, the recruiter called out: “...unless you can pass the test.”
The recruiter had no idea the impact he made, but this was our fork in the road. My grandfather passed the test and arrived in Europe just a few days after his fellow soldiers had stormed the beaches of Normandy. He flew a C-47, dropping paratroopers and pulling gliders. He received the Air Medal. He was promoted to First Lieutenant, and came home in December of 1945 to meet his one-year-old son, my father.
That one encounter, one “unless” changed his and our lives forever. He came home and established his own farm, worked hard to ensure his children could receive the education they wanted and not be restricted to certain types of work as they grew up. His experience instilled a core belief in my father, passed on to all of us: the most impactful thing we can do every day is see the potential in others regardless of their current circumstances, and - when we are able - provide them with the opportunity to reach it. This is why I serve. Because once you’ve made that kind of impact, all you can think is “how can I make that kind of difference again?” "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” -The Lorax  As 2025 continues to deliver twists and turns, it’s important to keep talking about philanthropy. Charitable giving is a vital strategy for your clients, even in times of economic uncertainty. Here are three trends to watch as you guide your clients through an unpredictable era and encourage them to look beyond the horizon.
Your clients still want to give While overall giving may dip during economic downturns, most of your philanthropic clients will continue to support their favorite charities. Indeed, giving often rebounds quickly alongside economic recovery. Donor-advised funds, in particular, have shown resilience and even growth during economic shocks, providing a stable source of support for nonprofits and a flexible tool for your clients. This support is crucial because economic upheaval often increases community need, which in turn creates more demand for nonprofits’ services. Often, as was the case during the pandemic, donors rise to the occasion. By working with the Community Foundation, your clients can stay close to the tangible, local impact of their giving. Legislation is still percolating At the moment, key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) are set to expire at the end of 2025, potentially impacting the charitable strategies you recommend to clients. Notably, though, on February 13, 2025, lawmakers in both the House and Senate introduced the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2025, aiming to permanently eliminate the federal estate tax and the federal generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax. Needless to say, if this act becomes law, the landscape of tax planning will change dramatically. On a happy note, under recently-proposed legislation, clients over the age of 70 ½ would be able to make Qualified Charitable Distributions to donor-advised funds at the Community Foundation. Under current law, eligible fund recipients of QCDs are limited to designated, field-of-interest, unrestricted, and similar funds. Focus on the future Some of your clients may be wondering just how much they can truly accomplish through philanthropy, especially right now. The answer is a lot. Sometimes called “big bet philanthropy,” strategies to leverage charitable dollars to tackle systemic social issues are becoming more popular. “Long-haul” initiatives require sustained commitment, collaboration, and capacity-building among both donors and the nonprofit organizations they support. Thanks to its mission to connect donors to community needs, the Community Foundation is in a unique position to work with your clients who want to pursue this form of charitable giving. Please reach out to the team at the Community Foundation anytime. Even during economic upheaval, charitable giving remains a powerful tool for tax planning and durable community impact. Thank you for your continued work to help your clients maximize their positive influence on our community. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  The number of private foundations in the United States is nearing 150,000 with combined assets topping $1 trillion, so it’s no wonder that a lot of people immediately think about establishing a private foundation when they begin to explore structuring their charitable giving activities. You’re likely working with several clients who’ve established private foundations somewhere along the way.
