A donor-advised fund is a charitable investment account that allows donors to organize and optimize their giving potential. Although donor-advised funds have been around since the 1930s, they have become the fastest-growing charitable giving vehicle in the United States in recent years. Let’s explore four key benefits that make donor-advised funds at the Community Foundation a popular choice for individuals, …
Fueling Nonprofit Success: The Role of Donor-Advised Funds
Here at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, we regularly establish all types of charitable funds for individuals, families, companies and even charities. What’s the most popular charitable vehicle we encounter? It’s easily the donor-advised fund. These funds make up more than half of our assets and the majority of our annual contribution and grant totals. Our donors choose to …
Charitable Solutions for Business Owners: Greater Impact, Fewer Worries
If you own a private company, you might have a long list of things that keep you up at night. After you tick through budgets, employees, customers and competitors, is your exit strategy at the bottom of the list? If you’re not a late-night worrier, maybe you spend your nights dreaming of retirement, knowing that you’re working hard now to …
Estimate Tax Deductions, Annual Payments, and More Using a Charitable Remainder Trust Calculator
For those with highly appreciated assets and a desire to receive an income stream while mitigating taxes and supporting a charitable organization, a charitable remainder trust (CRT) might be the solution. A CRT is a “split-interest” giving arrangement, allowing philanthropically minded people to support their charitable goals, yet they or their beneficiaries receive income from the trust. Once the distributions …
Endowments and the Intersection of Trust-Based Philanthropy: Investment Options for Nonprofits with Long-Term Goals
Fundraising is not easy. To our friends in development roles at nonprofits in Kansas City and across the country, we see you and applaud the critical work you do to ensure charities have the resources to help make our world a better place. We understand that your priority is likely procuring donations for the current fiscal year. As you consider …
Your Guide to Donating Complex Assets
With a donor-advised fund or other charitable investment accounts, you can easily set aside gifts of cash and publicly traded securities for your immediate or long-term grantmaking. Our team at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is equipped to handle more complex gifts to donor-advised funds, too, which means you can consider your full financial portfolio for your philanthropy. In …
Forbes Insights: Donor-Advised Funds Provide Lasting Support for Charities
In a recent Forbes article, “Donor-Advised Funds and Charities: Partnering to Provide Lasting Support,” Greater Kansas City Community Foundation President and CEO Debbie Wilkerson highlights the benefits and potential of donor-advised funds in enhancing charitable giving. The piece addresses the growing importance of donor-advised funds in the philanthropic landscape, specifically their tax advantages, flexibility, and ability to simplify and streamline …
Emerging Stronger through Corporate Philanthropy
We’ve entered a new age of corporate culture. How we do business has adapted through a global pandemic, racial unrest and changing working environments. How are companies in Kansas City engaging employees through philanthropy, especially as we navigate this new normal? Kansas City’s leaders in corporate philanthropy came together this month at Corporate Giving Network to share how their companies’ …
Importance of Generational Grantmaking: A Conversation with Phillips Foundation
“Our focus has been on how do we think outside the box outside of traditional philanthropy because we need all tools on deck right now, especially post-pandemic, we have got to think about how do we create social change and open the toolkit to consider multiple vehicles and not just those checks we write expecting a 0% return, but how …
Terracon Foundation: Committed to Making a Difference
Since its founding more than 15 years ago, the Terracon Foundation has awarded nearly $4 million in grants, matching gifts and scholarship awards. With more than 6,000 employees nationwide, the consulting engineering firm works to balance purpose and corporate responsibility through the work of the Terracon Foundation. The Foundation reflects Terracon’s commitment to employee-ownership by encouraging employees to become engaged …