Reasons to Give Through a Community Foundation

You want to leave a lasting legacy.

Through the power of endowment, funds established at a community foundation allow your family’s name and charitable aspirations to live forever — creating a stable, enduring legacy to benefit future generations.

You want to save time and money.

A community foundation provides administrative and grant-making support, eliminating the need for donors to set up their own foundations, formulate policies, file innumerable forms and monitor the status of grant recipients.

You want flexibility.

A community foundation offers a variety of funds and gift options for a donor to consider. Working together, the foundation can identify the best option for the donor's charitable interests and the community’s needs. If the original purpose or recipient of a charitable gift ceases to exist after the donor is gone, the local board of directors can direct the fund to other uses closely related to the donor’s interests.

You want local knowledge.

Community foundation boards are composed of local people who have a special interest in the betterment of their hometowns and who understand the complexity and nature of the nonprofit organizations in their area. This local knowledge and experience helps the community foundation identify and serve the needs in a community.

You need a tax deduction.

Community foundations are qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. All gifts made to the community foundation are tax deductible.