A Simple Introduction Can Strengthen a Donor's Charitable Plan

As community foundation leaders, we often work with donors who are passionate about supporting local causes and creating lasting impact. Many of these donors also rely on trusted professional advisors, including attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and wealth managers, to help guide important financial and estate planning decisions.

One opportunity that is often overlooked is encouraging donors to connect those advisors with their community foundation.

Professional advisors bring valuable expertise in areas such as taxes, investments, estate planning, and wealth management. Community foundations contribute a different, but equally important, perspective: charitable giving strategies, philanthropic tools, local nonprofit knowledge, and an understanding of community needs.

When advisors and community foundations work together, donors often benefit from a more coordinated approach to charitable planning.

This can be especially valuable when donors are:

• Updating estate plans
• Considering a legacy gift
• Selling a business or appreciated asset
• Exploring charitable giving vehicles
• Establishing a donor-advised fund or other charitable fund
• Looking for ways to maximize community impact

As affiliate leaders, one of the most helpful conversations you can have with a donor is simply encouraging them to introduce their advisors to your foundation.

The process can be remarkably simple. A donor might send a brief email such as:

"I'd like to connect my attorney, CPA, or financial advisor with our community foundation so everyone understands my charitable goals and can work together to support them."

That single introduction often opens the door to stronger communication and better planning.

These conversations are not limited to high-net-worth individuals. Donors at many giving levels can benefit from having their advisors understand the charitable tools and opportunities available through their community foundation. Likewise, advisors often appreciate having a local philanthropic partner available to discuss charitable strategies and community impact opportunities.

The goal is not to replace professional advisors or provide legal, tax, or financial advice. Rather, it is to ensure that everyone involved understands the donor's charitable intentions and has access to the information needed to help achieve them.

When donors, advisors, and community foundations work together, charitable plans often become more effective, more intentional, and more impactful.

As trusted community leaders, affiliate foundations are uniquely positioned to encourage these connections and help donors build a team that supports both their financial goals and their desire to make a lasting difference in the communities they care about most.