Ways to Give
The Community Foundation welcomes gifts of any size and accepts a broad range of assets, including cash, securities, real estate, life insurance, bequests, gift annuities, charitable trusts, and private foundation assets.
There are many ways to give back to the community, through a gift to the Community Foundation.
Unrestricted Gifts are gifts such as memorials or tributes that are used to support the Community Grants and Youth Council Grants programs, which are awarded for the arts, community development, education, the environment, social services and youth services.
Unrestricted Named Funds support Community Grants and Youth Council Grants, which are awarded for the arts, community development, education, the environment, social services and youth services.
Endowed Funds may be established for various purposes, and named in recognition of the donor or the donor's designee. Each fund is defined in consultation with the Community Foundation at the time the fund is created.
Field of Interest Funds support a general interest such as children's health or the arts, or a specific geographic area in Erie County.
Scholarship Funds support Erie County students pursuing a post secondary education, and may be designated for students of a particular high school college or for those pursuing a specific field of study.
Designated Funds are established by, and in support of, a specific Erie County non-profit organization. Designated fund distributions are often used for much needed operating support of the organization.
Donor Advised Funds may support one or more non-profit organizations.
When to Give
You can contribute now or make a planned gift that benefits the community after your lifetime.
Options for giving today include:
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Make an unrestricted contribution or a gift in memory or in honor of someone special or to commemorate a special occasion.
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Make a contribution to an existing fund for the benefit of a specific organization, scholarship fund, or general field of interest
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Establish an endowed fund, such as a Field of Interest or Donor Advised Fund that suits your charitable interests, with a minimum $10,000 contribution.
Options for planned giving include:
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Bequest and gifts by will
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Naming the Community Foundation as beneficiary of Individual Retirement Account assets
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Transfer of life insurance policies to the foundation
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Charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts, vehicles that pay you income and, after your lifetime, support your charitable goals after your lifetime.
Where to Give
The Community Foundation supports the work of Erie County non-profit organizations that provide much needed and valued services for the benefit of area residents. The endowment funds of these organizations are managed and invested by the Community Foundation on their behalf. Endowment income offers a permanent source of stable funding for the organization, and may be used for any charitable purpose of the organization, which may include operational support, staffing, programs and services, or facility maintenance and improvement. Click on the following link to make a donation to the endowment funds of these organizations.
Click here to download and print the Community Foundation Donation Form,
Or call the Community Foundation office at 419-621-9690 for more information.