If you have clients with charitable interests, we want to be your local philanthropic partner. We are well versed with community needs and local nonprofit organizations throughout Humboldt, Del Norte, Curry and Trinity counties. We offer a range of philanthropic services and charitable funds designed to serve our local region.
Your Charitable Conversations
Why should you talk to your clients about giving?
You can help clients realize their charitable goals by listening for charitable giving opportunities, explaining options and suggesting solutions. Significant giving opportunities often arise when clients are making major business, personal and financial decisions.
Year-end tax planning
Your client just earned a large bonus and wants to give a portion back to the community, but has no time to decide on the most deserving charities. Recommend establishing a donor advised fund through the Foundation for an immediate tax deduction and the ability to stay involved in recommending uses for the gift for years to come.
Preserving an estate
Estate planning identifies significant taxes going to the IRS, but your client wants to direct dollars for local benefit. We can work with you and your client to reduce their taxable estate through a charitable bequest or other planned gift. Your client’s gift will create a legacy of caring in the community that stays true to their charitable intent forever.
Retiring in comfort
Your client is concerned about running our of money during their lifetime, but has always been charitable. Recommend establishing a life income gift (such as a charitable remainder trust) at the Foundation that pays income potentially for life. Upon your client’s death, the gift can be distributed by the Foundation in accordance with their charitable interests.
Establishing a private foundation
Your client is thinking about establishing a private foundation, but is looking for a simpler, more cost efficient alternative. We can help you and your client analyze the pros and cons of creating a donor advised fund, a supporting organization or a private foundation.
Closely held stock
Your client’s personal net worth is primarily tied up in a closely held company, but it’s important for them to give back to their community. Recommend establishing a donor advised fund or planned gift. Your client is eligible for a tax deduction measured by the fair market value of appreciated stock (less than any planned gift value).
If you’re an attorney, accountant, financial planner, broker, insurance agent, estate planner or other advisor, Humboldt Area Foundation can support you and your clients at every step in the charitable giving process.
We can help you:
- Listen for charitable opportunities and start charitable conversations
- Identify your clients’ charitable giving interests and motivations
- Match personal charitable interested with tax planning needs
- Create and implement charitable plans that are integrated into major business, personal and financial decisions
- Facilitate complex forms of giving and execute technical giving instruments (including charitable trusts)
- Provide information on community needs—and on the local nonprofit organizations and programs that make a difference in the areas your clients care about most
- Deliver grantmaking expertise and a range of administrative services related to charitable giving
Whichever option your client chooses, the fund they support or create will make an impact on our communities needs.
Unrestricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds support Humboldt Area Foundation community programs and unrestricted grantmaking that meets changing community needs.
Designated Funds
Designated Funds allow donors to create a legacy which benefits one or more nonprofits in perpetuity from earnings on the initial principal of the fund. These funds make annual grants to particular charitable organization(s) designated by the donor when they establish the fund.
Field of Interest Funds
Field of Interest Funds provide support for broad charitable purposes or areas of concern (i.e. Youth, Seniors, Environment, Arts & Culture, Companion Animals, or for charitable purposes within a particular geographic area such as Southern Humboldt).
Donor Advised Funds
Donor Advised Funds allow donors to establish a fund for immediate tax benefits and recommend grants to nonprofits on their own timetable. The donor may recommend a successor advisor to take over privileges with respect to the fund upon his or her death or other stated time so that family philanthropy can be promoted across generations. A donor’s family can remain actively involved in the fund’s charitable grant making as long as money remains in the fund. Donors can add to their fund whenever it suits their tax or giving needs. A donor advised fund at the Foundation can make distributions to any 501(c)(3) public charity in the United States, including houses of worship, schools and universities, and we can facilitate grants to overseas charities as well.
Scholarship Funds
Scholarship Funds offer the donor a broad latitude to define the scholarship criteria and may remain involved in (but not control) the recipient selection process. Per IRS regulations, donors may not select scholarship recipients. The Foundation can provide all scholarship administration and compliance with IRS requirements. A scholarship fund can provide one or more scholarships on an annual basis.
Information to Get the Conversation Started
If you are interested in starting a fund, please contact our Donor Relations team at donorservices@hafoundation.org or dial (707) 442-2993.
Things we need to know:
- If you would like the fund to be endowed or expendable
- Which type of fund you would like: Unrestricted, Designated, Donor Advised, Field of Interest, Scholarship, or Organizational
- The name of fund, i.e. The Wilson Family Fund
We offer a wide selection of funds. Funds can be established during your lifetime, or through a will or trust with a bequest gift. With your charitable goals in mind we will compose a fund agreement that will provide the Foundation with specific direction so that we can administer the fund as the years go by. We are also happy to help with language for creation of a fund through your will or living trust. All donors and funds may choose to remain anonymous.