What is a Community Foundation?

A community foundation is a tax-exempt, non-profit, publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long-term goal of building permanent, named funds, for the broad-based public benefit of the residents in a given area.

 

Ten reasons people choose to give through community foundations:

  1. We’re a local organization with deep roots in the community.
  2. Our staff has expert knowledge of community issues and needs.
  3. We provide personal service to meet your charitable and financial goals.
  4. We help people invest in local causes they most care about.
  5. We accept a variety of assets and can facilitate complex forms of giving.
  6. We partner with professional advisors to ensure effective approaches to giving.
  7. We offer maximum tax advantage for most gifts under federal law.
  8. We multiply the impact of gift dollars by pooling them with other gifts and grants.
  9. We build endowment funds that benefit the community forever and help create personal legacies.
  10. We are a community leader, convening agencies and coordinating resources to create positive change.