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Unleashing the Potential of the Athens Area Community Foundation: Donor- Advised Funds

Donor-advised funds have gained significant attention in recent times, and some of your clients might have already established such funds with commercial gift fund providers. As you navigate your clients’ estate and financial planning, it’s essential to inquire whether they have a donor-advised fund in place. There are often compelling advantages to consider when contemplating the transfer of a donor-advised fund from a national financial institution provider to a community foundation.

What Is the Athens Area Community Foundation?

The Athens Area Community Foundation offers a multitude of benefits to its donor-advised fund holders, distinguished by a more expansive range of services, personalized attention, and deeper connections with the nonprofits crucial to effecting positive community change. A notable example of our commitment to this cause is our series of Community. Conversation. Philanthropy. events, designed to bring fundholders together for a curated series of local experiences and events. These gatherings provide opportunities for learning, volunteering, and engagement with the causes and organizations that drive change within our community.

As you engage with your clients in planning discussions, it’s crucial to inquire about the existence and location of their donor-advised fund. If your client’s donor-advised fund is currently housed with a national provider rather than a community foundation, we invite you to reach out to us. We would be delighted to engage in a conversation with you and your client, outlining the ease and myriad benefits of transitioning the donor-advised fund to the Athens Area Community Foundation.

Why Gift Funds Matter

The Athens Area Community Foundation extends to donor-advised fund holders the same tax and administrative advantages as a commercial gift fund. These benefits include:

• Online Accessibility: Donor-advised fund holders enjoy convenient online access to view balances, contributions, and grants.
• Simplified Grant Requests: The process of requesting grants for favorite charities is straightforward.
• Efficient Tax Reporting: Streamlined tax reporting is available and often encompassed in a single letter for tax purposes, even when the donor-advised fund supports numerous individual charities throughout the year.
• Comprehensive Administration: All aspects of back-office administration, tax receipts, recordkeeping, and other requirements to maintain the donor-advised fund’s 501(c)(3) status are handled by AACF.
• Tax-Deductibility: Fundholders will receive favorable tax-deductibility of contributions to the fund.

The Community Foundation Advantage

What truly sets the Athens Area Community Foundation apart from standard commercial gift funds is the level of tailored service provided to its donor-advised fund holders. This includes:

• Concierge-Level Support: Knowledgeable staff offers concierge-level service, assisting in structuring estate gifts to charities and facilitating gifts of appreciated stock or complex assets like real estate or closely-held stock.
• Community Expertise: In-house experts possess an intimate understanding of community needs, nonprofit strengths, and how to structure grant-making for maximum community benefit.
• Collaborative Opportunities: Donors have the chance to collaborate with others who share similar concerns and access forums featuring local and national subject matter experts.
• In-Depth Engagement: AACF presents numerous opportunities to delve deep into specific issue areas through education and hands-on involvement.
• Impact Measurement: AACF provides assistance with structuring and measuring the impact of grants.
• Family Philanthropy and Corporate Giving: Services provided will promote a holistic approach to philanthropy.
• Reinvestment in the Community: Administrative fees are reinvested into the community foundation itself, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting operations and expanding its mission to enable more donors to champion their chosen causes.
• Local Expertise: Fundholders benefit from hands-on assistance from local experts who understand both local and distant needs and who eagerly research and identify causes aligned with donors’ goals and priorities.
• Community Immersion: Staff members are deeply rooted in the community they serve, often personally acquainted with the leaders and staff of grantee organizations and regularly attuned to their needs.

By proactively identifying clients with donor-advised funds at commercial gift funds, you not only provide invaluable service to your clients but also contribute to the betterment of the local community. Moreover, you fulfill your professional responsibilities by exploring the opportunity for clients to transfer their donor-advised funds to a local community foundation to further enhance their impact and reach.

At the Athens Area Community Foundation, your clients’ hard-earned assets receive the attention they deserve as they strive to make a significant difference in the causes that matter most to them.