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WHO WE ARE
FAST FACTS
NATIONAL & REGIONAL RECOGNITION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
STAFF
HISTORY
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Glossary
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As southwest Washington’s philanthropic hub, we have the pleasure of working with many talented advisors who bring with them a diverse range of expertise and an incredible knowledge of our community. The following general giving trends reflect the priorities that regional advisors are hearing from their clients, informed by the collective expertise of our Professional Advisory Council. Our Board of Directors has made it a priority to use these trends to inform and organize our upcoming programs and initiatives.
 Click here to download a list of our Professional Advisory Council.
Click on the following links to read more about these five charitable giving trends:
FAMILY
VIGILANCE
INFORMED
SIMPLICITY
SOCIOECONOMIC
Chris Roubicek, John Karas, Keith Wallace, Patsy Eby, Mark Kralj,
Gary Harm
Tim Wachter, Randy Grove, Jim Pittman, Kristy Weaver, Larry Lafady,
Bob Chace
Michael Burgoyne, Phil Janney, Greg Railsback, Brett Bryant,
Katherine VanZanten, Wayne Leonetti
Sid Boles, Bob Kabacy, Marcia Jory, Roger Qualman, Todd Stryker,
Mike Macnab
Marilyn Reynolds, Terry Phillips, Max Kamp, Terry Pancoast, Lisa Lowe,
Jim Martin
There is a growing desire to engage multiple generations in charitable giving and to instill a family philanthropic tradition. This desire is supported by an advanced level of sophistication among individuals on ways to fulfill family charitable giving objectives including vehicles such as donor advised funds, charitable trusts, and other entity and estate planning techniques. For many donors, philanthropy will become a key component of larger family conversations involving business succession, estate planning and other legacy issues.
Community Foundation Values:
Our community partnerships run deep. We build lasting relationships that help us meet current needs while positioning the Foundation to address future challenges. The Community Foundation is available to oversee your clients' charitable investments and help fulfill their family goals for generations, building their philanthropic legacy.
What We Offer:
- Integrated opportunities, such as the Youth Philanthropy Program or site visits to nonprofits, to engage your clients' families in our community's needs.
- Assistance in developing family giving strategies to fulfill your clients' charitable goals today and into the future.
- Streamlined charitable giving, allowing your clients to engage in as many causes as they and their family members are passionate about, with no administrative hassle.
- Expertise in designing complex gift arrangements and accepting complex assets, opening up new and creative ways to involve your clients' families in giving back to the community while providing tax advantages for business transition and legacy planning.
- Complimentary family philanthropy courses and other educational opportunities for fund-holders.
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Donors want their charitable dollars to be used wisely and well. They are less likely to simply write a check to support a nonprofit's work. Rather, they are increasingly engaged philanthropists. Through direct involvement in the organization or by observing a nonprofit's work, donors find ways to ensure they are getting value for their gifts. The endorsement of trusted and informed advisors, who are engaged in the practice of philanthropy, will likely become an even more important source of information for many donors.
Community Foundation Values:
Our reputation rests on our ability to add value to your clients' philanthropy and to identify and support projects that strengthen our community. Our community knowledge and relationships with local nonprofits are among our greatest assets, allowing us to guide your clients toward proven, innovative and effective programs that produce results.
What We Offer:
- Identification of qualified applicant organizations offering effective programs in your clients' areas of interest (i.e., health and human services, arts and culture, education).
- Administration of all due diligence to ensure that grants are made to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations in sound standing.
- Consultation with nonprofit staff (including site visits) to demonstrate a program's value, allowing your clients to recommend grants confidently.
- Accountability oversight, ensuring grant dollars are used as intended by recipient organizations.
- Monthly or quarterly fund statements, so your clients can monitor investment progress and verify gifts received and grants made.
- Facilitation of grants committee selection and meetings for unrestricted, field of interest or scholarship funds.
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Individuals are establishing long-term charitable plans as the foundation from which to target and streamline their philanthropy. These plans usually outline the core values of the donor and inform discussions with advisors regarding the wide range of tools and techniques to fulfill their goals. Philanthropic organizations and advisors will need to embrace and encourage this important strategic thinking to adequately counsel informed donors.
Community Foundation Values:
Engaging families and individuals in meaningful and strategic giving is the very heart of what we do. The strength of our community rests on the generosity and vision of its members, who are moved to put ideas into action and fulfill local needs. Our mission is to promote informed giving aligned with our donors' passions, not to advance any specific cause or interest. We are a neutral organization that exists to facilitate our donors' philanthropy.
What We Offer:
- Local, in-depth, expert guidance on the organizations and projects advancing our community.
- Assistance in developing a personal giving strategy, including goal-setting, project identification, site visits and evaluation of completed projects.
- Knowledgeable staff members who stay abreast of the most effective giving and granting strategies, stretching your clients' charitable impact.
- Long-term charitable giving tools such as endowed funds to provide a permanent source of granting dollars, maximizing your clients' contributions.
- Robust legacy planning tools and information to fulfill ultimate charitable goals with a lifetime gift.
- Careful stewardship of legacy gifts and continued fulfillment of your clients' charitable intentions long after they've gone.
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Future donors will give preference to advisors and organizations that quickly comprehend their needs and present solutions in a manner that is easily understood. This includes ongoing communication about the impact, developments and trends in charitable giving as well as due diligence and assessment of organizations receiving grants. Providing easily-understood explanations and well-executed implementation of complex gifting plans is becoming increasingly important.
Community Foundation Values:
The true joy in giving comes from seeing assets transformed into results and witnessing the impact of philanthropy on the lives of others. We handle the administration so your clients can focus on what's really important - the imprint of their generosity on our community. We are a one-stop shop for philanthropy, facilitating millions of dollars in both contributions and grant awards each year. We believe that giving, when handled well, is contagious, and that our community stands to benefit from simplifying the process.
What We Offer:
- Seamless acceptance of complex assets including publicly-traded stock, closely-held stock, personal property, commercial real estate, residential real estate and appointment as executor of complete estates (to name just a few).
- Careful design and implementation of complex gifting plans, including charitable lead trusts, charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities.
- Expert facilitation of the granting process, as well as competitive grant programs led by committees, including due diligence and back-office administration.
- Regular communications about Foundation activities, consisting of monthly and quarterly fund statements, bi-annual newsletters, an annual report, and remarks at donor events.
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Economic realities have become more central to conversations, and related legislative developments continue to influence the timing and magnitude of charitable gift decisions. The impact of this recession on asset valuations and interest rates will have long-term impact on donor planning. At the same time, people still care and are still giving, inspiring the term "countercyclical philanthropy." It is increasingly clear that giving is motivated by passion and compassion and less by taxes.
Community Foundation Values:
We believe that caring for one another is a nearly universal human impulse. We strive to build partnerships and find innovative giving opportunities so that everyone - no matter what his or her financial status may be — can contribute to our community in a meaningful and tax-advantaged way.
What We Offer:
- Entry points to get involved at whatever level your client desires, from funding projects to site visits to participating on granting committees.
- Collective giving opportunities, such as the Community Giving Fund and the Cowlitz County Community Fund, in which small contributions add up to make a powerful difference.
- Matching grant opportunities, such as our partnership with the Gates Foundation to combat hunger, which leverages community dollars for greater impact.
- Up-to-date knowledge of charitable giving trends, including tax-advantaged opportunities to use specific charitable giving vehicles based on tax legislation, asset valuations and interest rates.
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