Ways to give
You Can Make a Difference in Dallas
Charitable giving does not require great wealth, only the desire to help others in a meaningful way. The Dallas Community Foundation benefits from both large and small gifts. You can make a lasting impact on the quality of life in Dallas, right here, right now, and for years to come.
Ways to Give Now
Outright Gift of Cash
The simplest way to make a big difference.
Send us a check or pay online. A gift to the Community Impact Fund is the simplest way to give. We’ll put your tax-deductible gift to work right away. Your funds will be coming led for investment and the income earned will address a broad range of local needs, including future needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time your gift is made. The flexibility of your gift enables the Foundation to respond to the community’s most pressing needs, today and tomorrow.
Gift of Real Estate
Unearth a charitable gift.
Making a gift of real estate can help turn your property gains into community good. Use the value of your real estate to fulfill your charitable interests while receiving tax benefit for doing so.
Gift of Life Insurance
Community as your beneficiary.
Your need for life insurance changes as time passes. If you no longer need the coverage to protect your loved ones, you can change your policy’s beneficiary to support the community. You will realize tax benefits during your lifetime.
Gift of Appreciated Stock
Turn stock market gains into community investment.
Everybody wins when you gift appreciated stock to the Foundation. You will receive a tax deduction based on its full market value, while the gains are put to good use, reinvested in your community.
Gift of Tangible Personal Property
Turn what you have into charitable good.
Maybe it’s been sitting on the shelf for decades. Use that appreciated value to benefit your community and receive a tax deduction.
Ways to Give Later
Bequests and Trusts
Leave a lasting legacy.
Bequests allow you to make a greater gift than might have been possible during your lifetime. You retain ownership of your assets during your lifetime, but can make a significant charitable contribution to the community after your death. Bequests allow you to receive the estate tax charitable deduction and lessen the burden of taxes on your family. Bequests can be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or what remains after other bequests, such as those to family members, are satisfied.
The savings in estate taxes resulting from a gift to the Foundation can be significant because they earn a full charitable deduction on estate taxes. Through a bequest, the Foundation can accept cash, real estate, appreciated securities and other assets as described above. We suggest that you consult with your tax or legal advisor to fully understand tax benefits.
Bequeathed assets can either be contributed to an existing Foundation fund – perhaps one you established during your lifetime – or they can be used to create a new fund. If you or your advisor have any questions, please contact the Foundation office.
Establish a Designated Fund.
A designated fund is a great way to support your favorite causes in perpetuity or over a set number of years. With a donor designated fund, you may specify either the organization(s) or the cause(s) that the earnings the fund will support. The Foundation will manage and direct the earnings according to your intent. With a donor advised fund, you may specify the specific organizations(s) or the cause(s) that the earnings this fund will support. Additionally, you will take an active role in making grant awards from your fund. Specific procedural details will be outlined in the agreement when the fund is established.
Scholarships are a common type of designated fund, providing opportunities to support high school graduates pursuing post-secondary education. An agreement will specify recipient eligibility requirements and other stipulations specific to the scholarship. You may choose to designate members of the selection committee or place that responsibility with the Foundation.
How do I establish a fund?
If you would like to establish a fund, please contact the Foundation office. Restricted funds must be approved by the board; the organizations and/or causes they support must be aligned with the types of causes supported by the Foundation. A restricted fund may be established with as little as $3,000, with additional contributions over a 3 year period to achieve the $10,000 minimum. Once the $10,000 is achieved, disbursements can be made. All restricted funds are established with an agreement between the donor and Foundation, provided by the Foundation. An administrative fee of no more than 3% will be assessed annually on restricted funds as per Foundation policy. The Foundation will provide you with the necessary paperwork for your tax deduction.