Recently, though, the growth of donor-advised funds to nearly 2 million in number - with grants from these vehicles reaching $50 billion in some years - signals that many people are starting to use both a donor-advised fund and a private foundation. Some of your clients may even be considering transferring a private foundation’s assets to a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation to carry out the family’s mission. This particular trend is on the rise, so take a moment to skim this checklist to help guide conversations. “Reality check” the hassle. Day-to-day management and administration of a private foundation can become time-consuming, especially as the responsibilities fall to second- and third-generation family members. Even the first generation may realize at some point that administrative work is taking too much focus away from nonprofits, the community, and making grants. Review the tax rules. The IRS’s rules related to investments, distributions, and “self-dealing” are complex. Over time, family members may become frustrated navigating the potholes of tax compliance. For instance, if a client plans to transfer all or part of a family business, now or in the future, it is critically important to communicate the benefits of using a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation versus transferring the business interests to a private foundation (which can be disastrous from a tax standpoint). Lean on the Community Foundation. Our team is happy to walk alongside you and your client through the steps to terminate a private foundation and move the assets to a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation. The first step is for the board of the private foundation to approve the termination and capture that approval in meeting minutes or a consent of directors. Set up a donor-advised fund. Your client can establish a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation and choose the name (e.g., Smith Family Foundation Fund). Similarly, selection and succession of fund advisors (who will handle grantmaking) can mirror the private foundation’s board structure. As a result, the donor-advised fund will look and operate a lot like the private foundation. Make a grant. The private foundation will distribute (“grant”) most of its net assets to the newly-established donor-advised fund. The private foundation will need to be sure it pays all of its liabilities and expenses before accounts are closed, so your clients will want to leave a reserve in the private foundation to cover final bills before completing the termination. Finalize the termination. As long as the private foundation corporate entity is in good standing according to state laws, termination for tax purposes will be automatic and smooth because assets were transferred to the Community Foundation, a longstanding organization. The private foundation will then simply file an informational tax return with the Internal Revenue Service for its final year (even if it is a short tax year). The final step is for the private foundation to take any steps required for termination under the laws of any and all states in which it was registered, especially if the private foundation was organized in corporate form. Whether your client is ready to transfer a private foundation this year or is simply evaluating options, please give us a call. We’re happy to help! The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  If you’re looking at your endowment-building goals for 2025 and feel a wave of uncertainty wash over you, you are not alone! Charities everywhere are facing mounting challenges in 2025 as economic uncertainty, market volatility, and shifting donor priorities threaten endowment giving. The Community Foundation is here to help ensure that your endowment fund and efforts to grow it remain robust, which in turn fosters the stability of your mission.
Here are 3 forward-thinking, donor-centric strategies to consider right now to avoid losing momentum on your endowment-building efforts: Focus on Current Donors Retaining existing donors is more cost-effective and impactful than acquiring new ones, especially during economic downturns. Be sure to maintain regular, transparent communication with endowment and legacy donors, sharing real-time updates on how their gifts are making a difference. Express appreciation through personalized recognition, such as thank-you calls from board members, special events, or exclusive updates. You can also offer tailored engagement opportunities, such as site visits or meetings with people your organization has helped, to deepen donor connection and trust. In times of uncertainty, your donors want assurance that their contributions are well-managed and impactful. Share Compelling Stories Donors - especially those considering or maintaining endowment gifts - are increasingly focused on impact and results. To build and sustain trust, highlight specific stories and data that demonstrate the real-world results of endowment giving. Invite donor feedback and, where appropriate, involve them in discussions about endowment management or future priorities. Indeed, a 2023 survey found that 70% of donors consider transparency a key factor in their giving decisions. By proactively sharing information and outcomes, charities can reassure donors and encourage continued or increased endowment support. Offer Choices Economic upheaval often prompts donors to reassess how and what they give. Meet your donors where they are right now by offering a range of planned giving options, such as charitable trusts, bequests, gifts of appreciated securities, or retirement assets, to accommodate donors’ financial planning needs. At the same time, make giving as simple and flexible as possible, including digital platforms for recurring or micro-donations, and options for non-cash gifts. Related, consider designing your communications to provide personalized experiences, recognizing that different donor demographics respond to different messages and opportunities. The Community Foundation is here for you! We are honored to help you maintain strong relationships and keep your endowment efforts resilient, even as economic conditions fluctuate. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  The news from the stock market has not been rosy! Investor confidence is rattled and many households are reassessing their financial priorities. Despite increasing challenges brought on by 2025’s turmoil, it’s important to remember that your organization and other charities are presented with a unique opportunity to lean into planned giving discussions.
Certainly many donors are feeling less secure about their finances amid a challenging economic climate and the recent stock market downturn. Understandably, In this environment, donors may be more hesitant to make large gifts or even maintain previous levels of annual giving, preferring instead to preserve liquidity and safeguard their immediate financial well-being. This is where planned giving comes in. Planned giving offers you and your colleagues a compelling alternative because donors can make a significant, lasting impact without affecting their current cash flow through bequests or beneficiary designations that take effect in the future to support your organization’s endowment. Unlike annual gifts, planned gifts are less vulnerable to short-term market volatility and provide a more predictable, stable revenue stream—critical for organizational resilience during uncertain times. By proactively engaging donors in thoughtful planned giving conversations, you can help your supporters feel confident about their legacy and financial security, while also ensuring your organization’s long-term sustainability despite today’s economic headwinds. Please reach out to the Community Foundation! We’re always happy to offer suggestions and resources to help you maintain momentum with your planned giving program. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  If you are 70 ½ and older, by now you’ve likely heard about a charitable giving tool called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (“QCD”), allowing you to direct a distribution from your IRA to an eligible charity, such as a designated fund, unrestricted fund, or field-of-interest fund at the Community Foundation. With a 2025 limit of $108,000 per taxpayer, QCDs count toward required minimum distributions (RMDs) but are excluded from taxable income, which can help you avoid higher tax brackets and phaseouts of deductions.
