Asking Charities for a Great Gifting Experience

Keys to Asking the Charity for a Great Gift Experience:

  1. Can the client’s intention for the gift work for the charity? Is a referral needed?
  2. Is the gift to be used right away or is it for more permanent long-term support (e.g. endowment)?
  3. If endowment:
    • How does the charity affirm and protect the donor’s intention for the gift over the long term?
    • Does the proposed fund agreement include a suitable “Plan B” (and even “Plan C”) (these agreements go on for decades and change is inevitable).
    • How will the charity manage an endowment fund? (including investment and granting strategies).
  4. Is this a gift during the client’s lifetime to a “donor-advised” fund (one where the donor is involved in the granting decisions each year).
    • What depth and strength of local knowledge and involvement in the charitable community does the charity bring and focus upon? (This is where community foundations really shine!)
    • Who and where will granting decisions be made after the donor is no longer able to provide input? Locally? At a national office located elsewhere?
    • To what extent does the charity affirm and protect the donor’s intentions for the gift?
    • Can your client provide for a “gift over” to a community foundation in the case of the client’s death or incapacity? E.g. in a private foundation or other donor-advised fund option
  5. Can the charity handle complex gifts such as gifts of private company shares or real estate?
  6. Can the charity assist with granting to charities outside of the client’s community?
  7. Can the charity handle both endowment and non-endowment gifts?

Edmonton Community Foundation is committed and has an excellent track record in all of these areas. ECF is at its core (but not exclusively) an endowment builder, able to provide flexible options to donors who have both an endowment focus and a desire to make gifts now or in the shorter term. Contact us for more information.