Hello from the community foundation!
Spring is almost here, and we’re excited to continue our conversations with so many of you about your charitable priorities for 2026. It’s fun to see your generosity and impact take shape, whether you’ve already established your fund at the community foundation, are considering doing so, or regularly support the community foundation’s initiatives.
As always, we are happy to share tips and trends to help guide your philanthropy as you support the causes that mean the most to you.
—Women are increasingly shaping the future of philanthropy—within families, businesses, and communities. During Women’s History Month, the community foundation is happy to help you explore how thoughtful planning can translate your own growing influence and resources into lasting, multi-generational impact.
—New tax rules taking effect in 2026 could change how—and when—your charitable gifts deliver maximum benefit. A quick review with your CPA and the community foundation team can help ensure your giving strategy stays both tax-efficient and aligned with your goals.
—If you’ve been meaning to “do more” with your philanthropy, you’re not alone. Discover how small, intentional steps—taken over time with the community foundation by your side—can help you build a charitable plan that evolves with your life, your family, and your vision for impact.
The community foundation is honored to be your home for charitable giving, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together. Thank you!
—Your community foundation
THIS MONTH’S
FEATURED ARTICLES
Women and philanthropy: Impact across generations
March is Women’s History Month, and it’s a great time to check in on the increasing role of women in philanthropy. At the community foundation, we are honored to work with women across multiple generations, such as:
–A retired executive supporting community foundation initiatives with gifts from an IRA
–A business leader who is building a culture of giving in the workplace
–A young adult who is learning about community impact through a family donor-advised fund at the community foundation established by her parents
And many, many more!
Women’s growing control over wealth is fueling transformative potential to reshape philanthropy. According to research-based analysis published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, over the next decade, trillions of dollars will transfer to women through inheritance, earnings, and outliving male partners in heterosexual couples.
What’s more, research from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, including Women Give 2024: 20 Years of Gender & Giving Trends, supports what many are seeing firsthand: women are increasingly leading charitable decisions within their families. Sometimes this shift happens gradually—a daughter becomes more involved in conversations about family giving, or a spouse who once deferred decisions begins shaping philanthropic priorities more directly. In other cases, the transition is sudden and deeply personal, such as after the death of a spouse or parent, when a woman assumes sole responsibility for stewarding both financial assets and charitable intent.
You’re likely familiar with high-profile examples such as MacKenzie Scott and Melinda Gates. But the trend is much more widespread than just a few big names. Indeed, women often give more generously, more broadly, and more collaboratively than men. Notably, the ways women approach philanthropy differ significantly from men’s, especially with respect to motivations such as empathy, personal priorities, and firsthand involvement.
As women step more fully into philanthropic leadership, thoughtful planning can help ensure that their giving remains impactful and sustainable. Here are three ways the community foundation often partners with women and families to implement philanthropic intentions:
Creating a family philanthropy vehicle
A donor-advised fund at the community foundation can provide a flexible structure for collaborative giving. Many women choose to involve children or grandchildren as co-advisors, turning grantmaking into an opportunity to share values and learn together about community needs. These funds can be established with tax-efficient assets—such as appreciated stock or other complex assets—helping maximize both impact and stewardship.
Focusing on a cause for the long term
For donors who feel called to support a particular issue—education, healthcare, the arts, emergency assistance, or another area of personal significance—a field-of-interest fund can provide both focus and flexibility. For donors age 70 ½ or older, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) to certain types of funds at the community foundation (excluding donor-advised funds) from an IRA may offer an efficient way to support charitable priorities during life. Furthermore, naming a donor-advised fund as an IRA beneficiary can extend that support well beyond the donor’s lifetime.
Strengthening a favorite organization
Some women dedicate years of service to a specific nonprofit. In these cases, strategic planning can ensure that commitment endures. Grants can address immediate needs such as staffing or infrastructure, while a designated fund (an eligible recipient of a QCD) can provide dependable annual support for generations to come.
Women’s philanthropy continues to shape our communities in profound ways. Whether leadership transitions happen gradually or through life-changing events, the opportunity to align generosity with long-term purpose is powerful.
As always, the community foundation is here for women and here for everyone. It is our honor to support your philanthropy—helping ensure it reflects both enduring legacy and evolving purpose. We look forward to our next conversation!
Why 2026 is different: Four tax-time reminders
It’s tax season, which means it’s a terrific time to ensure that your charitable giving goals are on track. If you’ve already established a fund at the community foundation, please reach out to discuss your charitable priorities for 2026 and beyond. If you’ve not yet established a fund but are considering doing so, we hope you’ll reach out, too!
Even if a professional prepares your income tax return, it’s useful to quickly review a few basic rules to pave the way for the conversation about charitable planning, especially in light of key tax law changes effective on January 1, 2026.
Here are four items to discuss with (and forward to!) your CPA.
New rules for itemizing charitable deductions
As in prior years, charitable contributions are deductible only if you itemize your deductions. If your total itemized deductions do not exceed the standard deduction, your charitable gifts will not generate an additional tax benefit (with one exception discussed below).
What’s new for 2026 is a threshold for itemizers: charitable deductions are allowed only to the extent they exceed 0.5% of your adjusted gross income. In practical terms, this functions like a deductible. If your AGI is $200,000, for example, the first $1,000 of charitable contributions will not be deductible. Only amounts above that level are eligible, subject to existing percentage-of-income limits. For some people, this change may make it more appealing to “bundle” or “bunch” contributions into a single year—such as through a donor-advised fund at the community foundation—so that total giving comfortably exceeds both the standard deduction and the new AGI floor.
In addition, beginning in 2026, the value of itemized charitable deductions is capped at a 35% rate. So, even if you are in the 37% federal bracket, your charitable deduction will not offset income at your full marginal rate. While philanthropy is rarely motivated solely by taxes, this adjustment may influence the timing, structure, or asset selection for major gifts. Coordinating early with both your tax advisors and the community foundation team can help you evaluate the most efficient approach.
