What Is a "Community" Foundation?

We're a community foundaton, a tax-exempt public charity that enables people like you to establish charitable funds. Your fund will be commingled wth our other funds and managed professionally. Its assets will grow over time. You and your family and colleagues are encouraged to continue giving to the fund to help it grow even more. Grants will be awarded from your fund to support local nonprofit organizatons, in accordance with your interests.

Like all community foundations, we are overseen by a volunteer board of leading citizens and run by professionals with expertise in knowing our community's needs. We go beyond simply making grants that advance charitable activities: we also identify current and emerging issues and help our region prepare for the future.

It's for these reasons that community foundatoins represent one of the fastest growing areas of philanthropy. When charitably minded people like you seek suitable ways to give, we can help you make a difference.

All gifts to permanent funds at the Southfield Community Foundation qualify for both Federal charitable tax deductions and the Michigan Tax Credit, significantly reducing the out-of-pocket cost for your gift.


How Does It Work?

The community foundation idea is simple: Anyone may use it to give something back to the community.

Assets that you donate to the foundtion create one of several types of funds to support your charitable goals. We offer you a full menu of planned giving opetions to tailor your gift.

You can create a fund in honor of someone you love or to celebrate a special event. You can direct your gift broadly or narrowly to issues you care about or to wherever the needs are greatest. However you give, your gift can change lives -- today and in the future.

We use professionals to invest and manage our assets. Our board is made up of local citizens who know the community. And our staff can help you create the gift that makes the difference you want.

We offer you power and flexibility in charitable giving without the legal paperwork, time and expenses associated with running your own private foundation. We can help you set up a fund that will maximize both your tax advantaes and your impact in the community--now and forever.

Here are some ways we can help you:

  • Managing the fund, overseeing its investment and maintaining tax records
  • Filing tax returns and providing an independent audit
  • Providing the services of experienced grantmakers who know the community, its needs and its organizations
  • Ensuring that grants are always awarded in the name of your fund
  • Issuing regular financial reports detailing the status of your fund

How Do I Create A Fund?

1. Decide When To Give
You can create your fund now, establish it in your will, or create it through a trust arrangement that benefits your family as well as charity. You may give in honor of an anniversary, to celebrate a special event or to support a cause. Tax deductions are earned at the time of your gift, while grants awarded from your fund will continue into the future.
2. Decide What To Give
Almost any kind of asset can be used to start your fund, such as cash, publicly traded securities, closely held stock, interests in limited partnerships, real estate, life insurance, tangible personal property and private foundaton assets. We can also discuss other options with you, such as bequests, charitable remainder unitrusts, charitable remainder annuity trusts, charitable lead trusts, pooled income funds, charitable gift annuities, life income and deferred charitable gift annuities.
3. Choose the Name for Your Fund
Many of our funds are named for the donor or the donor's family or as a memorial to someone special. Every grant from the fund will carry this name. If you prefer anonymity, you may choose a name that reflects your fund's charitable purposes.
4. Choose a Type of Fund
We offer a variety of funds that are flexible to meet our donor's different charitable interests

Why Choose Us?

We Know Our Community. When you choose to invest n the future of our community, you want to work with someone who knows the territory. The broad cross-section of leaders who guide our work lends valuable insight that will help your charitable giving achieve maximum results.

We Help You Achieve Superior Tax Benefits. Since the IRS considers us a public charity, contributions are eligible for the highest available tax deductions. In most cases, these tax benefits outweigh using your assets to establish your own private foundation.

We Make Set-up and Administration Easy. Establishing a fund can be done in less time than it takes to open a bank account. We take care of all the administrative and grantmaking activities, eliminating the need for your to set up a separate institution, formulate policies, file innumberable forms and monitor the status of grant recipients. We save you precious time and money.

We Share Your Interests. We are here to help you become connected to the issues you care about most. Your charitable interests and priorities are important to us because committed, caring citizens are so important to our community's well-being.

We Care About the Future. By setting up a fund, you have the ideal opportunity to create a legacy for you and for our area.


Go Ahead. Make A Difference!

By establishing a fund with us, you'll know your gifts are in good hands. Our staff can help you identify where your gifts will best benefit the community.

The result is a lasting legacy that addresses the needs of today and the challenges of tomorrow, establishes a tradition of philanthropy and ensures that your fund will develop community capital to improve the quality of life now and well into the future.

we are your premier local source for comprehensive charitable gift planning. To learn more about establishing a fund, please contact Warren E. Goodell at 248-351-1320



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The Southfield Community Foundation
25630 Evergreen Road
Southfield, MI 48075
248-351-1320


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