The Crawford Heritage Community Foundation is one of more than 750 community foundations in the United States. Even though community foundations comprise the fastest-growing type of philanthropy, many people aren’t aware of them or their benefits for those seeking to make donations.
Community foundations help people make educated decisions about their donations by providing expert, customized advice. Understanding how they operate can help you decide if it’s the right route for your charitable giving needs.
Consult Giving Experts
Community foundations are one tool for making an impact with your charitable giving, whether you want to support organizations locally, nationally or even internationally.
Community foundations can direct charitable giving to nonprofits or programs that align with your goals and are in good standing with regulatory agencies. And if you’re not sure where a monetary donation might make the most impact, they can support you in defining your charitable priorities. They can even partner with your attorney, accountant and financial advisor to make a gift to a charity as part of an estate planning process.
Ensure Financial Accountability
Board-approved policies for investment and spending generally guide community foundation activities. They use professional investment managers who follow strict fiduciary standards and are audited annually by independent accounting firms.
Foundations often publish annual reports so donors can see financial statements and grantmaking summaries from the past year. You can also review IRS Form 990 and 990-T to see their tax return for the previous fiscal year.
You can find more detailed information about nonprofit organizations here. It’s important to know about an organization’s financials, leadership, missions, goals and results to make sure their mission aligns with yours.
Maximize Your Legacy
One misconception about giving is that you must donate large amounts of money to make an impact. Any donation is appreciated and used to its fullest potential. Giving can even be part of your estate plan or will to continue your legacy after you pass away.
While it can be hard to decide which organizations to choose from, community foundations like the Crawford Heritage Community Foundation can make the process easier and more effective. We can personalize and distribute your legacy donation to specific organizations, or you can allow us to decide who would benefit the most. By working with community leaders, businesses and public officials, we can further expand donations and maximize benefits from each gift.
When working with the Crawford Heritage Community Foundation, you can feel comfortable that your donations are in good hands. We have earned the GuideStar Exchange Seal, Silver Level, for our transparency and proactive nature in providing information and supporting documents to help donors and funders make their giving decisions.
Whether you’re a concerned citizen, a community leader or simply want to make a difference, the Crawford Heritage Community Foundation is here to help provide guidance. If you’re ready to be part of a powerful philanthropy movement, contact Executive Director Christian Maher or donate now.