Finally, in a bit of good news, the long-standing rule allowing cash gifts to qualified public charities (such as your fund at the community foundation) to be deducted up to 60% of AGI has been made permanent (after clearing the new 0.5% AGI floor). Gifts of appreciated assets—such as stock or real estate—are generally deductible up to 30% of AGI.
New deduction for non-itemizers
Beginning in 2026, even if you do not itemize deductions on your tax return, you may claim an above-the-line charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for single filers or up to $2,000 for married couples filing jointly, for cash gifts to qualifying charities. Because this deduction reduces income before AGI is calculated, it can provide a meaningful benefit. It does not apply to non-cash gifts, and certain types of funds—such as donor-advised funds—are not eligible for this particular deduction. Even so, this new rule creates planning opportunities for many households who previously saw no tax impact from their annual giving. Keep this in mind for young adult children who do not yet itemize and who would like to start getting involved in charitable giving.
Document your charitable deductions
Not surprisingly, documentation rules remain in place. Gifts over $250 require a written acknowledgment from the charity. (The community foundation provides this for gifts into a fund or to the community foundation itself.) Non-cash gifts valued at $500 or more require IRS Form 8283, and qualified appraisals are required for donations over $5,000, such as closely held stock or real estate.
If you organize your giving through a donor-advised fund at the community foundation, you might consider structuring your annual giving so that you receive a single tax receipt for your annual contribution of cash, stock, or other assets to the fund. Your CPA won’t need separate receipts for each grant the fund distributes to your favorite charities. Many donors find this consolidated recordkeeping especially helpful at tax time.
If you are age 70 ½ or older, consider gifts from your IRAs
Qualified Charitable Distributions may be even more valuable under the new tax rules. If you are age 70 ½ or older, you can use a QCD to direct funds from your IRA to certain types of charitable funds at the community foundation and other public charities. The 2026 annual limit is $111,000 per taxpayer, allowing you to transfer significant amounts to charity without including the distribution in taxable income. QCDs can also satisfy required minimum distributions if you’ve reached the age where those apply.
Importantly, QCDs are not affected by the new itemized deduction floor or deduction caps, making them an especially efficient strategy for many retirees. As a reminder, QCDs cannot be directed to donor-advised funds, but they can support designated, field-of-interest, or unrestricted funds at the community foundation.
The charitable tax rules have always required thoughtful planning. In 2026, that planning is simply more nuanced. We encourage you to forward this summary to your CPA or bring it to your next meeting. When you do, please keep us in the loop. It is our honor to work alongside your tax, legal, and financial advisors to help structure your giving in a way that aligns with both your philanthropic goals and your overall financial plan.
Building your charitable plan, brick by brick
Most of us can think of something we fully intend to do—someday. Organize the photos. Update the estate plan. Have that family meeting. Reboot the exercise routine. Charitable planning often falls into that same category.
We hear from many generous people who care deeply about their community and fully intend to “do more” with their philanthropy. But life is busy. The calendar fills up. Markets fluctuate. Family and business priorities shift. It can feel easier to wait for the perfect moment—when things feel calmer, clearer, or more certain.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. And it is not a sign of indifference. More often, it reflects uncertainty. You may wonder:
–Am I giving to the right organizations?
–Am I committing too much too soon?
–What if my priorities change?
–What if I want to involve my children later?
When every decision feels permanent, it is natural to pause. The community foundation can help you shift gears from intention to action. Here are three principles that guide our work with donors in this situation.
Take it one step at a time
One of the most helpful mental shifts is to think of charitable planning as a multi-step process rather than a single, all-or-nothing decision. In many cases, a tax planning need takes precedence because of concrete deadlines and tax year considerations. Our team understands! That’s why we are happy to help you establish a donor-advised fund, for example, to meet an immediate tax planning need. With that time-sensitive box checked, we’ll move on to discussing how you’d like to deploy the fund’s resources, involve family members in the decision-making process, and adjust your giving as your interests evolve.
Keep it simple
Sometimes the hardest part of giving is not generosity—it is decision fatigue.
You might be asking yourself, “Where should I give?” Often, that’s not the best question to ask right out of the gate, especially if you are new to philanthropy. The team at the community foundation can help you work through key threshold questions including:
–As I look back on my charitable giving, what areas of focus seem to jump out?
–What specific charities have I supported over the years?
–Why have I supported those charities?
–Is there anything about my areas of focus that I’d like to change going forward?
As we explore these questions together, our team can provide research on local nonprofits, share insights about community needs, and facilitate family conversations about values and priorities.
Adopt long-term thinking
Community change does not happen overnight. You may find that your charitable intentions include not only providing annual support to favorite charities, but also making a meaningful difference over many years or even many decades that extend well beyond your lifetime.
The team at the community foundation can help you structure not only a donor-advised fund to help organize your annual giving, but also other types of funds and a legacy plan. Many families, for example, complement their donor-advised fund by also establishing a field-of-interest fund to support a particular cause with built-in flexibility as community needs change. Similarly, a designated fund can provide long-term support to specific organizations, and an unrestricted fund allows you to leverage the community foundation’s deep expertise and perpetual structure to address emerging community priorities for generations to come. You can name one or more of these funds as a beneficiary in your estate plan, whether through a gift in your will or trust or through a beneficiary designation on an IRA.
The bottom line is that the community foundation is here for you along your entire charitable giving journey. We’ll work together to build and implement your philanthropy plan brick by brick over the years to come, involving your tax advisors and family members at key junctures and always ensuring that your charitable intentions—even as they evolve over time—are fulfilled.
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 newsletter 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.