Types of Gifts

OUTRIGHT GIFTS
The Prairie Community Fund offers a wide range of giving options that offer flexibility to donors. Each option offers tax benefits to donors, and we encourage you to discuss these with your financial adviser for more information.

GIFT OF CASH
The easiest way to give.
Cash gifts are a simple way to establish a fund or add to an existing fund at the Prairie Community Fund. Writing a check is the most common form of giving. However, for your convenience, the community fund also accepts credit card gifts. If you choose this option, simply click here. Either way, your transaction is private and secure. Tax savings from gifts of cash will vary based on your tax bracket. . . the higher your bracket, the less your gift will cost.

GIFT OF APPRECIATED STOCK
Stock market gains offer opportunities to do good work.
Gifts of appreciated stock are put to good use by the Prairie Community Fund. Your gift of stock is reinvested in your community, and it qualifies for an immediate tax deduction based on the full market value. Utilizing the community foundation, your gifts of stock avoid capital gains taxes that could be due as a result of its sale. Your gift can be used to start a fund or build an existing fund, helping to benefit the causes you care about most. We work with the Columbus Foundation to execute gifts of stock.

GIFT OF REAL ESTATE
Properties can produce projects and programs.
Making a charitable gift of real estate through the Prairie Community Fund can turn your property into worthwhile projects and programs. With the help of the community foundation, you can use a gift of property to support your charitable interests, while also receiving financial and tax benefits, offering an excellent option that will increase giving capacity, while maximizing tax deductions and avoiding capital gains taxes.

GIFT OF LIFE INSURANCE
Making the community a beneficiary.
The Prairie Community Fund accepts gifts of life insurance, providing an option that donors use to make a substantial future gift at a relatively modest cost. You may name the community foundation as the owner of an existing policy that you no longer need, or purchase a new policy with the foundation as the owner and beneficiary. You’ll qualify for a federal income tax deduction for the cash surrender value of your policy in the year the gift is made. Reduced estate and income taxes provide additional benefits and, if you choose to continue paying premiums through the community foundation, you will earn additional deductions for charitable contributions.

BEQUEST BY WILL
Creating a legacy of goodwill.
Including a charitable bequest in your will is an effective and simple way to make a lasting gift to your community. Using this special type of philanthropy through the Prairie Community Fund allows us to establish new funds or build existing ones, providing benefits to the community for years to come. In doing so, you leave a legacy to your community and are able to distribute some or all of your assets, tax free. You can give cash, appreciated stocks or other assets, and you can designate a fixed dollar amount, a specific property, a percentage of your estate, the remainder after distributions to other beneficiaries, or other wishes as they relate to distribution.

RETIREMENT PLAN BENEFICIARIES
Planning ahead provides for the future.
Retirement Plans provide an opportunity for you to help plan for your community’s future. They are one of the best types of assets to transfer to a charity, because retirement plans produce taxable income. By naming the Prairie Community Fund as the beneficiary of your retirement plan, you could receive a number of benefits. Most assets that an heir inherits are free from income tax. However, an heir will pay income tax on disbursements from a decedent’s retirement plan such as a profit sharing plan, 401(k) plan or IRA. If you are going to make a charitable bequest, it is usually better to transfer these taxable assets subject to income tax to a tax-exempt charity, such as the Prairie Community Fund, and to transfer the non-taxable assets not subject to income tax to heirs.

LIFE INSURANCE BENEFICIARIES
The community is the beneficiary.
Perhaps you would like to contribute the proceeds of a life insurance policy to help the community, but you are not ready to give up ownership of the policy. By naming the Prairie Community Fund only as beneficiary, you retain ownership of the policy and have access to the cash value as well as the right to change the beneficiary if the future. This type of contribution allows you to give to your favorite charity on your demise, even if you don’t have the liquid assets right now. While you retain ownership of the policy, there is no charitable deduction for the value of the policy when you designate the Greater Prairie Community Foundation as the beneficiary, or for subsequent insurance premiums. However, any proceeds payable to the Community Foundation on your demise will be deductible for federal estate taxes. Your gift will be used to establish a fund or support the fund(s) of your choice, ensuring that the community will be the beneficiary of your generosity, forever.

TRIBUTE & MEMORIAL GIFTS
The Prairie Community Fund offers a wide range of giving options that offer flexibility to donors. Each option offers tax benefits to donors, and we encourage you speak with your financial adviser or with us for more detailed information.

SPECIAL PEOPLE DESERVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
A truly thoughtful way to remember others.
The Prairie Community Fund offers many opportunities to help you recognize special people who have made a difference in your life and in the life of the community. We accept donations made as a tribute or memorial to an individual, family or organization. Special funds can also be created to handle specific tributes and memorials.

TRIBUTE GIFTS
Contributions may be made to any existing fund to:

• celebrate and honor a living person
• memorialize individuals at the time of their passing
• celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and other milestone events
• express appreciation for a job well done

MEMORIAL GIFTS
Families face difficult and painful choices when faced with the loss of a loved one. The Prairie Community Fund can serve families who choose to remember their loved one in a most special way, by establishing a fund, or giving a memorial gift to the community foundation. Oftentimes, the gifts are designated in lieu of flowers, and, in other cases, a specific fund is created that will bear your loved one’s name and support one or more of his/her favorite charities or causes.

The Prairie Community Fund is ever grateful for contributions made in memory of friends and loved ones who have passed away. Such gifts are such a thoughtful way to remember those people that we cared about the most, and are a fitting tribute to those who have enriched our lives and our community.

For more information please contact

Steven Moore
The Columbus Foundation
Director for Donor Services and Development
1234 East Broad St
Columbus, OH 43205
Email Steven Moore
(614) 251-4000