CFNEM BlogSpot

Generous people usually begin their philanthropy by giving to their favorite worth causes. Many, if not most, individuals with means have practiced giving in various forms: a check to a favorite charity, a table at a benefit to oblige a friend or colleague, a gift to an alma mater, and, perhaps most commonly, a contribution to a religious organization.

Over time, many donors who want to increase their giving choose a focus and become more strategic. In general, Giving While Living involves planning how best to employ one’s resources, talents and passions in giving. Once a donor knows what he or she wants to accomplish, they can develop a plan with realistic goals and benchmarks, follow it through, and enjoy the satisfaction that comes from seeing the results of their investment.

Some reasons for Giving While Living are: the donor can help address urgent problems that require investment now rather than in the future · the donor may feel a sense of obligation, faith-based or otherwise, about sharing their wealth · the donor may wish to personally direct their giving and enjoy the satisfaction that the results bring · the donor may have a desire to use their own skills and experience to tackle problems · the donor may be concerned about “mission drift” after their death · the donor may be confident that future generations will make their own fortunes, and use their money to address the problems of tomorrow · the donor may be concerned that burdening one’s children with excessive wealth will sap their motivation.

Giving While Living can be a powerful tool to help donors look inward and determine their own motivations, expectations and goals.

-Barbara Willyard, CFNEM Executive Director

The possibilities are endless to make a difference…

Some people want to feel they’ve made a real difference in their community. A gift to an endowment fund at the Community Foundation is permanent.  It will outlast the tax year, the decade, all of our lifetimes, and beyond.  Its sole purpose is to continue to support the community, either as its needs change, or always for a specified purpose (the choice of a donor).

Of course, there are lots of ways to make a difference, like volunteering or mentoring.  Giving to your Community Foundation is a way to make a lasting impact.  It’s a way you can make a difference now, and in the future.

Want to make a permanent difference in your community?  We can help.

Learning to give starts early.  Understanding how important it is to give back to your community is often a driving force for some donors.  And when they use their own giving as an opportunity to teach their children about philanthropy, those values are passed on.

Many of our donors give as a family.  Together, they decide which funds they want to support each year.  In doing so, children learn about the importance of giving back, even if they don’t understand exactly how their gift works.  The seed of generosity has been planted, and is likely to thrive throughout their life.

The younger generations also learn from our example.  When we make a point to always put some money into the canisters for the Lions Club, Kiwanis, the MDA or the Salvation Army as they stand in front of popular stores, kids see it, and will carry that with them.  When we make it known to our families that we put our support behind causes we truly care about, it shows we want to make a difference.

Learning to give goes beyond just giving money to charity though.  Service-learning programs in schools and groups like the Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Councils (YAC) aim to teach kids about community service, philanthropy and the importance of giving.

However you choose – we encourage you to involve your family in your charitable giving, whether that is of money, or time – and help grow a new generation of givers.