Countdown to 2026, QCDs and unrestricted giving, and “no kids” charitable planning

Hello from the community foundation! 

Thank you for the opportunity to work together! It is our honor to celebrate and recognize the conclusion of another year full of stories and examples of people like you who make a difference every day in our community through your advocacy, volunteerism, and financial support of our community’s charities. 

As we reflect on 2025, we’re sharing three insights that have resonated with many charitable individuals and families, many of whom have established a fund at the community foundation or are in the process of doing so right now! 

—It’s not over until it’s over, and we’re taking this opportunity to share practical year-end reminders, especially considering that, for taxpayers who itemize deductions, 2025 may be the best tax environment to maximize your charitable giving by donating appreciated stock to a donor-advised fund. And of course, if you are over the age of 70 ½, don’t forget to consider QCDs from IRAs as you check your beneficiary designations. The community foundation is here to help! 

—Unrestricted gifts are a powerful way for you and other donors to invest in long-term support for ever-evolving community needs. As a permanent, flexible, and trusted institution, the community foundation is here to help you evaluate how unrestricted gifts might be the perfect complement to your portfolio of giving, alongside your donor-advised fund and legacy gift, for example. QCDs are a particularly important way to support an unrestricted fund if you are 70 ½ or older.

—People who don’t have children often embrace intentional planning about their legacies and are statistically more likely to include charities in their estate plans. If you’re one of these people, reach out to the community foundation. We’ll help you set up charitable giving strategies to express your identity, integrate philanthropy into your estate and financial plans, and involve your extended family or younger relatives along your journey.

Whatever causes you support and wherever your charitable interests lie, the community is here for you. We are honored to serve as your home for charitable giving to help you organize your support for favorite charities and make a meaningful difference in the lives of people who live in this wonderful place we call home. We wish you all the best for the season! 

–Your community foundation

Countdown to 2026: 10 tips for charitable giving

At the community foundation, we are honored to work with you and so many other families, individuals, and businesses to help organize your charitable giving and support favorite charities that make a difference in our community. As the year winds down, keep these 10 tips in mind:

–Remember that 2025 is a pivotal year for charitable planning. With more stringent charitable deduction limitations taking effect in 2026 under new tax laws, this year may offer a favorable tax environment for your giving depending on your personal situation. Talk with your tax advisors as soon as possible.

–Work with your tax advisors to evaluate the benefits of “bunching” multiple years of charitable gifts into 2025. By front-loading contributions—especially into your donor-advised fund at the community foundation—you may be able to exceed the standard deduction this year and maximize your tax benefits.

–Use your donor-advised fund to simplify year-end giving. You can make one tax-deductible contribution now, receive the deduction in 2025, and recommend grants to nonprofits over time, even throughout 2026 and beyond.

–Give appreciated stock instead of cash. Donating long-term appreciated securities to your fund at the community foundation may eliminate capital gains tax and in turn increase your charitable impact. Talk with your tax advisors as soon as possible so that these gifts can be processed well before the end of the year.

–Explore giving from your IRA if you’re 70½ or older. A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) can reduce taxable income and, if applicable, satisfy required minimum distributions—to the tune of $108,000 per taxpayer in 2025. IRS rules allow you to make QCDs to a wide variety of funds at the community foundation (but not to your donor-advised fund).

–Check to see whether you’ve met your charitable goals for 2025. Don’t wait until late December to review your plan. Our team can help you think through options for this year and begin to coordinate more complex gifts for next year.

–Support the community overall by making gifts to the community foundation’s special funds or operations. 2025 has been a tough year for many people in our community, and our team can help you support families in crisis both now and in the future.

–Review your beneficiary designations. Naming your donor-advised fund or another community foundation fund as a beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement account can create meaningful future gifts while reducing the tax burden on heirs.

–Avoid last-minute surprises. Gifts of complex assets—such as real estate or closely-held stock—require additional steps and a lot of lead time, so contact the community foundation early if you’re considering these options. Even if it is too late to complete these gifts in 2025, start working with the community foundation on options for 2026 gifts.

–Above all, lean on the community foundation team! We are here to help you explore the most tax-efficient ways to meet your charitable goals, whether you’re planning year-end gifts, updating a legacy plan, or thinking ahead to the changes coming in 2026.

It is our honor to work with you! Thank you for the opportunity. We look forward to supporting your charitable goals this year and for many years to come. 

Unrestricted giving, QCDs, and why they matter for your philanthropy

As someone who cares deeply about our community, you already understand how important charitable giving is to improving the quality of life. Every year, Americans give nearly 2% of our nation’s GDP to charitable causes—a remarkable level of generosity that supports more than a million nonprofits across the country. At the same time, trust has become one of the most important factors donors consider when deciding where to give. We are honored that so many of you place your confidence in the community foundation to steward your philanthropy with care and integrity.

The community foundation is your home for charitable giving, no matter what causes you support. Simultaneously, we are committed to understanding the needs of our community and sharing that information with you and other donors to help ensure that charitable dollars are invested where they can do the greatest good. Some needs are urgent, such as immediate assistance in response to a crisis. Other needs are long-term, such as building educational opportunities, strengthening health and human services, or expanding economic stability. Because the community’s needs evolve over time, the community foundation is focused on identifying what matters most at any given moment and helping you ensure that your generosity has a meaningful impact both immediately and across generations.

For donors aged 70½ and older, one of the most effective and tax-savvy charitable giving tools available is the Qualified Charitable Distribution, or QCD. A QCD allows you to direct up to $108,000 in 2025 from your IRA to a qualified public charity—bypassing taxable income. If you are already taking required minimum distributions (RMDs), a QCD will count toward that amount without increasing your adjusted gross income, which can be especially helpful for managing tax brackets, Medicare IRMAA surcharges, and other income-related considerations.

QCDs cannot be directed to donor-advised funds. So, many donors choose to use their donor-advised fund to support their favorite charities through regular annual gifts, and then use their QCDs to support an unrestricted fund at the community foundation. An unrestricted fund enables the community foundation’s board and staff to deploy dollars toward the most pressing and emerging needs right here at home. It is one of the most powerful ways to support your community, both now and in the future.

Be sure to talk with your tax advisors about whether a QCD fits into your 2025 charitable giving plans. Looking ahead, with new tax laws taking effect in 2026, QCDs may become even more valuable, so be sure to discuss next year’s opportunities, too.

No matter which tools you use—your donor-advised fund, a QCD to an unrestricted fund, or other giving strategies—the community foundation is here to support you. Please reach out anytime. We are honored to partner with you to ensure your generosity continues to make a meaningful difference in the community we all love.

No kids? Three calls-to-action for charitable planning

Many people without children wonder how their legacy will take shape. Rather than focusing on biological heirs, they often find freedom to channel their resources, time, and values toward the broader community. Indeed, Americans over age 50 without children are more than four times as likely as parents to have a charitable estate plan. If you fall into this group—or advise family members who do—take a moment to consider adopting an intentional philanthropic strategy.

