Community Foundations work with donors – from individuals and families, to charitable organizations, community groups and businesses – to make a meaningful and lasting impact in their community through charitable giving.
Giving through your Community Foundation is simple and flexible. Whether it’s a one-time gift, monthly donations or the establishment of an endowment fund, the story of each donor is unique.
What are funds?
Community Foundations make an impact by harnessing the power of collective giving. We hold donations in perpetuity which generate interest. The interest earned is used to support the community through grants.
Endowment Funds
Your Community Foundation allows anyone – individuals, families, groups or organizations – to make a meaningful and lasting impact on our community through giving. People equate endowment funds with significant gifts. Working with your Community Foundation allows anyone to give back to community in a way that works for them. Endowment Funds can be established with a one-time gift, by contributing over time or by designating a future gift.
Giving
- Wishing to donate but don’t want to start your own fund? Make an immediate impact in an area of interest to you such as through our Community Impact Fund or contact us so we can help you find the right fund to fit you.
- Monthly giving is a great way to support causes you’re passionate about without straining your bank account. You may choose to start your own endowment fund and grow it slowly or give to an existing fund that aligns with the things you’re passionate about.
- If you’re looking to create an endowment fund that will start granting immediately, you may do so with a lump sum donation that meets our minimum fund standards.
- Planned future giving is another great way to leave a legacy. This can be done through leaving a gift in your will or proceeds from your life insurance policy.
Please see Providing a Gift in Your Will on our Ways to Give Page
Creating Your Fund
Creating your fund is as simple as 1, 2, 3!
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- Decide how you want to give back
Contribute to an existing fund, establish monthly gifts to a cause that matters to you, establish an endowment fund to create a lasting legacy or create your plan for a future gift. - Connect with your Community Foundation
Our expert team is here to meet all your charitable giving needs. Whether you just want more information to take home and think about or you need a professional advisor in strategic charitable giving, your Community Foundation is a great resource! - Make a difference today and an impact forever
- Each donation is invested and held in perpetuity, which means your contribution makes a difference to charitable agencies in our region today and forever.
- Decide how you want to give back
Triumph and tragedy over the last five years have taken Harold DeCoste and Natasha Collins on quite the journey since they first met in Grande Prairie in 2013.
Developing a Giving Plan
What are your philanthropic goals? Why do you give back? What are you hoping to accomplish through your giving today? In the future?
These are just a few questions to consider while creating your giving plan. A giving plan can be a simple outline of your charitable goals; or it can be a detailed plan including your current contributions, planned future gifts, and gifts from your estate.
Connect with your Community Foundation to develop a giving plan that meets your goals and aligns with your charitable vision, your own tailormade version of supporting your community.
The Bootle Family has always contributed to their community, in a way that worked for them. A few years ago they decided to establish the Diane and Fletcher Bootle Family Fund to ensure their contributions would leave a lasting legacy.
Family Giving
Whether it’s volunteering time at a local soup kitchen, donating to your local animal shelter or organization, a book drive for the school library, families make an impact on the communities where they live. Your Community Foundation is here to help families practice charitable giving in a meaningful way, contribute to the causes that are important to your family and develop your giving legacy.
For Sandy and Luana McDonald, giving back to their community is an important part of their family legacy.
Connect with us
Our team works with each donor to provide timely and personalized information about charitable giving. Connect with Laura LaValley, our CEO, to discuss your charitable giving.