The Community Foundation team is here to help you make the most of charitable giving tools, including QCDs. A frequently-asked question about QCDs is whether they can be used to add money to a donor-advised fund. The answer is no–for now. While most public charities qualify as QCD recipients, donor-advised funds, private foundations, and supporting organizations do not under current law. Recently-proposed legislation, however, aims to further expand QCD eligibility by allowing distributions to donor-advised funds. If enacted, this change would give you and other eligible donors even more flexibility in maximizing your philanthropy. Indeed, a donor-advised fund is often the “hub” of a family’s charitable giving because it makes it so easy to stay organized and track support to favorite charities over the years. It’s becoming common for a family to add to its charitable giving “portfolio” by establishing a designated or field-of-interest fund alongside the donor-advised fund, as well as giving to the Community Foundations initiatives through the donor-advised fund. In many cases, family members also update their estate plans to include bequests to their funds at the Community Foundation. A QCD is a wonderful tool, and we’ll keep our fingers crossed that it becomes even more wonderful. As always, the Community Foundation will keep you posted on this and other tax law changes that may impact your plans for supporting your favorite causes and the community we all love. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  Economic turbulence, inflation concerns, and a general sense of financial instability have made 2025 very challenging for a lot of people. As you consider how to support your favorite charities this year, take a moment to evaluate which assets may be best suited for your donations. In particular, the choice between giving cash or appreciated stock can have a meaningful impact on both your finances and the charities you support. The team at the Community Foundation is here to help answer your questions, including a few that are very common this year:
Should I give stock? If you are concerned about preserving cash right now, then donating appreciated, publicly-traded stock can be a highly-effective strategy. By transferring long-term, marketable securities directly to a donor-advised or other type of fund at the Community Foundation, you avoid capital gains tax and may be eligible for an income tax deduction based on the fair market value of the securities. The Community Foundation, in turn, can sell the securities without incurring tax, maximizing the dollars available to support your favorite charities. Even in a down market, many investors still hold stocks that have appreciated over time, making this a win-win for both you and the causes you care about. Should I give cash? If your investment portfolio has declined significantly across the board, you may prefer to contribute cash this year. Doing so allows your investments time to recover, potentially increasing their value for future charitable gifts. Contributing cash to your fund at the Community Foundation allows you to organize your giving in one place, making it easier to gather tax information when April 15 rolls around again. How can my donor-advised fund help in challenging times for our community? Donor-advised funds offer flexibility for your charitable giving, particularly in unpredictable market conditions. By contributing to a donor-advised fund, you receive an immediate tax deduction and can recommend grants over time, allowing you to support your favorite organizations even when your personal finances are in flux. Many people like having a reserve of charitable funds that enables them to maintain consistent support for the causes they love, regardless of market ups and downs. What else should I consider as I plan my charitable support this year? Giving strategically in uncertain times is important to help stabilize the charities in our community and allow them to continue to support people in need. The Community Foundation can help you formalize long-term commitments while also ensuring that immediate needs are addressed. Maintaining support for the organizations you care about ensures their continued impact, even when resources are tight. The team at the Community Foundation is here to help you make a difference in our community as economic pressures mount. Please reach out to discuss the best options to achieve your charitable goals, even in a year as unpredictable as this one. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  When you’re working on the charitable components of a client’s estate or financial plan, one of the first areas you’ll likely explore is the structure. Certainly you are familiar with both private foundations and donor-advised funds as useful charitable giving tools. Before you jump into one or the other for a particular client, though, it’s important to review the similarities and differences between the two so that you can best achieve your client’s goals.