The community foundation is happy to help. Reach out anytime for a conversation! Here are three themes we’ll consider as we begin our dialogue:

Treat charitable giving as an expression of identity. For people without children, the causes they champion often become extensions of their values and impact. A fund at the community foundation can bear the name of its donors or something else entirely to represent the priorities of its founders. Examples of fund names include “Smith Family Fund,” “Sally Smith and Joe Brown Foundation Fund,” “Building Stronger Communities Fund,” “Animal Welfare Innovation Fund,” or anything else meaningful to the donors who create it. The choice is yours!  

Integrate charitable planning into estate planning. People who do not have children often have greater flexibility in determining how their wealth will create lasting meaning and impact beyond their lifetimes. By integrating charitable planning into their estate and financial strategies, they can direct resources toward causes that reflect their values and ensure their legacy benefits the broader community. Without the need to provide for heirs, charitable planning offers a thoughtful way to give purpose to accumulated assets and make a difference for future generations. We will discuss ways to involve your estate planning advisors in structuring charitable plans with the community foundation’s help. 

Branch out to extended family. Without the generational handoff of children, people without children might have flexibility most donors don’t. This can mean involving nieces, nephews, other younger relatives, or community members in the philanthropic journey, building a multi-year giving plan, or shifting giving based on changing community needs. Remember, when you establish a donor-advised fund at the community foundation, you can name successor advisors to take your place in recommending charities to receive distributions. 

Whether or not you have children, the community foundation is a sounding board and resource every step of the way. Please reach out to learn more about how we can help you and your family build a charitable plan that is tailored to both your personal and family goals, as well as your goals for making a difference in the causes you care about. 

Addressing urgent community needs and tax law changes, deductibility tips, and abundant giving through donor-advised funds

Hello from the community foundation! 

The days are getting shorter, and the end of the year is approaching quickly. The team at the community foundation is here to help you carry out your charitable giving plans to make a big difference in 2025. In that spirit, we are sharing insights on three topics that are relevant to many donors and fund holders right now, as well as to individuals and families who are considering establishing a fund at the community foundation this year.

—The community foundation is here to help you make a difference right now, just as the community foundation has been in the past and will be for generations to come. As our region’s home for charitable giving, the community foundation and its donors respond to community priorities and urgent needs, whether triggered by a government shutdown that disrupts paychecks, services, and community programs, a natural disaster, or economic factors. Learn how 2025 is an especially important year to respond to these needs.

—What’s the difference between tax-deductible and tax-exempt? What does “501(c)(3)” mean exactly? The community foundation is happy to answer these and other questions about the overall framework for charitable giving rules and help you create a punch list of items to discuss with your tax advisors. Especially for year-end giving, it’s crucial to pay attention to deductibility rules.

—Donor-advised funds provide tremendous flexibility for families and individuals and are an important source of funds when times get tough for people in need. If you’ve not yet considered how your donor-advised fund helps you do even more for the community you love, now is the time to discover its multi-faceted uses and benefits.

What’s more, November 12 through 18 marks National Community Foundation Week, a special time to celebrate the impact that people like you—our donors, fund holders, and community partners—make possible. Community foundations across the country, including ours, exist to strengthen local philanthropy and connect generous individuals, families, and businesses with the causes that matter most to them. More than 800 community foundations nationwide serve as trusted stewards of charitable resources, offering donor-advised funds, legacy planning expertise, and deep knowledge of local needs and opportunities. During Community Foundation Week, we’re proud to celebrate our shared commitment to making a difference—together. We invite you to connect with our team to explore how your charitable giving can be both meaningful and effective, creating lasting impact right here in our community.

Thank you, as always, for the opportunity to work together. If you’ve already established a fund at the community foundation, thank you! If you are considering doing so, please reach out! We would love to help you get that set up in plenty of time to take advantage of year-end giving benefits and do a lot of good for the causes you care about. 

–Your community foundation

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FEATURED ARTICLES

Year-end dynamics: Tax law changes and increasing community needs 

You are likely aware that many families in our community are struggling, and you may be wondering how you can help most effectively. Whether increased community needs are triggered by a government shutdown that disrupts paychecks, services, and community programs, a natural disaster, or economic factors, the community foundation is committed to working alongside you to structure charitable giving plans that make a real difference in the lives of people in our region.

Here are a few examples of how our team can help:

Real-time identification of needs. The team at the community foundation has its finger on the pulse of which organizations specifically are helping families in crisis. As federal employees and contractors grapple with missing income, and federal benefits become uncertain for families in need, charities in our community can be stretched thin attempting to meet the rising demand for food, rent, and utility assistance. The community foundation knows where dollars are most needed and how those dollars translate into immediate impact.

Offering fast, flexible charitable solutions. Donors who have already established donor-advised funds at the community foundation can use those vehicles to provide support to charities on the front lines of emergency assistance in our community. The community foundation makes it fast and easy for grants to flow out of donor-advised funds to qualified and vetted organizations that are doing the work on the ground.

Leverage important timing. The urgency of community needs in late 2025 coincides with an important window of opportunity for donors who itemize their income tax deductions. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), limits on charitable deductions will tighten beginning in 2026. That means donors who can “front-load” contributions—such as by giving more this year through establishing or adding to a donor-advised fund—can maximize both their tax benefits and their impact.

Plan for the future. Unfortunately, community crises are not unusual. The community foundation can help donors strengthen our community’s ability to respond to urgent needs, regardless of when and why they occur. For this reason, many donors not only give to their favorite charities through donor-advised funds, but they also use their donor-advised funds to give to the community foundation’s dedicated response funds to ensure that dollars are in place to support people in need the moment the next crisis hits.

At the community foundation, we encourage you to reach out anytime. At this moment, though, when urgent needs and tax opportunities are occurring simultaneously, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible. It is our honor to work with you and your fellow donors who care so deeply about our community.

Tax-deductible, tax-exempt, and need-to-know nuances

As year-end approaches, your thoughts might naturally turn to charitable giving—both as a way to support favorite causes and to make the most of available tax benefits. Recent changes in the tax laws have caused many donors to reflect on their own understanding of the rules for deductibility, starting with a very fundamental question about what the IRS considers deductible—and what falls outside that category.

Here’s a quick three-point refresher:

–In general, contributions are eligible for the most favorable tax deduction when they are made to organizations that have received tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. So-called “public charities” with 501(c)(3) status must operate exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, scientific, or similar purposes. Gifts to these organizations are eligible for a deduction if you itemize deductions on your income tax return.

–Beyond 501(c)(3) public charities, there are other types of organizations that do important community work but are not eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Civic groups, social welfare organizations, and neighborhood associations—while vital to the community—are usually classified under different IRS categories, such as Section 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6). Gifts to these organizations are typically not deductible, even though they serve valuable purposes.

