Our Fund Advisors are Powering Giving!
The Christian Community Foundation has a legacy of serving our donors. Since 1992, Christian Community Foundation has helped grant more than $801 million to nonprofits our donors believe are making a difference. The following are some of the many strategic ways Christian Community Foundation serves donors:
Donor-Advised Funds
- A donor-advised fund makes giving efficient, effective, flexible and easy. It is the equivalent of having your own personal foundation but much less expensive. Therefore, it is useful for anyone who gives more than once a year to more than one charity or faith-based organization.
- A donor-advised fund is established by a donor and provides for their continued involvement by allowing said donor to plan their giving and make grant recommendations to churches or nonprofit organizations whenever they choose. The donor receives a tax deduction in the year in which the gift is made to their fund.
- You may give stock, mutual funds, retirement fund assets, real estate or other tangible property to your donor-advised fund. Gifts of appreciated stock, both publicly traded and closely held, allow donors to receive a tax deduction equal to the stock’s appreciated value without payment of capital gains tax.
- The funds are invested in a variety of alternatives and grow tax-free. When you are ready to make a gift or grant from your fund, you recommend to us who you would like that to be. We write all of the checks and keep all necessary records. The minimum fund size is $2,500.
Advantages of Donor-Advised Funds
- More efficient than a private foundation – A donor-advised fund is like having your own private foundation without the cost or legal hassles. It also offers better tax advantages.
- Convenience – At the minimum, we are a check-writing and record-keeping service. We write all of the charitable checks you normally write to church, nonprofits, schools, ministries, etc. We send you quarterly statements listing your gifts, grants, investment returns and the balance of your fund.
- Flexibility – You may make gifts from your fund to any valid nonprofit except those openly antithetical to Christian beliefs. You may also may request that grants be awarded anonymously.
- Invested funds grow tax-free – We offer several attractive investment alternatives. Click here to view our latest portfolio numbers.
- Tax planning – Get a deduction this year, give it away later. Donate appreciated stock and avoid capital gains taxes (see above discussion of donor-advised funds).
- Accumulate funds for giving later – Accumulate funds to make a very large gift or create a scholarship fund.
- Retirement and financial planning – Accumulate funds so you can continue to give during lower income, retirement years while getting tax deductions in years when your income is higher. This also avoids the conflict of using retirement funds for charitable giving which you may need to live on. Click here for more information.
- Giving planning – Determine thoughtfully who to give to. Develop a budget and strategy for your giving rather than reacting to pleas and emergency appeals. Make gifts anonymously if you wish. Consider using our grant planning form.
- Stewardship philosophy – We can help your develop a stewardship philosophy by considering what God has to say about money.
- Strategic Christian giving – The Christian Community Foundation can assist you with determining the needs of the city, conducting ministry research, and developing your giving strategy. Find out more about strategic Christian giving.
- Estate planning – A donor-advised fund is the ideal tool for charitable giving planning and offers the ultimate in flexibility in wills, trusts, etc. Click here to learn more about estate planning.
- Create a legacy – You may create a endowed fund after your death which can make grants in perpetuity to charities or faith-based organizations you wish to support. These are called Legacy Funds.
- Give complex gifts – Examples include real estate, restricted securities, business interests, notes or accounts receivable, retirement plans, life insurance, certain personal property (such as gold or collectible coins) and business equipment. For more information on complex gifts, click here.
- Demonstrate to your children the joys of giving – Help them make the transition of being good stewards with their own funds.
See the latest Investment Portfolio Rates of Return