Choose what to give and when …
The Community Foundation serves many donors with a variety of charitable interests. There are several easy and flexible ways to leave a legacy to benefit the places and organizations you love the most, during your lifetime or as a planned gift. A gift made through the Community Foundation can be powerful and enduring. Consider these smart and effective giving options as you prepare to discuss plans with your advisors:
Bequests
A bequest is the most common way to support your favorite charities and community in perpetuity. You can leave a specific sum or percentage of your estate in your will or trust to the Community Foundation. We can provide specific language to ensure your gift is designated responsibly.
Cash
You can make gifts at any time, including online, or by mail to: Northern New York Community Foundation, 131 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601.
Gift Annuity
This gift can generate income for you or a loved one and create partial tax savings with the establishing gift and subsequent annuity payments. The remainder reverts to the Community Foundation after your lifetime and may be directed to an endowment the Foundation stewards, or to create a permanent named fund on your behalf.
Life Insurance
Many people find that the protection offered by life insurance policies is no longer needed later in life. You can list the Community Foundation as the beneficiary of an existing or new policy to increase generosity in support of your objectives.
Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)
If you are 70½ or older, a QCD to the Community Foundation can be an excellent way to make a gift. Make a distribution from your IRA as part of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) to the Foundation and avoid taxes. Then, the IRA distribution may be directed to support an existing fund or to establish a named fund of your own to help local charities of your choice.
Distributions to start Donor-Advised Funds are excluded.
Real estate and other tangible property
This gift can maximize your charitable intentions, help avoid estate taxes, and reduce the burden placed on heirs. The Foundation’s gift acceptance policy can help guide the responsible execution of this type of gift.
Retirement Plans
Changing the beneficiary to the Community Foundation maximizes your gift for the charitable goals you wish to see fulfilled. It is a simple and meaningful way to make a difference.
Stock or other appreciated securities
This gift can maximize your charitable intentions, help avoid estate taxes, and reduce the burden placed on heirs. The Foundation’s gift acceptance policy can help guide the responsible execution of this type of gift.
Gift information
Legal name: Northern New York Community Foundation, Inc.
Federal tax ID number: 15-6020989
Honoring a loved one
When a loved one passes, many families choose to partner with the Community Foundation to establish a charitable fund in memory of their loved one. Our team is here to help during such difficult times. We encourage a conversation to determine the best way to honor your loved one. Below is recommended language to include in an obituary:
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages gifts to the Northern New York Community Foundation for a memorial fund that will be established in memory of __________. Gifts may be made online at nnycf.org or by mail to: Northern New York Community Foundation, 131 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601.
Some families may not wish to establish a charitable fund, but still desire to support the Community Foundation while honoring their loved one through memorial gifts. General gifts in memory of a loved one benefit the Friends of the Foundation Community Betterment Annual Fund, which is the broadest way to support our community. Below is recommended language to include in an obituary:
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial gifts to the Northern New York Community Foundation. Gifts may be made online at nnycf.org or by mail to: Northern New York Community Foundation, 131 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601.
It starts with a conversation
We can help you experience the joy of giving today, and we welcome the opportunity to talk with you and your trusted advisors about including charitable giving in your estate plans. Please be in touch with our team:
Rande Richardson, President & CEO, rande@nnycf.org
Max DelSignore, Vice President, max@nnycf.org
Foundation office: 315-782-7110