–It’s also important to keep in mind that “nonprofit” and “tax-exempt” do not always mean the same thing. Nonprofit status is a matter of state law, while federal tax-exempt status requires specific IRS approval. “Tax-exempt” means that the organization itself does not pay taxes. Only a subset of tax-exempt nonprofits qualify to receive deductible contributions.

Sounds complicated, right? It is! The good news is that your community foundation is here to help. Our team works with charitable organizations every day and can help you confirm which gifts are eligible for a deduction and which are not. More importantly, we can help you make sure that your giving—whether or not it qualifies for a deduction—makes the greatest possible impact in the areas you care about most.

At the end of the day, while the tax deduction can be an added bonus, what matters most is the good your generosity accomplishes. As you plan your year-end giving, please reach out to our team. We’re here to help you give confidently, wisely, and in a way that makes a lasting difference in the community you love.

Donor-advised funds: Bunching, abundance, and flexibility 

Many people establish a donor-advised fund at the community foundation to simplify their giving, stay organized, and even engage the next generation in philanthropy. And, for some families, 2025 is the year when the donor-advised fund takes on an even bigger role in aligning charitable giving goals with changing tax laws. And even families who are not impacted by changing tax laws are beginning to view their donor-advised fund with more admiration for the variety and abundance of purposes it can serve. Let’s take a look: 

–Evaluate “bunching” in 2025. If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, you might have heard that things are changing in 2026 when both a floor and a cap on itemized charitable deductions kick in. This means 2025 offers a unique opportunity to “front-load” or “bunch” charitable contributions into your donor-advised fund before the tax landscape shifts. By making a larger contribution in 2025—perhaps representing two or three years of anticipated giving—you can maximize your tax deduction under the current rules while continuing to recommend grants to charities in 2026 and beyond. 

–Organize your giving. Your donor-advised fund at the community foundation already serves as a useful hub to organize your giving. You make tax-deductible contributions of cash or appreciated stock, and then recommend grants to your favorite organizations over time. With this in mind, make sure your fund is the center of your charitable activity—not a side account. In other words, consider making all of your charitable contributions through your donor-advised fund to streamline recordkeeping and tracking of your annual giving footprint.

–Adopt a portfolio approach. Alongside your donor-advised fund, you can establish a designated or field-of-interest fund to complement your charitable giving strategies. A designated fund supports a specific charity for the long term, while a field-of-interest fund focuses on an area of community need, guided by the community foundation’s deep local knowledge. If you are over age 70½, your IRA’s Qualified Charitable Distributions can go directly to these funds—reducing taxable income while supporting the causes you care about.

–Establish a legacy. Of course, you can include your charitable funds in your estate plan. Many people name donor-advised funds or other community foundation funds as beneficiaries in their wills, trusts, or retirement accounts. Retirement plans such as traditional IRAs, for example, can be tax-efficient assets to give to your fund through your estate because the gift bypasses income and estate tax.

As you begin to view your donor-advised fund in a new light, remember that the community foundation team is here to help you make the most of it, whether that means exploring how to “bunch your giving” in 2025, creating complementary funds, or planning your charitable legacy. We are honored to work together to ensure that your philanthropy continues to make a lasting difference in our community, today and for years to come.

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.

Balancing immediate and long-term community needs, six tips for year end, and reasons to celebrate donor-advised funds

Hello from the community foundation! 

We hope you enjoyed the final days of summer. The team at the community foundation certainly appreciated hearing from so many of you over the last few months as you spent time with family and friends and the conversations turned to charitable giving. It was a busy mid-year as donors and their tax advisors scrambled to understand the new tax laws against a backdrop of increasing community needs.

Here’s what’s trending at the community foundation:

–Many families spend time over the holidays focusing on their charitable giving priorities. If your family is among them, now is a good time to consider how both long-term and short-term planning can be important components of a comprehensive philanthropic strategy. The community foundation can help! 

–The questions keep coming–thank you! We appreciate many donors asking our team to explain just the basics of the new tax laws, with a particular focus on what might impact charitable giving plans through the remainder of 2025. Our team is happy to provide a quick overview.

–Donor-advised funds are just one of many vehicles available through the community foundation to help you structure your charitable giving and support the causes you care about. With national DAF Day scheduled for October 9, this is a great time to review the many reasons to consider establishing your donor-advised fund at the community foundation. 

We’re honored to work with so many individuals, families, and businesses to make a difference in the causes you care about. Thank you for the opportunity to work together. As always, please reach out anytime! 

–Your community foundation

THIS MONTH’S

TRENDING TOPICS

Balancing immediate and long-term support for your favorite community causes

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

At the community foundation, we’re committed to working with individuals, families, and businesses to help make a difference in the causes you care about. Indeed, many people have at least a general idea of the community impact they’d like to achieve when they first establish a fund. If you’ve already established a donor-advised or other type of fund at the community foundation, or if you are considering doing so, you might have a list of charities and priorities as your focus. 

Our team can certainly help you achieve your charitable goals, including giving to charities you’ve supported for years, as well as introducing you to new initiatives and programs that fall within your areas of interest. Identifying recipients and goals for impact is certainly important in your philanthropy plan. 

Here’s another question that’s important to answer: How long would you like your charitable dollars to be at work? The team at the community foundation is equipped to help you with this component of your giving, too. Here are six questions we’ll consider when establishing your charitable giving plan and corresponding fund structure:

–Are the causes and issues that matter most to you likely to represent short-term, immediate community needs, or community needs that will be important for generations?

–Would you like your children, grandchildren, or other loved ones to help guide your charitable fund in the future?

–Would you like to see and experience the results of your giving now, or are you more focused on establishing something lasting beyond your lifetime?

–Are tax savings, estate planning goals, or retirement income needs part of what you’d like your charitable plan to support?

–If you’re interested in both immediate impact and long-term legacy, what portion of your charitable fund would you like to see spent down versus preserved in perpetuity?

–When you think about your charitable impact—whether in five years or fifty—what would make you feel your fund or funds at the community foundation accomplished their purpose?

As we work together to consider these questions, the community foundation team is happy to offer suggested reading to help inform your decision-making process about the benefits of each type of structure, or a hybrid. 

Many donors choose to combine strategies as they work with the community foundation to build a portfolio of charitable giving vehicles to accomplish all aspects of their philanthropy goals. Here is an example:

–A donor-advised fund to organize annual giving to favorite charities, including taking advantage of “bunching” techniques to front-load contributions to take advantage of itemizing charitable deductions.

–A designated fund to support a specific favorite charity in perpetuity, ensuring that charitable funds will be preserved even if the charity falls on hard times.

–Annual gifts to the community foundation’s endowment fund so that critical issues can be addressed in perpetuity as the community’s needs change over time. 

–Beneficiary designations on traditional IRAs and other qualified retirement plans naming both the donor-advised fund and the community foundation’s endowment fund to receive the proceeds.

