How to Give
Giving Is Easy!
We want to help make your giving easy and fun! Get started by following these three steps.
1. Where do you want to give?
Define Your Charitable Passions
Giving is a very personal and rewarding experience, and varies from person to person. Here are a few questions to help you define your charitable passions:
- What issues do you care about? When you think about our world and society, what inspires or excites you? What upsets or angers you?
- If you could wave a magic wand and make a difference in the world, what would you change? How would the world be different?
- Why do you give? What gives you the greatest satisfaction when you give?
- What organizations do you currently give to? Why do you support these charities?
- Do you prefer to fund capital projects (bricks & mortar, equipment), emergency funding, permanent endowments, general operating support, a specific project, or something else?
Once you know where you want to give, decide what to give, and when to give!
Still need help deciding? Contact us and we can help connect you to a charity or cause that aligns with your passion.
2. What do you want to give?
Determine What to Give
There are many ways to give to the community foundation from as simple as cash to as complex as a gift of real estate. Each gift has its own unique tax advantages and should be discussed with your financial advisor to see which one makes the most sense for you and your tax situation.
Whatever you choose, we want to partner with you to make a gift that will impact today and transform tomorrow!
Cash Gifts
Cash, check and credit card are all very easy ways to make a gift to the community foundation.
- Donate online.
- Mail your gift to to the community foundation, noting which fund you wish to support.
- All checks must be made out to the community foundation with the name of the fund in the memo line.
Noncash Gifts
The community foundation can accept many different type of noncash gifts. Depending on your tax situation, it may make more sense to use one of these types of assets to receive the maximum tax advantages.
- Retirement Plans (401K and IRA accounts)
- Stocks, Bonds & Mutual Funds
- Cryptocurrency
- Life Insurance
- Grain & Livestock
- Closely Held Stock
- Real Estate
- Tangible Personal Property (ex: jewelry, art, etc.)
Thinking about making one of these gifts? Contact us before the gift is made to make sure we have all the right steps in place with you and your advisor to make sure you receive the intended tax benefits.
3. When do you want to give?
Give Now
- Give to an existing fund that supports your favorite charity or cause.
The great thing about a community foundation is that everyone's gift counts, no matter the size. Gifts of $10, $100, or even $1,000 can be added to an existing fund and are pooled together to make a collective impact together. - Set up your own fund and direct the dollars to support your favorite charity or cause forever.
You can establish your own fund for as little as $10,000 (over 5 years), and we will help you direct your dollars to support your favorite charity or cause. This is a fun way to personally get involved and see the impact of your giving first hand.
Give Later
- Leave a lasting legacy through your will or trust!
Making a gift to the community foundation through your will or trust is an easy, yet impactful way to take care of the causes you care about most, while also transforming tomorrow.
You can create a fund in your name or simply leave a gift to a fund that is already established in any amount that is meaningful to you. No gift is too small!
Learn more about how you can leave a legacy through your will here, or contact us to set up a meeting with you, or you and your professional advisor.