To help you evaluate a client’s options, here are three common myths about the differences between private foundations and donor-advised funds. Myth #1: Donor-advised funds are all the same and only private foundations can be customized Private foundations will always differ from donor-advised funds in important ways, not only because of their status as separate legal entities and the deductibility rules for gifts to these entities, but also because of the opportunities to customize governance. But it is a mistake to assume that a donor-advised fund is a cookie-cutter vehicle. Indeed, “donor-advised fund” is simply a term used to describe the structure of a fund and its relationship with a sponsoring organization such as a community foundation. The donor-advised fund vehicle itself is extremely flexible. Here’s why:
Myth #2: Deciding whether to establish a donor-advised fund or a private foundation mostly depends on size The size of a donor-advised fund, like the size of a private foundation, is unlimited. The United States’ largest private foundations are valued well into the billions of dollars. Information about private foundations, ironically, is not so private. The Internal Revenue Service provides public access to private foundations’ Form 990 tax returns. That is not the case for individual donor-advised funds. Similarly, donor-advised funds are not subject to an upper limit. Although information on the asset size of individual donor-advised funds is not publicly available, anecdotal information indicates that some donor-advised funds' assets may total in the billions of dollars. Indeed, a donor-advised fund of any size can be an effective alternative to a private foundation, thanks to fewer expenses to establish and maintain, maximum tax benefits (higher deductibility limitations and fair market valuation for contributing hard-to-value assets), no excise taxes, and confidentiality (including the ability to grant anonymously to charities). The net-net here is that the decision of whether to establish a donor-advised fund or a private foundation–or both–is much less a function of size than it is other factors that are tied more closely to the objectives a client is trying to achieve. Myth #3: Donor-advised funds and private foundations are mutually exclusive Make sure you’re aware of the benefits of using both a donor-advised fund and a private foundation to accomplish clients’ charitable goals. For example:
Some private foundations are even considering transferring their assets to a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation to carry on the foundation’s mission. Terminating a private foundation and consolidating giving through a donor-advised fund is sometimes the best alternative for a client when the day-to-day management and administration of the private foundation has become more time-consuming than expected and is taking time and focus away from nonprofits, the community, and making grants. Along these lines, some families find that the tax rules related to investments, distributions, and “self-dealing” have become harder to navigate and are perhaps even preventing the family from maximizing tax benefits of charitable giving. Finally, the administrative load of managing a private foundation sometimes becomes overwhelming, especially if the family members who handled these functions initially have retired, passed away, or simply become busy with other projects. The bottom line here is that we encourage you to reach out to the team at the Community Foundation anytime you are evaluating how to structure a charitable giving plan to achieve both your client’s charitable goals and financial goals. Our team is here to help. In many cases, the Community Foundation’s tools and services are a great fit for your client’s needs. If not, we will point you in the right direction. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  As attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, you know very well that trust is at the foundation of your relationships with clients. Your clients are seeking a similar level of trust with the people and organizations that are helping carry out their philanthropic wishes.
Fortunately, trust in charities has shown an increase after a recent dip. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer and the Independent Sector's "Trust in Nonprofits and Philanthropy" report, trust in nonprofits rebounded by 5 points to 57% in 2024, following a four-year decline. This increase positions nonprofits as the most trusted sector compared to government, business, and media. Still, nonprofits face challenges and concerns about maintaining this trust, including general skepticism about institutions, as well as increasing expectations that charities demonstrate transparency and accountability. As you work with your charitable clients, keep in mind that the Community Foundation can help bolster clients’ trust in their favorite charities. Here’s how: Trustworthy information about particular charities The Community Foundation is a valuable source for objective, timely information about specific charities and the impact of particular programs. By working with the Community Foundation, your clients can leverage a transparent and trustworthy avenue for learning about how best to make a difference for their favorite causes. Wide-ranging expertise about community needs At its core, the Community Foundation is committed to achieving impact. This means that our team keeps a finger on the pulse of local needs, whether related to social services, health care, education, the environment, the arts, community development, or any other community priority. With a deep understanding about community needs, the Community Foundation team can be an excellent sounding board for your clients who want to learn which charities are addressing each need and how those charities are measuring results. Broad set of tools for structuring charitable gifts The Community Foundation can help establish a tax-efficient structure to achieve each client’s goals for community impact. Available vehicles include not only donor-advised funds, but also other types of funds such as designated funds to support specific charities and field-of-interest funds to address particular causes, as well as multi-generational funds to involve clients’ children and grandchildren. The Community Foundation offers your clients a flexible and effective way to manage charitable giving by simplifying their giving processes and maximizing potential tax benefits. As always, we want to be your first call! Please reach out to the Community Foundation team anytime the topic of charitable giving comes up during a client conversation. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  In an environment where immediate community needs are never-ending (and actually seem to be skyrocketing), it’s really hard to carve out energy and time in your fundraising plan to make room for planned giving. We understand! The team at the Community Foundation knows how crucial it is for our community’s charities to attract as many donor dollars as possible to meet 2025’s mounting demands.