Please reach out anytime. The community foundation team is here to talk with you about your favorite charities, your philanthropy values, and your goals for impact. Together, we can create a charitable giving plan that reflects your vision, whether that means lasting forever, making a difference right now, or both.

Six tips for your year-end game plan

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

With only a few months left in 2025, it is important to evaluate your philanthropy sooner rather than later. Recently-passed tax laws may throw a curveball into the financial planning strategies you’ve set in motion with your advisors. 

Here are six tips to help you and your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor evaluate whether adjustments to your charitable plan might be in order. Of course, the team at the community foundation would be honored to join your meeting for the charitable giving conversation. There are so many ways we can help! 

Check out the new estate tax exemption.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) extended or “made permanent” many favorable tax provisions, notably the elevated estate tax exemption. In technical terms, under the new law, the 2025 estate tax exemption is $13.99 million for single filers and $27.98 million married filing jointly. In 2026, these numbers increase to $15 million and $30 million respectively. You may recall that the higher exemption was originally scheduled to sunset at the end of this year, which would have caused a lot more estates to be subject to tax. This, in turn, prompted many people to lean on charitable gifts in their wills and trusts to blunt the impact of estate taxes.

Keep planning!

If you are a high net worth individual, even though the estate tax exemption is staying high, this is no time to become complacent. Although no one knows what future tax legislation might look like, we all know that there will be tax legislation in the future. Today’s tax advantages will not be tomorrow’s tax advantages. Continue to talk with the community foundation and your advisors about your charitable giving plans so you are ready to make adjustments when the laws change again.

Consider not making a change.

Above all, remember that financial motivations are not the top reason people support charities. That is certainly our experience at the community foundation. So, if you were among the people who adjusted estate plans in anticipation of the lower estate tax exemption, consider retaining the larger bequest to your fund at the community foundation or other charities. You’ll be doing a lot of good! 

2025 is important if you itemize deductions on your income tax return. 

If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, 2025 presents a window of opportunity! This is because the OBBBA increases the standard deduction in 2025. This is also because your itemized charitable deductions will be subject to a “floor” and cap starting in 2026. A technique called “bunching” could allow you to make big contributions to your donor-advised fund at the community foundation in 2025 so that you can benefit from itemizing your deductions. In turn, over the coming years, you can use your donor-advised fund to support your favorite charities.   

Stick to the basics.

Sure, a lot is changing, but a lot isn’t! Appreciated stock is still likely to be a much more tax-savvy gift to charity than cash, and it’s important to keep this top of mind. In addition, IRAs remain a powerful charitable planning tool. For instance, when you name a fund at the community foundation as the beneficiary of an IRA, the gift avoids estate tax and income tax, both of which can hit your heirs hard. 

Know the opportunities if you are 70 ½ or older.

If you are 70 ½ or older, the Qualified Charitable Distribution (“QCD”) is a great way to transfer up to $108,000 (2025’s per taxpayer limit) income-tax free to a qualified charity, including some types of funds at the community foundation. 

Please reach out to the community foundation team. We’re honored to be your first call on all things charitable giving! 

Donor-advised funds: So much to celebrate

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

Over the years, our team has talked with a lot of people who are surprised to learn that they can set up such a wide variety of charitable giving vehicles at the community foundation, including legacy gifts as well as lifetime giving vehicles such as donor-advised funds. What’s more, some people who have already established a donor-advised fund at a national financial institution don’t realize that they could have set up that donor-advised fund at the community foundation. 

Establishing a donor-advised fund is a terrific first step toward establishing a comprehensive charitable giving plan. And October is a particularly good time to evaluate the role of a donor-advised fund as part of your philanthropic strategy. That’s because October 9 is DAF Day 2025, a national celebration of donor-advised funds and the impact they make in communities everywhere. 

If you already have a donor-advised fund at a national financial institution, the good news is that it’s never too late to transfer the fund to the community foundation. You’ll be glad to know that donor-advised funds at the community foundation can carry the same tax and administrative advantages as those at national firms, including:

–Online account access and simple grant request processes

–Consolidated tax reporting and full back-office administration

–Useful as a tool for “bunching” by front-loading several years of charitable giving into a single tax year to exceed the standard deduction threshold

–Dollars in the fund support favorite charities over time, enabling strategic giving

Here’s where a donor-advised fund at the community foundation really stands out:

–Personal guidance and deep community knowledge of staff members who live and work in our region

–Close relationships with nonprofit leaders and organizations across many fields

–Tailored advice, local insights, and opportunities to collaborate with others who share donors’ interests

–Administrative fees support the community foundation’s operations, which in turn help sustain and expand services for donors and the community

If you haven't yet set up a donor-advised fund at the community foundation, we would welcome the opportunity to serve you! Here, your fund will be managed with the highest level of care, grounded in a true understanding of community needs, and supported by professionals who are committed not only to your goals but also to the health and vibrancy of our region. Together, we can make sure your charitable assets accomplish exactly what you intend—whether that means making an immediate difference, planning for the future, or both.

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.

When to call us, philanthropy for young adults, and why it’s not about the tax deduction

Hello from the community foundation! 

We’re honored to work with so many individuals, families, and businesses to make a difference in the causes you care about. Philanthropy isn’t just about wealth—it’s about values, habits, and improving the quality of life in our community. This philosophy guides the community foundation’s work with donors across generations. We hope you enjoy this month’s insights and tips. As always, please reach out anytime! 

–You know the community foundation is a terrific resource for all things related to charitable giving. Still, sometimes it is hard to know exactly when to reach out to our team. We’re happy to share five of the many reasons you should contact the community foundation. We love hearing from you!  

–If you’re a young adult, or the parent or grandparent of a young adult, the community foundation can offer a variety of ways to get involved in the community. Making charitable giving part of the plan at an early age can be easy and very rewarding. Learn how to get motivated, get started, and get connected.

–It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of tax planning, especially during periods of significant change to the rules. Remember, though, that for most people, financial motivations are not the primary driver of charitable giving. At the community foundation, we are honored to experience first hand–every single day–overwhelming evidence that donors like you truly want to make a difference. 

Thank you for the opportunity to work together! We wish you a happy start to the fall season! 

–Your community foundation

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TRENDING TOPICS

Lean on us: Five reasons to call the community foundation

In an economic and legislative environment full of unpredictability, we encourage you to tap the knowledgeable team at the community foundation–perhaps even more than you have in the past. 

If you’ve already established a donor-advised or other type of fund at the community foundation, you’re familiar with many of the ways we make charitable giving easy, flexible, and effective so that you can achieve your goals for improving the quality of life in our community as well as fulfilling your own estate planning and financial objectives. 

Not quite sure when to reach out to the community foundation? If any of these situations applies to you, drop us an email or give us a call! 

You promised yourself in 2024 that you’ll never again get caught in a year-end crunch.

