Giving
Anyone can be a philanthropist, really.
When you give to a community foundation, even a small gift makes a difference. Dollar by dollar, donations build a permanent endowment and create new money for grantmaking through prudent investing. The Foundation welcomes gifts in any amount. We acknowledge each donation promptly with a thank you letter that is also a tax receipt. Every gift matters to us.
To download our brochure please click here
Why give to The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc.?
Simplicity - It is easy to make a donation, start a fund, or add to one. Gifts may be made anytime by mail or in person (even by phone) through cash, checks, or credit cards. Gifts of stock or other securities can often be wired in a matter of hours. Fund agreements, for larger gifts to start a new fund, are basic and easy to understand.
Flexibility - Gifts may be made to the General Endowment or any of our over 175 named funds. If you start a new fund, we can design it to serve nearly any charitable purpose or interest you may have.
Personal Touch - Gifts may always be made in tribute to someone – as a memorial or to honor a loved one, friend, or colleague and to celebrate a special occasion or event. The honoree is notified by the Foundation.
Maximum Tax Benefits - Contributions qualify for the maximum deductibility for income, gift and estate tax purposes. With stock gifts, capital gains taxes can often be avoided or reduced.
Low Cost - We are a nonprofit and keep administrative costs to a minimum (about 1.5% of the market value of the endowment) to direct our resources for grants to the community.
Geographic Focus - Donors can give to the community they call "home" and know their gifts will be spent here – within Herkimer & Oneida Counties.
Permanent - Our funds are here for the long haul – in perpetuity – since the principal is never wholly spent. Funds often outlast their original donors – creating lasting legacies to people who wanted to make a difference and continue to beyond their lifetimes.
Fiscally Sound - Our assets are invested by outstanding financial managers, through a diversified portfolio designed to maximize growth, preserve purchasing power, and produce stable income for grantmaking. Their performance is monitored by our Investment Committee and a professional consulting firm and measured against benchmarks nationwide.
Expertise - Our program staff has a powerful working knowledge of area charities and agencies and an understanding of the challenges we face. Grants are made after careful research and collaboration is completed with the grantee and later grant reviews allow us to measure the impact of the dollars spent.
Involvement - We offer donors an opportunity to be actively involved in grantmaking through their a donor-advised fund and to involve their families in philanthropy. Donor advisors make recommendations for grants from their fund and interact closely with staff to find causes worth funding, in accordance with foundation guidelines. It’s hands-on and very satisfying.
Financial Planning - Future gifts set up through a will, trust, life insurance policy, or retirement assets often provide attractive savings on estate taxes and capital gains. We would be happy to work with you and your financial advisor in considering these options. Click here to learn more information about leaving a Planned Gift.
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