Here’s an article to use on your website and in other materials to signal the importance of giving both during lifetime and through an estate plan. This material is useful where you want to inspire a legacy donor to also give annually.
Giving now and later: Expanding impact beyond your legacy gift
We are grateful that you are considering leaving an estate gift to the Community Foundation. Whether you name the Community Foundation in your will or trust or as the beneficiary of your IRA, your gift will help improve the quality of life for people in our region for years to come.
At the Community Foundation, we’re honored to work with donors like you who are interested in ways to not only leave a legacy but also maximize their giving during their lifetimes. Indeed, many donors are interested in establishing a donor-advised or other type of fund at the Community Foundation for a variety of reasons:
They want to experience the joy of seeing the results of their gifts.
Parallel to providing financial support through their Community Foundation fund, many donors enjoy the opportunity to get involved, whether as a volunteer, board member, or simply an observer at site visits to nonprofits they support.
They want to involve their children and grandchildren in supporting favorite nonprofits, especially by working with the Community Foundation through a family donor-advised fund.
They like the added perk that they may be eligible for an income tax deduction for lifetime charitable gifts–and that the gifted assets are no longer subject to potential future estate taxes.
The Community Foundation team would be honored to help you develop a lifetime and legacy giving plan, starting with the basics. As you consider whether the time might be right for you to formalize your giving plan, here are three tips to consider–all of which the Community Foundation can help you achieve:
Give to what you know. Most people experience the greatest joy from giving to causes they are personally familiar with. Personal experience makes it easier to understand how the nonprofit is using your dollars. So, for example, if you’ve had experience with helping foster children, you are likely to understand how the nonprofit is using your donation to support training for foster parents. Please ask the Community Foundation team for insights! It’s our job to keep up with the good work of nonprofits that are meeting local needs.
Give where you are. Even with the increasing number of community challenges across the country and the globe, sometimes the greatest needs are right here at home. The Community Foundation team can help you identify opportunities to support local nonprofits by gathering information about a specific need and how a particular nonprofit addresses that need. When you give to local organizations, you are in a strong position to have confidence in your gift.
Give to the charities you love. Gifts aligned with your passions carry the most energy and ultimately make the most difference. The Community Foundation team is here to help bring your community dreams to life through the power of philanthropy. And that feels great!
Please reach out to our team. We would be honored to work with you to create a lifetime and legacy giving plan. Thank you for being part of your Community Foundation.