The last few months of the year are always hectic with holiday activities. When you layer on the added stress of tax planning and completing the charitable giving plans you set back in January, you might tip the scales from hectic to chaos! The community foundation can help organize your year-end charitable giving early so that it achieves both your financial and your philanthropic goals.  

You’re concerned about recent drops in funding to local charities, but you’re not quite sure about what you can do to help.

The community foundation is our region’s home for charitable giving. That means we’ve got a finger on the pulse of our community’s needs and the nonprofits that are addressing them. Our team can provide information about program cuts that have left people in our community vulnerable and share ideas and recommendations for how you can help fill the gaps. 

Your tax advisor has suggested that 2025 is an important year to increase your charitable donations, but you don’t want your gifts to favorite charities to suddenly spike and then drop again.

For the small percentage of people who itemize deductions on their individual income tax returns, 2025 may indeed present opportunities. The community foundation is happy to work with you and your tax advisors to structure gifts to a donor-advised or other type of fund at the community foundation to ensure that you’re leveraging tax advantages while also maintaining consistent support year after year for the causes you care about. 

You’re thinking about selling commercial property or private business interests and you’ve heard that charitable gifts can be an effective component of the transaction if structured correctly. 

Many people do not realize until it’s too late that they can give real estate or closely-held stock to a fund at the community foundation well in advance of a future sale and achieve significant tax benefits while also setting aside charitable dollars to make a positive difference in the community either immediately or across generations. Before you and your advisors put any pen to paper on the disposition of real estate or private business interests, please reach out!  

You’re updating your estate plan and want to leave money to charity, but you’re not exactly sure what charity.

Please reach out to the community foundation anytime you are updating your estate plan or related financial documents, such as beneficiary designations on IRAs, life insurance policies, or retirement accounts. Our team is happy to work with your advisors to deploy the community foundation’s flexible tools to round out your estate plan and make sure you’re exploring the tax benefits of using various types of assets to fund your charitable intentions. 

Whatever your charitable giving situation, we are here for you! Whether you’ve already started a fund at the community foundation or you’re considering getting involved, we look forward to our conversation! 

Philanthropy is for everyone: Three tips for young adults

“Philanthropy” may sound like something reserved for wealthy, “mature” adults, but that’s not at all the case. At the community foundation, we work with individuals of every generation, from young adults to retirees and everyone in between.

Young adults in particular are getting involved in the community in ways that look a little different from prior generations. Research shows that Generation Z and Millennials tend to be more focused on issues than specific charities. Not surprisingly, a tech-forward approach to all aspects of philanthropy is common among members of these generations, including engaging with favorite causes on social media and making donations online. What’s more, a 2024 study indicates that for younger generations, volunteering and donating are strongly tied to civic participation.

If you’re a parent or grandparent of young adults, or if you’re a young adult yourself, you’ll be glad to know that the community foundation can help. Here are three suggestions. 

Make it a family affair.

The community foundation works with families to build charitable giving plans that involve all generations to achieve overall philanthropic priorities as well as coordinating with families’ advisors to achieve tax planning (subscription required) objectives. For example, a multi-generational philanthropy can include donor-advised funds, legacy plans that include IRA beneficiary designations to establish an endowment, and strategic use of Qualified Charitable Distributions for family members who are 70 ½ or older.   

Make a point to start early.

Many young adults are establishing charitable giving practices early in their careers. For example, it’s not uncommon now for new hires to name a charity, such as a fund at the community foundation, as the contingent beneficiary of an employer-sponsored retirement plan. In addition, starting in 2026, taxpayers who don’t itemize deductions can still take a tax deduction for charitable gifts up to $1000 for single filers and $2000 for joint filers. This can be a great way for younger generations to support the causes they care about. Although the deduction only applies to cash gifts and does not include gifts to donor-advised funds, it’s nonetheless a notable perk. The community foundation is happy to serve as a sounding board for ways to leverage this opportunity to make a difference.   

Make new connections.

The community foundation can help young people get connected with peer networks who share an interest in getting involved in the community. For example, our team is happy to serve as the back office for establishing what’s known as a “giving circle,” which is a type of fund that allows donors to pool resources with peers to make a bigger impact than they could achieve alone. Giving circles also provide an outstanding hands-on learning experience in philanthropy, especially because the community foundation provides education and resources about grantmaking, local needs, and nonprofit leadership. 

The community foundation is honored to serve as our region’s home for charitable giving across generations. We look forward to working with you and your family to support your favorite charities and achieve meaningful outcomes in our community. 

Tax deduction? What tax deduction?

Despite–or perhaps in light of–the recent whirlwind of commentary about new federal laws and the implications for the charitable deduction and charitable giving, it is really important keep in mind that for most individuals, the decision to give is driven by deeply personal factors–such as compassion, moral obligation, empathy, or a belief in a cause—rather than financial incentives. 

Indeed, altruism and emotional resonance, not tax breaks, are at the heart of philanthropic motivation. While tax incentives can influence giving, they typically play a supporting role—not a leading one. Psychological and social drivers are deeply powerful motivators for giving that tax considerations cannot match. 

That’s why we have always loved this article from the Greater Good Science Center and what it stands for, including our favorite points:

Generosity is truly human.

Generous behavior isn’t merely a social construct—it’s embedded in our evolutionary makeup. Researchers have found that species ranging from bees and chimpanzees to bats exhibit “prosocial” behaviors, suggesting that generosity evolved to enhance survival. In humans, acts of generosity light up the brain's reward pathways—similar to pleasurable experiences like eating or intimacy—highlighting that generosity is inherently satisfying. 

Philanthropy benefits both the giver and the receiver.

Engaging in generous acts delivers tangible psychological and even physical benefits. Volunteering and offering support—whether time, goods, or emotional aid—have been linked to increased well-being, higher self-esteem, and even delayed mortality, particularly among older adults. Furthermore, many studies reported greater happiness when spending resources on others compared to oneself.

Charitable values can be nurtured. 

It’s especially good news that acts of philanthropy are influenced by a blend of personal and social factors. Certainly empathy, humility, and moral values play a role. What’s more, cultural norms, expectations of reciprocity, and strong social networks motivate generosity, too. Unsurprisingly, people are more inclined to come to the aid of specific individuals rather than abstract causes, and generosity tends to be “contagious”—spreading through social groups and communities.

If you love supporting your favorite causes no matter what’s going on with the tax laws, you are in good company! At the community foundation, we are honored to work with hundreds of families and individuals whose giving is anchored in genuine concern for others. This in turn helps create sustainable long-term positive impact in 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 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.

Opportunities under the OBBBA, supporting education, and charitable succession planning

Hello from the community foundation! 

Before we share the latest news and updates, we’d like to offer two observations:

First, it is our honor to work with so many families and businesses to structure and implement your charitable giving plans. What’s perhaps most rewarding to the team at the community foundation is the overwhelming sentiment among our donors that no matter what happens with the tax laws over the years, you are committed to making a difference by supporting the causes you love. Although tax benefits of charitable giving ebb and flow, your support for our community and the charities you love remains steadfast. Your generosity continues to improve the quality of life for everyone who lives here. Thank you! 