Ignoring a planned giving plan altogether, though, would be a mistake. You’d be sacrificing the long-term longevity of your mission. Intellectually, nonprofit fundraising professionals understand this. It’s just that it seems so hard to do at the moment, in the midst of turbulent times and emotional drain. Keep your planned giving spirits high by considering the following:
The key is to make it easy. Here’s how:
We look forward to working with you to help you grow your endowment! The Community Foundation is committed to your success. We believe in philanthropy’s ability to improve the quality of life in our region through outstanding nonprofit organizations delivering services to people who need it most. Thank you for all you do. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  Repeat, repeat, repeat. You may feel like you are constantly talking with your donors about the benefits of giving appreciated stock. Your talk track may go something like this:
You say all of this so much that you’re sick of it, so surely your donors are sick of hearing it too, right? Wrong. Your donors don’t live and breathe charitable giving like those of us who work in the nonprofit sector day in and day out. So, not only is the subject matter sometimes challenging, but it’s also likely that donors are not paying attention most of the time. Indeed, a lot of donors are missing out on the benefits of giving stock instead of cash. Building your endowment fund, like any type of fundraising, is a long game. You have to keep repeating key messages so that the point finally gets across, often when the timing is just right and the topic of tax planning or charitable giving happens to be on a donor’s mind. The team at the Community Foundation is always happy to serve as a sounding board for key messages and strategies to build your endowment, one person and one gift at a time, over and over–and over–again. We’re honored to work with you! This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  The Community Foundation is honored to work with so many wonderful nonprofit organizations in our region that are improving quality of life every single day. We know that it’s important for you to grow endowment assets to create a permanent source of support for your mission.
You’ve likely made it a priority to provide ongoing education and information to your donors to help them understand how your endowment works and why it’s so important to the future of your organization. Occasionally, a donor may ask you about the difference between making a gift to support your endowment, or, in the alternative, establishing a separate endowment fund at the Community Foundation to support your organization. Here’s a little background that may help you explain the differences to your donors. In either case, our team can help, so please do reach out. Building your endowment fund. Many donors will want to support your endowment fund held at the Community Foundation. Your board of directors may from time to time elect to make transfers from your organization’s assets to the fund. Your organization’s endowment fund is sometimes referred to as “quasi-endowment” because your board of directors has some degree of flexibility to access the principal for certain stated purposes such as emergencies. Annual distributions to supplement your organization’s budget are often made from the endowment fund based on market value percentages. Donor-designated endowment fund. Sometimes, a donor would like to support your organization by establishing a separate and permanent designated endowment at the Community Foundation, whether during lifetime or through a bequest. In that case, the board of directors and staff at the Community Foundation will oversee income payments to your organization and also ensure that the principal stays intact in perpetuity. In many cases, a donor will want to structure an endowment gift as a designated fund to benefit your organization while also leaning on the Community Foundation for support. The donor can name the fund whatever they’d like (e.g., the Smith Family Endowment Fund). The Community Foundation team is experienced at managing the accounting, investment, and distribution aspects of all types of endowment funds. When you work with the Community Foundation, it’s convenient and rewarding to establish and grow your organization’s endowment, as well as offer donors the option to set up a separate named endowment fund. Both types of gifts help your mission stay strong and improve the quality of life for future generations. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.  If you’ve ever considered wrapping charitable giving into a child’s birthday party, you are not alone! Lots of parents are encouraging their kids to have guests bring gifts to charity instead of presents, whether it's collecting books for a children's hospital, pet toys for an animal shelter, or non-perishable food for a local food bank. Guests can feel part of something special by bringing items that align with the birthday child's interests, and the party can include activities like making cards for the elderly or packaging donations together.
