Donors are people like you.

Community foundations attract charitable gifts from many individuals organizations and businesses; they manage and invest these funds; and they use the proceeds to make charitable grants. Anyone can give.

Even the smallest gifts will be combined for professional management at minimal cost. A larger gift can be held as a separate Fund in your name or the name of someone you love. Grants from this Fund will always be made in your name.

You may create a Fund in the Foundation during your lifetime or in your estate. You may suggest the use of this Fund or leave the choice of recipient to the Trustees of the Foundation.

Your gift to the Foundation receives the maximum tax benefits under federal law.

The exciting thing about community foundations, the reason they exist, is their ability to respond to changing conditions. As our community's needs change,  the Foundation's giving program can change quickly enough to be effective, yet always reflect the wishes and intent of donors.

Pick the Fund that suits you.

Almost any charitable purpose can be served through the variety of Funds we offer. Most Funds are managed as perpetual endowments, which means distribution from your Fund will go on forever in your name.

UNRESTRICTED FUNDS give the Foundation the flexibility to respond to new needs or opportunities. You place no restriction on how these Funds are to be used and authorize the Board of Trustees to make decisions in your name.

FIELD-OF-INTEREST FUNDS support a broad area of concern such as education, the arts, or human services. The Foundation makes grants to the most appropriate programs within the field that you specify.

DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS may be established by living donors who wish to be actively involved in the ongoing choice of grantees. You may make gifts to the Foundation at a time convenient to you and suggest grants to be made in your name from time to time in the future.

DESIGNATED FUNDS benefit one or more specific organizations that you choose. The Foundation disburses the income of your Fund to these organizations and monitor their activity to be sure that your wishes are carried out.

Here's how to make your gift.

To make a donation, call the Foundation or talk to your legal or financial advisor. Here are some good ways that you might consider.

OUTRIGHT GIFTS are a simple convenient way to donate and offer you the pleasure of seeing your gift at work during your lifetime. Cash, appreciated securities or real estate are the usual gifts.

BEQUESTS of cash or property made through a will are easily made and are free of estate taxes. You can name the Foundation as the residuary beneficiary or name it in a charitable remainder trust created by the will.

LIFE INSURANCE can offer an immediate tax deduction in the amount of the cash value of the policy when the Foundation is named as the irrevocable beneficiary. In addition, any premiums that you pay thereafter are deductible as charitable gifts.

CHARITABLE LEAD TRUSTS name the Foundation as beneficiary of income for a specific number of years, after which the corpus returns to other named beneficiaries, such as children or grandchildren.

CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS enable you to provide a lifetime income to yourself or a family member, with the remainder passing to the Foundation.