Second, August is National Make-A-Will month, which means it’s the perfect time–before the fall gets busy–to review your estate plans with your attorney and our team at the community foundation to ensure your philanthropic intentions are up to date. Even a quick check-in now can maximize the impact of your legacy and help ensure that your wishes are clearly carried out to support the causes you care about for generations to come.

Now, let’s get to it! Here’s what’s trending at the community foundation:

–2025 is shaping up to be an important year for charitable giving from a tax planning perspective. That’s because the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, includes several provisions taking effect this year and next year that could influence the timing and structure of your donations. Learn how the community foundation can work with you and your advisors to navigate these opportunities. 

–Back to school is upon us, and this means education is on the minds of many. If you’ve established a scholarship fund at the community foundation, or if you’re considering it, please reach out to the community foundation team. We can help structure charitable support for students’ education in ways that go well beyond scholarships to help support academic and personal success.

–If you are a business owner, the concept of succession planning is nothing new. But succession planning isn’t just for business owners–it’s also important for leaving a charitable legacy. The team at the community foundation can help capture your intentions, and we make it easy to involve your family members so that the causes you care about are supported for generations to come. 

Thanks so much for all you do for our community. We look forward to talking with you soon about how you can deepen your involvement with your favorite charities. Our team is here to help.

–Your community foundation

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TRENDING TOPICS

Navigating new laws: Opportunities for 2025

It’s more important than ever to stay informed about how changes in the tax law may affect your charitable giving. The recently-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) creates challenges as well as opportunities for structuring your philanthropy. We encourage you to reach out to your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor to evaluate how the changes in the law impact your own situation.

As always, the community foundation is happy to work side-by-side with you and your tax advisors to build a plan for 2025 and beyond that not only supports your plans to make a difference in the community, but also addresses the rule changes under the OBBBA.

To help you along this journey, we’ve provided the checklist below of issues to discuss with your advisors.

Evaluate whether “bunching” may be right for you.

The OBBBA increases the 2025 standard deduction to $15,750 for single filers and $31,500 for married couples filing jointly. The higher standard deduction will likely impact tax-motivated charitable giving, even with the expected uptick in the number of itemizers thanks to the OBBBA’s state and local tax deduction allowances (subscriptions required to the Wall Street Journal). There are important exceptions and nuances to consider, which you’ll want to discuss with your advisors. For example, if you are 65 or older, you’re eligible to receive an additional $6,000 “bonus” deduction—but it begins to phase out if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $75,000.

Based on the increases to the standard deduction, you may want to talk with your tax advisors about “bunching” charitable gifts for 2025 using a donor-advised fund at the community foundation. Through this technique, you can make several years’ worth of charitable contributions in a single year to exceed the standard deduction threshold, thereby maximizing tax benefits in that year. Over the following years, your donor-advised fund can distribute grants to charities over time according to your wishes. 

Here are more reasons you might want to talk with your advisors about front-loading charitable contributions in 2025: In 2026, a new provision under the OBBBA takes effect that allows you to take a deduction for charitable gifts only to the extent that your giving exceeds 0.5% of your AGI. What’s more, if you’re in the highest tax bracket–37%--you can still only deduct charitable contributions at the 35% rate. 

The upshot here is that you and your tax advisors may decide that 2025 is the year to bunch charitable contributions to maximize tax savings. 

Get familiar with the deduction for non-itemizers, coming next year. 

If you don’t itemize your deductions, you’ll be glad to know that starting in the 2026 tax year you can claim a deduction for cash gifts to qualifying public charities—up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. Excluded from this new provision are gifts to donor‑advised funds and non‑cash gifts, which is unfortunate because those vehicles are popular, convenient, and tax-effective. Still, keep in mind the new deduction, and, if you’re encouraging your adult children to get involved in philanthropy, make sure they are aware of this deduction. It could be particularly helpful for young people because many young people do not yet itemize.  

If you are over 70 ½, review the benefits of Qualified Charitable Distributions.

A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) enables individuals aged 70 ½ or older to donate up to $108,000 per year (as of 2025) directly from an IRA to eligible charities, and in the process exclude the donated amount from taxable income altogether–rather than relying on an itemized deduction. QCDs may be especially advantageous after the OBBBA’s significant increase to the standard deduction because QCDs provide a direct tax benefit regardless of whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. Indeed, using a QCD to fulfill required minimum distributions (RMDs) can lower your adjusted gross income, potentially reducing taxes on Social Security income and Medicare surtaxes, and helping you sidestep the new floors and caps on itemized charitable deductions imposed by the OBBBA starting in 2026.

The community foundation is happy to collaborate with you and your tax advisor as you explore ways to achieve your philanthropic goals under the new laws. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Back to school: Expanding support for education

It’s time for back-to-school planning! If education is on your mind, you’re in good company. Charitable giving to education rose in 2024 to more than $58 billion! If education and related causes are important to you, the community foundation can help you explore a variety of meaningful ways to make an impact. Here are three ideas to inspire a deeper discussion:

Explore options for expanding student support

In many cases, donors set up a scholarship or other type of fund to support a particular educational institution, and then set it on autopilot. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, but you might be missing an opportunity to make a deeper impact. The community foundation team is happy to facilitate a dialogue with you and the school to structure your funding–whether through a scholarship or other types of support–to fill gaps in student need. For example, if you’d like to support students pursuing a college degree beyond simply scholarship dollars, the community foundation can help identify needs for dollars to increase faculty salaries, purchase lab equipment, or pay an on-campus counselor to help students acclimate to college life. 

Investigate opportunities to improve the quality of education itself

Many donors are concerned that high school graduates are ill-prepared for post-secondary education, whether that’s a traditional four-year college, community college, or trade school. The community foundation can help you address this gap with your charitable dollars. For example, you could establish a fund to support teachers, which in turn helps improve student success. Indeed, teachers are often considered the single most important in-school factor for student success. Charitable funding that enhances teacher training, mentorship, and ongoing professional development creates ripple effects across classrooms and generations of students.

Find your education “niche”

By establishing a field-of-interest fund at the community foundation, you can work with the community foundation team to identify specific parameters within education that you’d like to fund. For example, you may  be interested in supporting local grassroots programs offering tutoring and mentorship. Or, you may decide to direct your charitable dollars to quality early childhood programs, which have been shown to yield high returns on investments in education. The community foundation can help you identify an area of focus. Going forward, our team leverages the community foundation’s deep knowledge and research to identify high-impact opportunities, helping to ensure your generosity makes the greatest difference within your area of interest.

Please reach out to our team anytime! As students head back to school and education is top of mind, the community foundation is here to make sure your giving is impactful, focused, and in line with your philanthropic goals. 

