Foundation Blog

Read all about our impact in the community, upcoming events, news, and general information about our Community Foundation.

What’s Happening

News & Notes

In the Business of Giving

In the Business of Giving

If you’re a business owner, odds are you already give back to your community. Like many charitably-minded people, your business likely sponsors events, makes in-kind donations, and donates cash to favorite organizations. Many local business owners work with the...

Bill Cowden Aviation Scholarship Accepting Apps Now Through May 19

Bill Cowden Aviation Scholarship Accepting Apps Now Through May 19

For Bill Cowden, aviation wasn't just a career choice, but a way of life.  Since he was a young boy, Bill had always dreamed of being a pilot.  Through diligence and perseverance, he nurtured that goal into a 25-year-long aviation career. As a private pilot, North...

What Happens? Leaving a Bequest to My Fund at the Foundation

What Happens? Leaving a Bequest to My Fund at the Foundation

Many donors and fund holders at the Community Foundation of Dunn County have updated their estate plans to leave a bequest to their donor-advised or other type of fund. Some bequests take the form of a “specific bequest,” which means that the fund at the Foundation...

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Nonprofit Organizations

How donor-advised funds help charities stay afloat

How donor-advised funds help charities stay afloat

You’re no doubt familiar with donor-advised funds, especially if some of your donors use their donor-advised funds at the Community Foundation of Dunn County to support your organization. What you might not know is that the national average annual “pay-out rate” for...

Jumpstart endowment growth with donors’ gifts of stock

Jumpstart endowment growth with donors’ gifts of stock

Most of your donors have been made aware, often repeatedly, that giving highly-appreciated stock to favorite charities is a very tax-effective strategy. Indeed, gifts of shares held for more than a year are typically deductible by the donor at fair market value. When...

What’s worth noting

What’s worth noting

Events are back! Yes, it’s true! If it feels like events are hot again, you are right! A recent OneCause study showed that 83% of charities are planning an in-person event for 2024, and one-third are planning a hybrid event. Check in with the team at the Community...

charitable giving partnership

Professional Advisors

Donor-advised funds: Recommended reading

Donor-advised funds: Recommended reading

On an ongoing basis, the team at the Community Foundation tracks legislation, legal developments, trends, news, and innovative strategies for all types of charitable giving so that we can keep fund holders and their advisors up to date! Recently, donor-advised funds...

Fund types tailored to your client’s charitable goals

Fund types tailored to your client’s charitable goals

Just as each of your clients has a unique estate plan and financial plan to meet the client’s particular situation and goals, each of your philanthropic clients needs a unique charitable giving plan. For example, for some clients, giving shares of highly-appreciated...

Tax return reviews help clients level up charitable giving

Tax return reviews help clients level up charitable giving

Tax time has its silver linings! Going over a tax return with a client helps start a productive conversation about ways to plan gifts to charity more effectively. As you scan 2023’s charitable contributions, talk with your client about whether those charitable gifts...