How Charlotteans can make a charitable impact in their community

Josephine* believes in the power of nature to improve lives.

So, when she began exploring ways to align her charitable giving with this passion, she reached out to Foundation For The Carolinas for advice. She learned about community foundations and how a donor advised fund would be an ideal vehicle to manage her philanthropy.

A donor advised fund is a convenient tool because it allows donors to deposit money – which can only be used for charitable giving – and to recommend grants to nonprofits on their own timeframe.

In her case, Josephine established an FFTC Donor Advised Fund to support nonprofits that provide outdoor activities, camps, and mentorship to children who might not otherwise have these opportunities.

* Name changed for anonymity

How to make an impact in your community

If you’re looking for the best way to make a charitable impact in your community, consider Josephine’s approach and explore options with Foundation For The Carolinas.

FFTC offers a wide variety of options to meet individual goals, such as:

• FFTC Donor Advised Funds, which allow you to make grants to the nonprofits that are meaningful to you
• FFTC Scholarship Funds, which provide educational opportunities to promising K-12, college, and graduate students
• FFTC Designated Funds, which can support a specific nonprofit, house of worship or educational institution of your choosing

1. Amplify your impact using non-cash assets

Perhaps you’ve accumulated non-cash assets or inherited real estate. These assets can be turned into a major charitable impact, but many nonprofits are not able to accept them on their own.

FFTC can help.

Through an innovative program, FFTC can accept assets such as pre-IPO shares, business interests, and personal or commercial real estate, holding them until liquidation. Then, once liquidated, the proceeds will be directed to your FFTC charitable fund. In this way, one single gift can be used to achieve a range of charitable goals.

While the charitable impact is the main priority, another great benefit is that these transactions can result in significant tax benefits.

2. Plan your unique legacy

Whether you are just beginning the process of planning your estate – or you are reviewing your existing will – you may want to consider the charitable legacy you wish to leave.

One option is to name an FFTC gift fund as a beneficiary of your estate. The FFTC team will ensure your wishes are documented and faithfully carried out. By creating a planned gift through your community foundation, you can:

• Create a permanent endowment to fund your favorite charities in perpetuity
• Engage family members in future grantmaking decisions
• Ensure ongoing support for a meaningful cause, even as needs and nonprofits change over time

Another option is to leave a portion of your planned gift to an FFTC Community Impact Fund. By doing this, you can provide permanent support for a general area of charitable interest—such as human services, the environment, or the arts—addressing needs and opportunities as they evolve over time.

• A planned gift can be established at FFTC with a variety of assets such as:
• Retirement plan assets
• Life insurance policies
• Charitable remainder trusts
• Charitable lead trusts
• Publicly traded securities
• Privately held stock
• Cash
• Real property

3. Contact FFTC to get started or for more information

The Foundation For The Carolinas team welcomes a conversation with you to explore options for your charitable giving. Contact the team at philanthropy@fftc.org or 704-998-6412 today to learn more.

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