Succession planning: It’s not just for businesses

Many people think of succession planning as something only relevant to businesses or nonprofits. However, it's equally important when considering the legacy you want to leave through philanthropy—including being intentional about what happens to your donor-advised fund at the community foundation after you're gone. The community foundation team can help structure provisions for your donor-advised fund to engage your family, tap the community foundation’s expertise, or a combination of both so that your donor-advised fund can become a multi-generational legacy that reflects your values.

Here are three considerations as you consider your “charitable succession plan”:

Leave a legacy

One of the most powerful ways to extend your impact is by leaving a portion of your estate to charity—such as by naming your donor-advised fund as a beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement account. This strategy delivers considerable tax advantages and enables your philanthropic dollars to be thoughtfully distributed in accordance with your values. Remember, IRAs left to the community foundation avoid not only the income tax that would hit your heirs, but also removes the assets from your taxable estate for estate tax purposes. 

Lean on the community foundation

The community foundation is honored to serve as a trusted partner for many individuals and families. Our team can work with you and your advisors to enlist the community foundation’s expertise to make grants from your donor-advised fund according to your values and charitable intentions following your death. We can also work with you and your advisors to incorporate the ability for your children and grandchildren to serve as advisors to the donor-advised fund following your death, including taking advantage of the community foundation’s educational programs to help your children and grandchildren learn how to be effective philanthropists. 

Capture your intentions 

The community foundation team is happy to work with you to document and formalize your charitable wishes. We’ll help you articulate your priorities and outline how you envision your fund making a difference across generations, whether that means supporting specific organizations, issue areas, urgent community needs, or a combination of priorities. By helping you capture your intentions in writing and then following your wishes, the community foundation acts as a steward to safeguard your philanthropic goals and help ensure that the causes you care about continue to receive support for years to come.

We look forward to talking about succession planning for your donor-advised fund. The community foundation is honored to help you secure your charitable legacy and involve your loved ones in meaningful giving. Thank you for the opportunity!

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.

Studying up on board service, finding purpose in retirement, and the latest on tax legislation

Hello from the community foundation! 

Thank you for the opportunity to work together! Even in a year like 2025, we’re honored to help philanthropy in our community celebrate big and little victories as we all work together to improve the quality of life in the community we love.

A bright spot in the world of charitable giving is that philanthropy in the United States reached a significant milestone in 2024, with individuals, bequests, foundations, and corporations contributing an estimated $592.50 billion to charitable causes. That’s according to the recently-released Giving USA report, citing a 6.3% increase in current dollars from the previous year, or a 3.3% increase when adjusted for inflation. 

As always, we’re happy to offer insights into trends and issues that shape the way you carry out your charitable giving priorities:

–-Many philanthropic individuals serve on the board of directors of a charity–and in many cases more than one! Learn about the factors you may want to consider before you say yes to a board invitation. As always, the community foundation is here as a resource and sounding board.

–Finding purpose is often a top priority for retirees. Carrying out your purpose requires not only planning your time, but also thoughtfully considering how to allocate financial resources, including how you might leave a legacy. The community foundation can help. 

–Tax laws remain a topic of conversation, including in conversations about charitable giving. Check out the latest updates and learn how changes might impact the way you approach philanthropy. Our team is here to help! 

Whether you’ve established a fund at the community foundation, given to an existing fund, or are just beginning to get involved, thank you for all you do to help charitable giving in our region stay strong! 

–Your community foundation

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TRENDING TOPICS

More than meetings: Considerations for joining a board

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

If you’ve served on a charity’s board of directors, you know that the role demands much more than simply showing up for meetings. Charities benefit from board members’ active engagement, strategic oversight, and a deep commitment to the organization's mission. Indeed, board members are fiduciaries who are responsible for guiding the nonprofit’s culture, ensuring sound governance, providing financial stewardship, and acting as ambassadors and advocates in the community. Beyond legal duties, they are expected to help secure resources, oversee leadership, and contribute to the charity’s long-term sustainability and impact.

If this sounds like a lot, it’s because it is! Before you make the leap to join a charity’s board, please consider reaching out to our team. The community foundation can serve as an invaluable resource to support your decision-making process. Our professionals know a lot about local charities, including in-depth information about programs, impact, leadership, financial stability, and reputation. We’re happy to provide an impartial assessment of the charity’s governance practices, evaluate alignment with your values, and fill you in on the current needs or challenges the board is facing. 

Thorough due diligence is crucial, not only to ensure that the board position would be a good fit for your skills, interests, and availability, but also to avoid potential legal pitfalls and liabilities that could stand in the way of your ability to carry out your fiduciary duties. Our team can provide a high-level review of these duties, including:

• A duty of loyalty to prioritize the charity’s interests and avoid conflict;

• A duty of compliance to adhere to the nonprofit's mission and legal requirements; and

• A duty to “manage accounts,” which means overseeing financial stability and accountability 

These duties translate into real responsibilities for strategic planning, fundraising, financial oversight, and executive evaluation. 

Please reach out anytime. It is our honor to help you make a difference in the community we all love, whether that’s through charitable giving, board service, volunteering, or advocacy. The community foundation is your home for philanthropy in all of its many forms. 

Advancing your purpose: Considerations for a philanthropic retirement

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

If you’ve recently retired, you may still be figuring out the ideal balance of activities. If you’ve been retired for several years, you might still be trying to figure it out! Time and again, research shows us that finding purpose is an essential component of a happy and satisfying retirement. Consider the following: 

• A large-scale, longitudinal study used data from 13,770 older adults, finding that those with a higher sense of purpose at baseline were significantly less likely to develop unhealthy behaviors.

• Other research used a nationally representative panel of over 8,000 American adults and determined that, contrary to some beliefs, retirement can actually increase a person's sense of purpose. 

• A cross-sectional study analyzed data from nearly 2,000 adults and found that sense of purpose was significantly associated with lower depression and anxiety in both retirees and non-retirees. 

Indeed, retirement offers a unique opportunity for individuals to rediscover their sense of purpose beyond the confines of a traditional career. The community foundation’s team and charitable tools can play a pivotal role in this journey. Here’s how:

Check in on tax planning

For starters, the community foundation team can work with you and your tax advisors to be sure your charitable giving is reflected in your estate and financial plan to achieve the impact you’re seeking. Among other issues, we’ll help you and your advisors explore whether itemizing your tax deductions in certain years might save you money. You can “bunch” charitable donations into your donor-advised fund in higher-income years to exceed the itemization threshold, then support your favorite causes steadily over time from that fund. If you’re 70 ½ or older, we’ll also help evaluate whether tax-free transfers directly from your IRA—up to $108,000 (in 2025)—to a designated, unrestricted, or field-of-interest fund at the community foundation would be an effective planning technique for your situation. 

