Types of Gifts 

The Foundation has much flexibility in serving the needs of its donors. We enable donors to create an endowment fund using a wide variety of gift techniques, such as those detailed below. Please note that we encourage donors to discuss these ideas with their attorneys, accountants and/or other professional advisors, as they are not intended as legal advice.

Outright Gift

1. Cash: You may establish a fund through an outright gift of cash. This is a simple, convenient way to give and receive tax advantages.

2. Appreciated Securities: Gifts of appreciated securities are particularly attractive to donors. When you transfer ownership of the securities to the Foundation, you avoid capital gain on the appreciation. The Foundation is a public charity, meaning that it qualifies for the best available treatment under current tax laws and offers full market value deductions.

3. Property: Some donors may also choose to contribute tangible property as the initial asset(s) of the fund. Real Estate donations are reviewed by the board on a case-by-case basis.

Bequest

You may start a fund through a bequest in your will. Some donors designate a specific dollar amount or a percentage of their estate. Others simply leave the residue of their estate to the Foundation to create their named fund. Bequests are usually fully deductible for federal and state tax purposes.

Life Insurance

If you have a paid-up life insurance policy that you no longer need for your family’s protection, you might consider giving it to the Foundation to establish a fund. Such a gift would qualify for an income tax deduction. If the policy is not fully paid-up, you may continue to pay the premiums and receive tax deductions equivalent to the amount of the premiums.

Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)

A CRT enables you to provide a lifetime income to yourself, your spouse or another beneficiary and provide the trust principal to the Foundation at your death. This principal is then used by the Foundation to create a permanent fund in your name or the name of a loved one. Through the creation of such a fund, your charitable wishes will be supported in perpetuity.

Charitable Lead Trust (CLT)

A CLT enables you to provide support to the Foundation through annual payments from the trust’s income for a period of years. These payments flow into a permanent endowed fund established in your name. Upon termination of the trust, beneficiaries such as your grandchildren would receive the principal.

Private Foundation Transfer

For some trustees of private foundations, making and administering grants can be a burdensome process. Private Foundation Transfer allows the assets of the private foundation to be transferred to the public community foundation. A fund carrying the same name as the private foundation is then be established. The trustee could then continues to be involved with the fund as an advisor without any of the administrative headaches. Additionally, the transfer would relieve the fund of excise taxes and other regulations.

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