Introduction
“This community has been good to me – to my family, my business. Now
I’d like to ‘give back,’ to make a real difference for my community.”
At the Community Foundation, we’ve heard these
words again and again from donors. Thank you for considering the
Community Foundation as you explore ways to give back to the people and
communities that you care about in our region! You’ve come to the right
place: We’ve partnered with hundreds of area residents in their search
for charitable giving solutions that align with their interests and
intent, while fitting their personal financial situation. Keep in mind,
too, that when you make a gift to the Community Foundation you know that
it’s not only helping the region right now; it will also help build a
permanent endowment that will address the region’s needs in the future.
Why Give Through the Foundation?: Sample
Scenarios
We believe that anyone can be a philanthropist,
at any income or asset level. As a focal point for community
philanthropy in the region, our goal is to ensure that your giving
experience through the Community Foundation is personally meaningful,
that your gifts are stewarded responsibly and that they achieve the
real, significant local impact through targeted grantmaking that you
intend.
The specific charitable solution you choose at
the Foundation will vary based on your personal circumstances. Do any of
these scenarios ring true for you?
“I know I want to
‘give back’ to the community – and I could really use the tax deduction
this year – but I’m not sure which organizations I want to give to.”
Setting up a Donor Advised fund at
the Community Foundation would give you the maximum charitable deduction
allowed by law for your gift in the current tax year, while allowing you
ample time in future months to make decisions about which organizations
you’d like to fund through the grants you recommend from your fund. And
if you need help in deciding, the Foundation can provide you with
information specific to each organization that can help you choose.
“I enjoy giving to
a variety of local organizations, but I’m tired of chasing after them to
send me the tax letters I need to file my income tax returns.”
Again, a Donor Advised fund might
be the answer for you. With this type of fund you make your initial
charitable contribution(s) to your fund at the Community Foundation,
receiving a tax letter from us right away for each contribution you
make. Then, up to four times per year, simply tell us how you’d like
grant distributions awarded to other organizations from your fund. You
don’t have to worry about tax letters from them because you received
your “tax letter” when you made your initial gift to the Community
Foundation. Simple and convenient!
“I’m not in a
financial position to establish my own fund right now, but I’d still
like to know that my charitable gifts are making a real impact in the
community. Do you have options for me?” We do indeed.
Anyone can make a gift of any size at any time to any of the established
funds at the Community Foundation. For example, depending on your
charitable intent we sometimes recommend that such gifts be made either
to the CommuniFund™ or
The Women’s Fund – both component
funds with the Foundation’s endowment – because gifts to these funds are
used to make grant awards each year on a competitive basis to nonprofit
organizations in the community working on specific projects to meet
pressing community needs. We report back to donors on the impact of
these grants in our newsletters and in
our annual report.
“I’ll be receiving
a fairly significant sum of money soon (Inheritance? Life
insurance beneficiary? Sale of a business or a home?) and I’d like to do something special for the good of
the community with all or part of it. But what, and how?
We can help you figure it out and will be glad to work with you and your
professional advisor to set up the type of fund that best matches your
charitable intent. Do you have a specific cause that you’re passionate
about? A Donor Advised or
Field of Interest fund might be
best for you. Are there specific area organizations you’d like to help?
Then a Designated fund or
Donor Advised fund might be the
right answer. Would you like to help future students at your high school
alma mater go on to higher education? A
Scholarship fund at the Foundation could be the way to go. Or do you
simply want to give the money in such a way that you know it will be
used for meeting the community’s pressing needs? Then a gift to the
Foundation’s CommuniFund™, our
unrestricted fund used for twice-annual competitive grantmaking, may
suit your needs.
“I’ve been thinking
a lot about the legacy I’d like to leave the community after I’m gone. I
know what I’d like to do – but I won’t be here to make sure it’s done!
Help!” Community foundations are “for good, for ever.” We
can work with you and your professional advisor now to establish a
charitable fund at the Foundation that will be fully funded when your
estate is settled and that will carry out your charitable intent for the
period of time that you envision, whether permanently or for a specific
number of years. Contact us for more
information or call (607) 772-6773.
“I’ve been
considering setting up my own family foundation, but the legal
complexities and on-going costs of running it are starting to give me
second thoughts. Is there an alternative that would let me accomplish my
goals without all the hassle?” It’s possible. With a
named Donor Advised fund at the
Community Foundation you could direct that grants be awarded to the area
nonprofits of your choice once each quarter. And because the Foundation
takes care of all administrative costs and legal requirements, as well
as all investment decisions, you can enjoy concentrating on the “fun
part”: grantmaking!
Don’t see your personal situation here? Not to
worry. We’ll be glad to speak with you about any charitable dream or
goal you may have, and if we can’t help you, we’ll do our best to steer
you to another organization that can. Contact Executive Director
Diane Brown
or Development Officer
Donna Hill
for questions or more information at (607) 772-6773.
Return to Top
Meet Others Who Have Given
Read the stories of others who have lived and
worked here in our region and why they chose to partner with the
Community Foundation for South Central New York.
A
Tradition of Giving: Giving as a Family Affair
Journey of
a Life Well Lived
Planting for the Future
A
Promise Fulfilled…and Fulfilled Again
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