Tag: charitable giving
What type of donor are you—scattered, results-focused, just getting started, or deep into it already?
Even if you are new to charitable giving, you’ve likely discovered that there’s no single “right” way to approach making a difference. That’s not only normal—it’s a strength! Recent research reinforces what many donors already know intuitively: generosity looks different for everyone. Indeed, more than 80% of Americans report giving in some form, whether through financial contributions, volunteering, or civic
Calling it Splits: Charitable Assets in the Divorce Landscape
Throughout your career, you will likely help dozens of clients navigate the intersection of philanthropy and estate planning. While the focus is often on the creation of donor-advised funds or charitable remainder trusts, an increasingly relevant question for many advisors is: What happens to these assets in the event of a divorce? Given the rising importance of specialized roles in
Technical Update: New Flexibility for Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts
Charitable lead trusts (CLTs) are highly effective tools for specific client situations, particularly when balancing significant charitable intent with tax-efficient wealth transfer. The community foundation frequently partners with advisors to establish donor-advised funds (DAFs) as the income beneficiary of a client’s Charitable Lead Annuity Trust (CLAT). Recent developments have brought renewed attention to the flexibility of these vehicles: IRS Private
Navigating the OBBA: Strategic Charitable Conversations
While the tax law changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are familiar territory for you, the recent tax season has likely brought these shifts to the forefront for many of your clients. While you have been evaluating these impacts for months, many clients are seeing the real-world results on their returns for the first time, making this an
Step by step, it starts with “love of humanity”
The word “philanthropy” comes from Greek roots, meaning, a love of humanity. It’s a big word—but at its heart, it reflects something very personal: the desire to help others, strengthen community, and make a difference in ways that matter to you. For some people, philanthropy means supporting a favorite nonprofit year after year. For others, it means volunteering time, responding
Rethinking legacy: Balancing gifts to heirs with the community’s future
Next time you meet with your estate planning attorney, it may be a good idea to check in on your long-term plans and ask yourself questions you might not yet have considered. Some planners, for example, report that more and more clients are reconsidering an automatic estate distribution to heirs. Instead, their clients are evaluating what type of legacies make
Charitable giving, due diligence, and how Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation can help
Many people want to be thoughtful in their charitable giving, but that doesn’t always make the process easy. In fact, one of the most common challenges donors face is simply feeling confident in their decisions. With so many worthy organizations, urgent needs, and compelling opportunities, it can be difficult to know where to start—or how to know if you’re making
Good News About Donor-Advised Funds
Three fundamental concepts are important to gaining a better understanding of how donor-advised funds work at the community foundation. Many options are available at GPCF. It’s important to note that a donor-advised fund is just one of many types of funds that an individual, family, or business can establish with GPCF. You’re likely more aware of donor-advised funds than other
Keep going: Why Donor-Advised Funds Are Still Essential
The end of 2025 brought a whirlwind of charitable planning activity since many taxpayers wanted to maximize the tax benefits of their charitable donations before the 0.5% “floor” and 35% “cap” on charitable deductions kicked in on January 1, 2026. Donor-advised funds remain a highly relevant and strategic tool for your clients. Fundamentally, regardless of tax benefits, your clients’ charitable
For your clients who love local causes, GPCF is the place
Your clients probably give to a wide variety of charities year after year. The causes they support represent a range of motivations, including personal experience, a role as a volunteer or board member, family tradition, or alignment with values and community priorities. Many of the charitable organizations your clients support are local. That’s important to note because it means that
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The National Standards Seal indicates official confirmation from the Council on Foundations that we have met the most rigorous standards in philanthropy. It affirms our commitment to financial security, transparency & accountability. GPCF received this seal of approval in January 2010.