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Trust Is Everything: Supporting Your Clients’ Charitable Vision

Trust is the foundation of every advisor-client relationship. As an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor, your clients look to you for sound guidance—not only for managing wealth and planning for the future but also for making meaningful charitable decisions. And just like they place their trust in you, they want the same confidence when it comes to the organizations they support.

That’s where the community foundation comes in. As your partner in philanthropy, we help your clients make informed, intentional giving decisions backed by local knowledge and broad charitable expertise.

It’s also a timely moment to focus on trust. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer and Independent Sector’s “Trust in Nonprofits and Philanthropy” report, public trust in nonprofits rose five points this year, reaching 57% after several years of decline. This increase makes nonprofits the most trusted sector—surpassing government, business, and media.

Yet, even with this upward trend, skepticism remains. Donors expect transparency, accountability, and evidence that their gifts are making a real difference. The community foundation is uniquely positioned to meet those expectations and help your clients give with clarity and confidence.

Access to Trusted, Local Intelligence

When your clients want to support a cause, they don’t just want a charity name—they want to know the organization’s financial health, effectiveness, and long-term viability. The community foundation offers real-time insights about nonprofits doing meaningful work in our region.

We offer objective evaluations and a deep understanding of the local nonprofit ecosystem. Whether a client wants to support a grassroots initiative or a long-standing institution, we can provide context to help them decide how and where to give.

Guidance Rooted in Community Knowledge

Our team is deeply embedded in the local landscape. From education to health, housing to the arts, we actively monitor the region’s evolving needs. This allows us to connect your clients with the most effective and aligned efforts—those making measurable progress and addressing critical issues.

We also stay in tune with trends and challenges nonprofits face, helping your clients remain engaged not just today but in the years to come.

Smart, Flexible Giving Vehicles

The community foundation is more than a resource—we’re a toolset. We offer a variety of fund types that allow your clients to customize their giving, simplify their planning, and optimize tax benefits. These include:

• Donor-advised funds, ideal for flexible, year-round giving
• Designated funds, providing steady support to a chosen organization
• Field-of-interest funds, focused on specific issues or causes
• Endowment and legacy funds, to ensure charitable goals live on in perpetuity
• Family and multi-generational funds, engaging children and grandchildren in shared values and impact

With each structure, we help clients stay organized, amplify their giving, and plan with long-term vision.

Let’s Build a Stronger Giving Experience—Together

When a client brings up charitable giving, consider it a perfect opportunity to collaborate. The community foundation exists to complement your expertise with our philanthropic insights, helping you deliver even more value to the people you serve.

Our shared goal is simple: help your clients make a difference in a way that’s informed, effective, and lasting. Let’s work together to build trust in every step of the giving journey.