Everyone has a vision for the city we call home. For some, it’s about making a difference right away. For others, it’s about creating something that will have a lasting impact for generations. No matter your goal in giving back, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro is here to help you with unbiased advice, community-wide connections, and giving options that help you make a difference in the ways that matter most to you.
Why partner with us?
Our staff stays informed of the issues and needs of Greensboro, which means we can help you determine how to make the biggest impact over the short- and long-term.
We are by the people and for the people, meaning we aren’t driven by special interests, have no official tie to government, and do not operate by our own agenda.
We are not tied to any specific program, focus, or fundraising cycle, enabling us to provide funding for a broad array of community interests throughout the year.
You can deduct a larger percentage of your charitable gifts for tax purposes when giving to us as opposed to establishing a private foundation of your own.
We give donors of all means the ability to set aside a sum of money that will yield income in perpetuity to be used for charitable purposes.
Support the community causes that matter most to you.
You can make an immediate and lasting impact on our community by establishing your own fund with the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro. Hundreds of individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit organizations across the area have already chosen the Community Foundation as their partner because we make philanthropy fun, easy, and meaningful.
Establishing your own fund is a great way to be involved with, and remembered for, your contribution to Greensboro. Whether you want to focus on giving today or in the future, we can help you define a giving strategy that matches your philanthropic interests. And because we’re a public charity, you’ll receive the maximum tax benefits from your contributions.
Here are some of the benefits to partnering with us:
- Establishing a fund with the Community Foundation is inexpensive and easy to set up.
- Donations to the Community Foundation confer maximum tax advantages and are immediately deductible.
- By working with the Community Foundation to establish your own fund, you have a full-time staff, experienced in the operations and administration of maintaining funds, from Day One.
- You have the option of making grants anonymously and using an experienced grantmaking staff to help provide detailed information on any charity of interest.
- Your fund balance and grantmaking activity is confidential and can only be seen by you, unlike a private foundation where this information is public.
- The Community Foundation can help you understand philanthropy and how you can make an impact on charities and causes you care about the most.
- We offer a wide variety of options to give alongside other donors, strategic initiatives, or the Community Foundation itself.
The Community Foundation accepts a wide variety of assets as charitable contributions:
- Cash
- Securities
- Bequests
- Beneficiary Designation
- Life Insurance
- Retirement Plan Assets
- IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution
- Real Estate
- Personal Property
If you have questions about types of assets to donate,
Donor-Advised Funds
A donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation makes philanthropy simple and easy. You can be as active as you want to be and still support the issues and organizations that matter most to you.
- Gifts from your fund will be made in your name or the name you choose for your fund. Your gift can also be anonymous.
- You will receive immediate tax benefits, even if grants from your fund occur over time.
- Your assets will grow through investment, allowing your giving capacity to increase.
- You can give away as much or little as you like, and you can endow your fund as a legacy in perpetuity.
(click on the graphic above to enlarge)
Download our Donor-Advised Fund Handbook for details on donor-advised funds, including comparisons between a donor-advised fund and a private foundation as well as between a fund at the Community Foundation versus a commercial provider.
For more information about establishing a donor-advised fund
Contact Cathy KnowlesEndowments
Endowments are permanent assets you give to the Community Foundation with the purpose of providing an annual revenue stream for whatever charity or cause you choose. There are three types of endowments:
Community Endowments
Permanent funds that provide annual funding in perpetuity to address the needs of the community. These may have a geographic focus within Greater Greensboro, a particular field of interest focus (like education and workforce development), or a specific cause (like affordable housing for seniors).
Nonprofit Endowments
Permanent funds that provide annual funding in perpetuity for a specific nonprofit. These funds may be for general operating expenses or restricted to a certain purpose or program. Donors may give instructions to the Community Foundation regarding the annual distribution in the event of a change to the nonprofit or program.
Scholarships
The Community Foundation enjoys a rich history of collaborating with both people and organizations to improve the educational landscape. Helping donors create scholarship funds is one of the most important ways we support education. Through the generosity of Community Foundation donors, the Foundation administers scholarships that recognize achievement, respond to financial need, and help us build a future generation of community leaders.
For more information about establishing an endowment
Contact Cathy KnowlesDonate today to those working for a better tomorrow.
The easiest way to make your charitable donation felt right away, right here in our community, is to donate to an existing fund through the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro. We are home to literally hundreds of funds established by generous individuals, families, and businesses. You are sure to find one that supports the programs, organizations, or areas of interest that matter to you. Best of all, you can donate to any of these funds right now.
Why donate to an existing fund through the Community Foundation?
- You can donate online, right now, using your credit card. Making an impact doesn’t get any faster or easier than that.
- No gift is too small. Donations of all levels are welcomed and appreciated.
- We make it easy to keep giving. You can set up a recurring monthly, quarterly, or yearly donation online.
- All donations to Community Foundation funds are tax-deductible. You’ll receive confirmation of your donation from us for your tax files.
Search for Funds Important to You
The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro is pleased to help you support the many programs and causes that improve the communities we serve. Click “Search Now” to find giving opportunities for specific organizations or funds on our secure and trusted donation site.
Search NowSupport the Foundation’s Work
Our Community Leadership Fund gives us the flexibility to address immediate needs and the capacity to plan for the future. This includes everything from improving education and workforce development to ensuring rich and diverse cultural arts to expanding access to safe, affordable, and healthy housing to helping other nonprofits thrive.