Involve the next generation

Many retirees have more time to include family members in their personal charitable giving activities. The community foundation team can work alongside you and your estate planning advisors to name children or grandchildren as advisors or successor advisors to your donor-advised fund and invite them to participate in site visits and educational events. This is a great way to strengthen family bonds while building a legacy of generosity across generations. Our team can help you identify ways to include children and grandchildren in site visits to favorite charities and participate in education sessions about community needs and the nonprofits that are making a difference for people who live in our region. 

Build a legacy

Many people update their estate plans just after they retire. As you work with your tax and estate planning advisors, consider incorporating a gift in your estate plan that will allow your charitable legacy to live on for generations. For example, many people name a fund at the community foundation as the beneficiary of their IRAs because of the significant tax advantages when compared with leaving the IRAs to heirs. The community foundation is happy to work with you and your advisors to establish a special fund to receive assets from your estate, whether from an IRA or other type of estate gift. The fund can be structured as a permanent endowment to address the community’s greatest needs far into the future, or even support the community foundation’s operations to ensure that philanthropy and stewardship continue to thrive for generations to come. You can also name your donor-advised fund as an estate beneficiary, and your children and grandchildren can serve as advisors to the fund so that they, in turn, can carry on the spirit of charitable giving in the family’s name. 

We look forward to working with you throughout your retirement years to ensure that your community dreams are fulfilled through the power of charitable giving. Please reach out anytime. 

Yes you are a philanthropist, making giving easy, and tax trends to watch

Hello from the community foundation! 

Lately we’ve been inspired by philanthropy in all its forms, ranging from volunteering and serving on boards to donating canned goods or giving a few dollars to a school fundraiser. Our community is full of people who care about lifting up others and improving the quality of life for everyone who lives in this wonderful place we call home.

In that spirit, we’re sharing a few updates that we hope will help you celebrate all the good you are doing and stay informed about developments that might inform your charitable giving plans.

–Everyone can be a philanthropist! Whether you give your time, talent, or treasure, the fact that you care about others is what matters. Whatever causes and charities you support, the community foundation is here for you. When the time is right, please reach out to our team to learn more about all the ways we can help you can get started on your own charitable giving journey.

–When individuals, families, and companies begin working with the community foundation, one of the most common pleasant surprises is just how easy it is. From personalized service delivered by real people who have deep expertise, to a variety of simple-to-establish fund types to meet your charitable goals, the community foundation offers a charitable giving experience that is as uncomplicated as it is rewarding. 

–There’s a lot happening on the national legislative scene! The community foundation is paying close attention to potential tax law changes that could impact charitable giving strategies. Our insights are designed to help you sort through the abundance of media coverage about proposed legislation and better understand how it might apply to your own philanthropy. 

Thank you for all you do to make our community better. We look forward to our next conversation! 

–Your community foundation 

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TRENDING TOPICS

Yes, you are a philanthropist!

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

“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:

—Personal experience with a charity, such as a receiving social services, mentoring, or health care 

—Volunteering for a charity, such as packing backpacks for school kids, sorting clothing at a shelter, or serving meals at a community kitchen 

—Attending community events 

—Donating canned goods for a food drive 

—Purchasing products that support a cause or school fundraiser 

—Serving in a governance or leadership role, such as on a fundraising committee or a charity’s board of directors

From there, many people take the next step to get even more involved by providing financial support, including:

—Making a donation online to support disaster relief 

—Rounding up at check out 

—Responding to online or direct mail fundraisers with a credit card donation or check

—Donating to a giving circle or other fund at the community foundation 

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 Warren Buffett and 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.

“It’s so easy”: How the community foundation makes giving such a pleasure

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

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! 

Tax laws, what’s pending, and charitable giving solutions

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

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 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.

Charitable giving FAQs, step-up in basis, and (potentially) expanded QCD rules

Hello from the community foundation! 

If you’ve already established a donor-advised fund or other type of fund at the community foundation, thank you! It’s our honor to work with you to achieve your charitable goals. If you’re considering getting started working with the community foundation, thank you for exploring it! We welcome a conversation to learn more about the difference you’d like to make in our region, whether through lifetime giving, a gift in your will or trust, or a combination of both. The community foundation is your home for all forms of charitable giving.

Our team is committed to regularly sharing updates and information that can help you and your family along your philanthropic journey, including timely topics that are on the minds of many during the volatile first few months of 2025. 

–You may be wondering whether stock or cash is a better gift this year to your donor-advised fund or other type of fund at the community foundation. It’s smart to ask the question! The community foundation is happy to work with you and your advisors to evaluate what’s best for your own situation. 

–A lot of donors and fund holders ask our team about the “step-up in basis” and how it factors into charitable planning. It’s an especially important principle as you evaluate which assets to leave to your fund at the community foundation in your will, trust, or via beneficiary designation. Our team is happy to demystify this for you!

–If you’re over 70 ½, you’re likely aware of a helpful charitable giving tool called a Qualified Charitable Distribution, or QCD. You’ll be glad to know that recently-proposed legislation would expand the types of eligible charities to receive QCDs to include donor-advised funds. Fingers crossed! 

Thank you so much for the opportunity to work together! It is truly our honor and pleasure.

–Your community foundation 

THIS MONTH’S

TRENDING TOPICS

Uncertain times: FAQs about charitable giving

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

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 next year. 

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.

Comparing two scenarios: Why the step-up in basis matters

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

As you’ve watched the news about potential tax reform, a principle known as the “step-up in basis” might have caught your attention. Over the years, from time to time, draft legislation has proposed that this principle be changed or eliminated. Although tax law changes to eliminate the step-up in basis are not part of recently-introduced “death tax repeal” legislation, it’s still a good idea to be aware of the potential implications on the charitable giving strategies in your estate plan.

The tax principle of "step-up in basis" means that the cost basis of inherited assets will be reset to their fair market value at the time of the owner's death, effectively erasing any capital gains that accrued during lifetime. You and your advisors might have discussed this principle in deciding which assets to leave to a charity, such as your fund at the community foundation, in your estate plan, and which assets to leave to your heirs. The implications can be huge. Consider these scenarios:

IRA to kids, stock to charity

If you were to name your children as the beneficiaries of an IRA, and then provide for charitable gifts in your will or trust, your children will pay income tax on distributions from your IRA following your death. Assets passing under your will or trust, such as appreciated stock, get a step-up in basis, but if a charity is the ultimate beneficiary, it doesn’t really matter because charities are not subject to tax. Tax result? Less than ideal.

IRA to charity, stock to kids

If, instead, you name your fund as the beneficiary of your IRA, the community foundation pays no income tax. Then, any stock that passes to your children through your will or trust will receive a step-up in basis, meaning your kids can sell the stock and avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation during your lifetime. Tax result? Very good! 

Please reach out to the community foundation to learn more about leaving a legacy in your estate plan to support your favorite causes. We are happy to work with you and your advisors to maximize both the community impact and tax efficiency of your charitable gifts. 

QCDs: Soon there may be more to love

by Staff Name, Director of Charitable Giving

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 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.