VALUE-ADDED DONATING

Using the Community Foundation to Make a Donation

When you decide to support non-profit organizations in your community, the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation offers substantial value to you as well as to the recipients of your generosity.

Using the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is a simple, flexible, and cost-effective way to accomplish many charitable goals.

You can make a single gift to benefit multiple charities.

We accept a wide variety of assets, and can facilitate even the most complex forms of giving.

You gain the advantage of tax benefits when making gifts with appreciated assets rather than cash. Donors can minimize income, estate, and capital gains taxes and thus benefit their favorite charity(s) instead of the IRS.

We offer maximum tax advantage for most gifts under federal law.

You can create a legacy. A charitable fund bearing the donor's name will generate gifts to support the donor's favorite charity(s) till the end of time.

You receive a deduction when the funds are established. The Foundation reports to the donor annually concerning the fund's earnings and grants.

You avoid the costs and restrictions of a private foundation.

You can make contributions in years when income is high, providing larger deductions when needed. The charities receive grants even in years when no contributions were made to the fund.

You can help provide for the future of one's church or favorite charities with an endowment that will last in perpetuity.

You can help in an area of the donor's particular interest such as Youth, Environment, Arts and Culture, Children, and many others.

You can honor the memory of a loved one.

You can include children and grandchildren in the charitable process, and teach important lessons about community responsibility to the next generations.

You benefit from the professional grant management services provided by the Community Foundation. Our professional program staff has broad expertise regarding community issues and needs. We understand the community's needs and have the experience to determine how your funds can best strengthen our community through philanthropy.