Even bigger than that, though, is the opportunity to educate your kids, starting at an early age, about charities and how every dollar can make a difference. Here are a few pointers: Be intentional. Teaching children the value of charitable giving requires intentional strategies that blend financial education with empathy-building experiences. By including philanthropy as a regular part of your family routines and traditions, you can help your kids understand wealth as a tool for positive impact rather than just personal gain. Over time, you’ll see that this approach fosters both financial literacy and compassion for others. It starts with money–and more. It’s often helpful to start the conversation by talking about money management and community needs, side by side. For example, you can explain how $100 might feed a family for a week, or how $1,000 could fund educational supplies for an entire classroom. You could even help your kids create a "giving budget” so they can practice ways to make their intentions visual and concrete. If you have established a donor-advised fund or other type of fund at the Community Foundation, log in to your account and show your kids how it works. Offer choices. Most kids don’t like to be told what to do (!), so it’s important to empower children by showing them how to research and pick causes that are aligned with their interests. The Community Foundation’s website is a great place to start. This is where kids can see the big picture of how charitable giving connects to our region’s quality of life, as well as learn about the Community Foundation’s priority initiatives and the nonprofits doing important work on the ground every day. Get out and about. Children (and adults) learn by doing, so try to find opportunities for hands-on involvement. You and your kids could volunteer together at food banks, organize neighborhood donation drives, or create handmade items for those in need. The Community Foundation is always happy to offer resources that will help you and your family find volunteer opportunities that are a good fit for your areas of interest and the ages of your children. As always, the Community Foundation is happy to be your sounding board as you get your family involved in charitable giving. We are honored to work with all generations of community-minded people! The future of our region depends on it, and we are here to help. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation.  At some point during your adult life, you’ve likely realized that it would be wise to put in place a will, trust, and powers of attorney, as well as undertake at least a basic level of financial planning to stay on track with retirement and other wealth-related goals for yourself and for your family. Perhaps you’re also among the many people who have thoughtfully incorporated charitable giving strategies into a comprehensive financial and estate plan.
If you’ve not yet wrapped charitable giving provisions into your will, trust, and financial plans, it’s never too late (or too early) to do so. The Community Foundation is happy to work with you and your legal, tax, and wealth advisors to set up charitable giving structures and processes that align with your intentions to support favorite charities and causes, as well as reinforce the tax and estate planning objectives you’ve set in motion. Indeed, formalizing your charitable intentions can bring a deep sense of purpose. By incorporating charitable giving into your estate plan, your values and philanthropic commitments can continue beyond your lifetime. What’s more, lifetime charitable giving can be part of a strategic wealth management plan, allowing you to optimize your financial resources while supporting causes you care about. For example, charitable income tax deductions for your donations may reduce your taxable income and lower your annual tax bill. Plus, donating appreciated assets, such as publicly-traded stock held for more than one year, can help you avoid capital gains taxes. In addition, dollars flowing to charities following your death can help minimize the burden of estate taxes. The Community Foundation team would be honored to help you develop a philanthropy plan, starting with lifetime giving and incorporating estate gifts as your legacy intentions take shape. As you consider whether the time might be right for you to formalize your charitable giving, here are three tips to consider - all of which the Community Foundation can help you achieve: Give to what you know. Most people experience the greatest joy from giving to causes that are personally familiar. Personal experience makes it easier to understand how the charity is using your dollars. So, for example, if you’ve had experience with helping foster children, you are likely to understand how the organization is using your donation to support training for foster parents. Please ask the Community Foundation team for insights! It’s our job to keep up with the good work of charities that are meeting local needs. Give where you are. Even with the increasing number of community challenges across the country and the globe, sometimes the greatest needs are right here at home. The Community Foundation team can help you identify opportunities to support local charities by gathering information about the overall need and how a particular charity addresses that need. When you give to local organizations, you are in a strong position to have confidence in your gift. Give to the causes you love. Donations to charities that are aligned with your own passions make you feel the best and ultimately make the most difference because you’re likely to continue giving. The Community Foundation team is here to help bring your community dreams to life through the power of philanthropy. And that feels great! If you’ve already established a donor-advised fund or other type of fund with the Community Foundation, or if you are considering getting started with the Community Foundation this year, we are here for you! The Community Foundation is honored to serve as your home for charitable giving. Our team looks forward to hearing from you. The team at the Community Foundation is honored to serve as a resource and sounding board as you build your charitable plans and pursue your philanthropic objectives for making a difference in the community. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice. Please consult your tax or legal advisor to learn how this information might apply to your own situation. |
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