It is important to have a strong development plan in place to raise funds and ensure the foundation’s long-term success. The Council is here to help you develop your foundation's strategies to attract resources and monetary gifts, and cultivate ongoing relationships with donors and their advisors.
Sample policies for gift acceptance including ethical standards, who has authority to accept gifts on behalf of the foundation, types of gift assets and more.
Sample Gift Acknowledgement Letter for IRA Transfer
This sample matching gift policy can be easily customized for your foundation's use.
This article provides ideas to help your community foundation get started in providing quality donor services and to keep donors engaged and active with your foundation.
Learn about creating a development plan and strategy to help drive long-term resource development for your foundation.
Discover the tax treatment under the Pension Protection Act (PPA) for gifts of fractional interests in tangible personal property, like books, artwork, furniture and more.
Guidance to donors on in-kind, food and inventory, taxidermy, S corporation stock, and recapture of tax benefit on property.
Community foundations occasionally receive a request for their money back from donors of advised funds and organizations that have established designated funds or agency endowments. This article discusses why the proper answer is a firm "no"—and some polite ways to communicate the community foundation's policies. The community foundation need not and should not refund donors' and designees' funds, and it should be clear from the start of any relationship that transfers to the community foundation are irrevocable.
Community foundations are often faced with requests from donors or local volunteers who wish to express their support by raising money for the community foundation or for a particular fund. Allowing individuals or a group of volunteers to engage in fundraising activities on behalf of the community foundation (a practice called donor-initiated fundraising) can be a great way to increase foundation assets and boost name recognition in the community. However, this approach to fundraising also comes with risks. The community foundation is delegating its authority to individuals or groups who are neither staff nor board members of the community foundation. Before allowing others to fundraise on the foundation’s behalf, foundations should understand the key issues and create a strong policy to guide fundraising activities. The fundraising policy should be carefully explained to potential donor-fundraisers before fundraising begins.
Definition and issues around accepting gifts of tangible personal property.