Leadership Giving and Why it Matters to your Clients
January 09, 2024
We continue to see an uptick in the number of families who are interested in diversifying their charitable giving portfolios by adding specialized giving components to their work with the Community Foundation. For example, donors can support Foundation projects on the riverfront by designating a portion of their giving to the Community Foundation’s Leadership Fund.
The gifts Americans give to charity every year provide critical support for more than a million organizations that are helping sustain the quality of life in our communities. Philanthropy equates to 2% of GDP. Trust is an essential prerequisite before your clients decide to give to any organization.
With trust in charitable organizations driving so many giving decisions, it’s important for you and your clients to be aware of the Community Foundation’s role and commitment to stewardship. The team at the Community Foundation works closely with nonprofit organizations and civic leaders to deeply understand the areas where the people in our community need the most help. And, the needs of our community are ever-changing. The Community Foundation always has its finger on the pulse of the community’s top priorities and the best way to address them.
As you talk with your clients about their philanthropic plans, keep in mind that many individuals and families establish multiple funds at the Community Foundation to meet all of their various charitable giving needs. For example, a family might establish a donor-advised fund to organize their regular annual giving, making it easy to track gifts of appreciated stock and support for a large number of individual charities. A member of this family might also set up a charitable remainder trust with the Community Foundation to accept a gift of highly-appreciated real estate and retain an income stream for life. And, this family might also establish an unrestricted fund or make gifts to existing funds that are specifically designated by the Community Foundation and its board of directors to address the most critical needs of our community. For example, your client may decide to:
- Contribute to the Community Foundation’s grantmaking to support charitable projects and activities that best meet the community’s current needs.
- Donate to the Community Foundation’s Leadership Fund to support the Foundation’s strategic initiatives and proactive grants.
- Invest with the Foundation’s Local Impact Investment Fund, currently focused on our community’s housing and childcare shortages.
Whatever ways your clients choose to get involved, you’ll know that you and your clients can trust the Community Foundation to make a lasting difference in the community we all love.