Donate NowGet Involved with Giving Together and our Adaptive Philanthropy Series
LEARN. CONNECT. GROW.
The Community Foundation is passionate about connecting donors to the needs of Greensboro. In addition to one-on-one donor consultations, we share timely giving opportunities with our donors via our Giving Together platform and conduct educational webinars and presentations such as our ongoing series, Adaptive Philanthropy in Times of Change.
Giving Together makes it easy for donors to give alongside the Community Foundation and other donors. Every year, our grants committee reviews the grant requests received from nonprofits seeking funding to address real community needs. Requests that are approved are shared with our donors, giving them the opportunity to review them and determine whether they want to participate. To learn more about Giving Together, please contact Emily.
Our Adaptive Philanthropy in Times of Change webinar series was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These webinars provide donors with a look at the variety of pressing needs in our community, the people leading the way, and how we can take the lessons we are learning and use them forever.
Ensure your legacy endures for years to come.
Legacy gifts to the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro provide permanent funding to address the needs of our community while also demonstrating the value of charitable giving for generations. Best of all, legacy gifts aren’t solely transferred through estates. There are many options for legacy gifts that you can make now, while you’re here to help decide how the funds are used and to see the impact of your gift on Greensboro.
These are just some of the considerations for making a legacy gift to the Community Foundation.
- Legacy gifts are an excellent option if you want to support the community, but cannot make an immediate, outright gift to the Community Foundation.
- Some legacy gift options can help you reduce your taxable estate and may actually help your heirs receive a larger inheritance.
- Other legacy gift options allow you to take a large charitable contribution deduction now, as well as recurring deductions each year.
Legacy Society recognizes those who have included a gift to the community in their will. Click below to see a list of our current members.
Leave a Legacy
These are some of ways you can leave a legacy gift to the Community Foundation.
Including a charitable gift in your will is a simple way to make a lasting gift to the community. You can give cash, stocks, or other assets to a new or existing fund. You can choose to give a stated dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, a specific asset or property, or the remainder of your estate after distributions to other beneficiaries. We are happy to work with you and your professional advisors to determine the most advantageous structure for your planned gift.
Once you reach 72 years old, you may direct charitable transfers directly from your IRA as Qualified Charitable Distributions of up to $100,000 per taxpayer. Many donors find this to be a strategic tax-savings strategy. We can assist you and your professional advisors in determining if this would be a viable option for your situation.
Alternatively, by designating CFGG as a sole or partial beneficiary of your retirement assets, your legacy can include any remaining retirement assets to benefit a new or existing fund to fulfill your charitable visions. Many find this more tax advantageous than having those assets in a taxable estate or leaving them to heirs.
Income for today, a gift for tomorrow. A charitable remainder trust (CRT) allows you (or someone you choose) to receive income for the rest of your life, knowing whatever remains will benefit your community. Cash, stock, property, or other assets are placed in a trust that pays you or a beneficiary regular income. Upon the beneficiary’s death or after a defined number of years, the remaining assets in the trust transfer to a fund at the Community Foundation or to a specified charitable organization. The minimum gift to establish a CRT is $100,000.
If you are looking for a way to secure your future, a charitable gift annuity (CGA) may be the answer. Not only will your gift help our community but you will receive the security of fixed payments for your lifetime. You may also designate someone else to receive the income as long as they have reached the age of 65. Payments may begin now or at a later date. A cash or securities gift of $25,000 or more is needed to establish a CGA.
During your lifetime, if you own a cash-value life insurance policy that is no longer needed for its intended purpose, you can gift the policy to the Community Foundation. You may receive a number of tax benefits. In most cases, the policy will be cashed in and the proceeds will be immediately used as you wish. If you choose to continue paying the policy premiums through the Community Foundation, there are other options that may be beneficial from a tax planning and estate planning perspective. We can work with you and your professional advisors to determine if one of these strategies would be advantageous for you.
Or, as part of your estate planning, you can designate the Community Foundation as one of your life insurance policy beneficiaries or contingent beneficiaries. If one or more of the primary beneficiaries predeceases you, their share can go directly to helping your community.
Tools for Documenting Your Charitable Intent
Legacy Donor Information Form Download Now Bequest Language and Beneficiary Designation Download Now IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions Download NowOur legal name is Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Inc., and our tax ID number is 56-1380249.
If you have included the Community Foundation in your estate plan, help us make sure your intent is documented. To do so, please contact Cathy.
Help us do what we do best.
We gladly welcome donations to the funds that help us continue doing the work of a community foundation—the work of improving life for everyone in Greensboro. Your donations help us continue bringing together organizations, people, and programs across our community to identify, facilitate, and fund projects that range from recreational and artistic endeavors, like LeBauer Park and the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, to programs focused on education and workforce development, like Say Yes Guilford.
Here’s how you can contribute to our work today:
Give to the Community Leadership Fund
This is a critical resource that helps us respond to and proactively address important challenges and opportunities as they arise. The Community Leadership Fund has helped us explore and finance a new performing arts center, secure the state’s largest workforce development grant, address the lack of affordable housing and growing homeless population, and provide direct financial support to victims of the 2018 tornado.
Give to Community Endowments
Many donors give to or establish permanent grantmaking funds that allow the Community Foundation to address community needs in perpetuity. These funds have provided grants for everything from improving education and workforce development to enhancing access to safe, affordable, and healthy housing to encouraging the arts.
Volunteers
received in gifts for Community projects and Initiatives
Community projects and Initiatives
Total grants made since our founding
Total gifts received since our founding
Total funds our portfolio
