Donor Benefits / Options

As a donor, you can establish an endowment fund that is customized to achieve just about any charitable purpose.  Only a portion of the earnings from your endowment is used for grants, so your fund exists forever.

How Do I Benefit from Giving to a Community Foundation?

The Oldham County Community Foundation offers much of the same power and flexibility in charitable giving that comes with establishing a private or family foundation, without the associated paperwork, time and expense. The Foundation can optimize a donor's tax situation, including options that leave a legacy both to the community and the donor's family, while minimizing estate taxes.

How Would My Assets Be Used?

Gifts can be public or anonymous, made now, set aside in a trust or designated in an estate plan or will. You can be as diverse as recycling, teen pregnancy prevention or historic preservation…whatever cause you care most about.  You can honor someone you love or celebrate a special event. You may choose to direct your gift broadly for any community need as determined by the foundation, or narrowly, for example, to establish a scholarship at a designated college, pay for landscaping at a favorite park, fund the choir at your church, or promote other causes. Your money works in perpetuity to support what you believe in, changing lives and making our community a better place.

What Are My Options?

Issues to Consider
►   Decide When To Give
You can create your fund now, establish it in your will or create it through a trust arrangement. Tax deductions are earned at the time of the gift, while grants awarded from your gift continue into the future.

►  Decide What To Give
Many types of assets can be used to start your fund. In addition to cash and publicly traded securities, the Foundation can also accept real estate, closely held stock, partnership interests or life insurance. You may also start or add to your fund with a bequest, the remainder of a charitable trust or gift annuity, or a beneficiary designation on a life insurance policy or retirement account.

►  Choose A Type of Fund
The types of endowments we provide are:
Unrestricted Fund ($5,000 minimum)
This is the most responsive option, with the fund portion of the earnings used for grants to respond to changing community needs.
Donor Advised Fund ($25,000 minimum)
This should be considered if you and your family would like to advise on your fund by suggesting specific grants. This will allow for the involvement of subsequent generations who could also experience the benefit of a community foundation such as cost savings.
Field of Interest Fund ($25,000 minimum)
A portion of the earnings from this fund is used to support one or more broad areas you choose, such as health care, the elderly, the homeless, the arts, environment, education, etc..
Scholarship Fund ($50,000 minimum)
This can be established for a general scholarship, a specific school, or field of study.
Designated Fund ($25,000 minimum)
Specifies one or more charitable organizations to receive a portion of the earnings from your fund.


►  Choose A Name For Your Fund
Most funds are named for the donor, the donor's family or as a memorial to someone special. You may also remain anonymous, choosing a name that reflects your fund's purpose.


WAYS TO GIVE TO THE FOUNDATION

There are many simple and convenient ways to give to the Oldham County Community Foundation.

Cash Gift
This is the simplest and often most convenient way to give.

Securities Gift
Donations of appreciated stocks and bonds often offer a tax advantage. Additionally, gifts of closely held stock can be a tax-wise way to transfer ownership to others.

Real Estate
Gifts of appreciated real estate have many advantages. You could, for example, retain the right to live in a residence, but contribute the remainder interest to the Community Foundation for income and estate tax advantages.

Deferred Giving
Gifts can be made that give you and a loved one payment for life, like charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder funds.

Bequests

You can make a gift by bequest under a will, so that you achieve a lasting charitable purpose and reduce estate taxes.