Cash - the most common way to give.
Publicly traded securities - appreciated stock makes a great gift. The full market value of the stock is tax deductible and you don't pay capital gains taxes on the appreciation.
Life insurance - a donor who names the Foundation as the owner and beneficiary of a policy and receives a current income tax deduction.
Real estate (some limitations) - most adult children have their own homes and careers hundreds of miles away from where they were raised. Long-distance management of a property can become overwhelming for family members. Gifting real estate is one way to alleviate such a burden and do good for the family's home community.
IRAs - Amounts remaining in qualified retirement plans at the death of the last surviving spouse may be subject to up to 80% in taxes. It may be wise to specify that your endowment in the Community Foundation be the beneficiary of all or a portion of your qualified plan to reduce taxes and leave a legacy.
Charitable IRA Rollover - Congress has extended the Charitable IRA Rollover through 2009 for those 70 1/2 and older. An individual can donate up to $100,000 from an IRA in 2008 and $100,000 in 2009 and couples can donate $100,000 each to begin or add to an endowment in the Community Foundation. (Donor Advised funds do not qualify for this benefit.) There is no charitable income tax deduction for the gift. The tax benefit–particularly for non-itemizers–is the ability to exclude the distribution from gross income.
Trust Fund - If you are the beneficiary of a trust which pays you a regular income, you may assign a portion of the income to the Foundation. You pay no further tax on this income and may take an income tax deduction for the value of the assignment.
