End of the year gifting deadline reminder from ACCF

All across Iowa, people are working hand-in-hand to ensure their communities thrive for generations to come. By partnering with local community foundations, they are building endowments to fund the charitable causes they care about most deeply.
Community foundations are non-profit organizations that focus on building local philanthropy by connecting donors to community needs that matter most to them. Through careful management of each endowment fund, the community foundation remains focused on ensuring contributions made today or through an estate plan continue to provide important grant support to charitable organizations in perpetuity. The Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) serves this community, providing a trusted and valuable resource to individuals, families, businesses, professional advisors and non-profit agencies.
These donors are all ages and come from all sizes of communities, ranging from big cities to rural townships, and from all types of backgrounds - they are homemakers, farmers, business leaders, professionals, volunteers, educators, laborers. The size of their gifts varies, too. They know that every endowment, no matter what the amount, can make a significant difference.
Brian Houlihan, Chair of ACCF, said, “Here as the year-end approaches, we remind people that no matter what type of permanent endowment fund you decide to establish or contribute to, you could benefit from the Endow Iowa Tax Credit. This is a special 25% Iowa tax credit granted in addition to the Federal tax deduction. ACCF is proud to hold an endowment for the community, which supports our annual grants to non-profits, as well as endowments which support local healthcare, youth programs, and scholarships. In addition, families and businesses may also set up their own donor-advised endowments and direct them to the causes they love.”

The IRA Rollover for Charity is also in effect until December 31, 2011. This allows individuals aged 70.5 to gift their IRA distribution to a Community Foundation endowment, bypass all taxes and capture the 25% state tax credit.
During this season of giving, community members are reminded to take time to discuss with their family members a giving plan and identify their values and interests in their communities. Then call any ACCF board member, ACCF Coordinator Betty Steege at 563-586-2046, or ACCF Advisor M.J. Smith at 563-880-9992 to discuss how to make a gift to the community and know that it will make a difference.