How it Works
At the Community Foundation, we help people give. And we make giving to causes you care about easy and more impactful.
Think of us as your guide through your journey of generosity. Whether you’re a first-time donor or a philanthropist creating a fund impacting generations – or anything in between – we can help you fulfill your giving goals simply and effectively.
We work with individuals, families, corporations, nonprofit organizations, foundations and professional advisors throughout Metro Atlanta and beyond to create funds that allow fund holders to achieve their giving goals. You can open your account with cash, securities, property or other assets. Gifts may be made during one’s lifetime or through a bequest or trust.
Interested in learning more? Scroll down to explore the various ways you can give through the Community Foundation and make the most impact on our community!
Why give through the Community Foundation?
- It’s easier and allows you to make a greater impact
- Provides access to in-depth knowledge of community nonprofits and needs
- Gives you the ability to create custom giving plans
- Offers access to knowledgeable staff always ready to help
- Can be involved as much or as little as you want
- Assets managed by outstanding financial management firms
Five Ways to Give
1. Donor-Advised Funds
Creating a Donor-advised Fund provides you with a simple, powerful and highly personal approach to giving – a charitable checkbook.
This option allows you to remain actively involved in suggesting uses for your gift. You can recommend grants to charities you wish to support, at your own convenience. You may also choose to work with our staff to identify nonprofits that are particularly effective in addressing the issues that are important to you.
2. Nonprofit (Agency) Funds
Establishing a fund for your nonprofit allows you to grow your assets to meet present and future needs. It also means you can focus on running your nonprofit, while ensuring a constant source of revenue.
3. Good2Give Community Fund
Many think to be a philanthropist you have to be able to write a big check with lots of commas and zeros, but that’s simply not the case. Anyone and everyone can be a philanthropist! At the Community Foundation, we enable everyday people from all walks of life to give back in big ways. Over the last 30 years we have granted out over $80 million to address the real needs of real people right here in our community.
The Good2Give Community Fund allows you to give at your own pace while ensuring the greatest impact is made with every dollar gifted. We want to spark a passion for giving in everyone that isn’t limited by minimum contributions or fund balances or a certain ‘giving day’.
4. Planned Giving
Creating a Donor-advised Fund provides you with a simple, powerful and highly personal approach to giving – a charitable checkbook.
This option allows you to remain actively involved in suggesting uses for your gift. You can recommend grants to charities you wish to support, at your own convenience. You may also choose to work with our staff to identify nonprofits that are particularly effective in addressing the issues that are important to you.
5. Other Types of Funds
From endowment funds to scholarship funds, we have a variety of ways to meet your giving goals! See the full list below.
Other Types of Funds
Endowment Funds
Investing in the Future
Donors who endow their gifts can make a difference in the community during their lifetime, and, at the same time, provide a gift that lasts forever. These types of funds are created to provide a permanent source of support to be used for charitable purposes. The principal of the fund is never spent.
Unrestricted Funds
Think Broadly
When you establish or contribute to an unrestricted fund, you help to support The Community Foundation’s community grant programs conducted annually. In other words, your gift can address a broad range of local needs – including future needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time your gift is made. The flexibility of unrestricted funds enables CFNEG program experts to respond to the community’s most pressing needs as they emerge.
Fields of Interest Funds
Address Issues
Establishing a field of interest fund allows you to target your gift to address a specific area of community need. You can identify your personal area of interest and we will award grants to nonprofit organizations that are making a difference in the area you select – whether it be the arts, access to health care or the environment.
Donor-Designated Funds
Provide Ongoing Support
Establishing a designated fund ensures that long term annual support will be provided to specific eligible, charitable organizations that donors/organizations choose. If the original named charity ceases to exist, becomes obsolete or is unable to perform their charitable purpose then the Foundation can reallocate the funds in accordance with the donor’s original intent.
Scholarship Funds
Invest in Deserving Students
When you establish or contribute to a scholarship fund, you help students achieve their dreams through education. You may work with our staff to create the guidelines for students who can receive financial assistance through the fund. For example, eligibility may be based on field of study, community involvement, merit or financial need. If you wish, you may also be involved in (but not control) the annual selection process
School Endowments
Enrich Education Opportunities
School endowments can be established to enhance the quality of public education by providing funds to be used in developing educational needs. Each fund has its own governing board to review and select the direction and the individual programs to be funded.
Supporting Organizations
Become a Foundation Partner
Those who wish to have many of the benefits of a private foundation, yet enjoy the favorable public charity status for income tax purposes, should consider becoming a supporting organization of the Foundation. With only a fraction of the administrative responsibilities and lower costs, you maintain personal involvement and support the causes you care about most while enjoying the positive tax treatment of a public charity.