Consider giving the gift of giving (say that three times fast!) in the form of a charitable fund instead of the more typical “I made a gift to my favorite charity in your honor.”

More and more parents and grandparents (and friends and colleagues) are giving a child, grandchild, friend, or co-worker a charitable fund, pre-established and pre-funded, in the name of the recipient. Frequently taking the form of a donor-advised fund, this gift allows the recipient to experience the benefits of working with the Community Foundation to support important causes.

Our team can help you create a gift fund from soup to nuts, including granting the recipient online access. You can literally put a bow on the carefully rolled up fund document, sign a card listing the URL and login credentials to view the fund online, and present the package to the child, grandchild, friend or colleague as a gift. You and your recipient will love the experience.

Educational opportunities are a natural follow up to this type of gift. Contact us to learn more about the education opportunities we offer to our fundholders to help them learn the basics of charitable giving and to introduce them to key issues facing communities in our region and across the country.

Finally, never underestimate the power of philanthropy to help you build relationships. Our team has the tools needed to inspire Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z by creating meaningful and lasting connections to our community, charities, and causes. Although useful in some cases, a GoFundMe or Facebook fundraiser simply cannot deliver the engagement and loyalty that have long been hallmarks of our dedication to helping you and your family make a lasting impact that is as meaningful to you as it is to the causes you support.

For more information, please contact Marcia Shackelford, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at 609.219.1800 Ext. 200, or Mike Nuno, Senior Director of Philanthropy, at 609.219.1800 Ext. 130.