Princeton Area Community Foundation

Giving through the Princeton Area Community Foundation

Thanks to options available at community foundations, informed and effective charitable giving is easier than ever before. Thousands of donors have established or supported funds with the Community Foundation. Some donors are famous, others unknown. Some are very wealthy, others simply secure. Diverse as they may be, each has found a home for their charitable legacies at the Princeton Area Community Foundation. Here are a few reasons why:

It's Simple
Creating a fund, or adding to an existing fund, is quick and easy and can be accomplished with a variety of gifts: cash, appreciated securities, real estate, closely held stock, insurance, a work of art, or any other asset that carries no unusual liability. You may also donate online. Funds can also be created through a will or bequest. Sample bequest language and Legacy Society information is available here.

Funds Are Flexible
Your fund can be tailored to fit your particular charitable vision or the various interests of family members. If you wish, your gift can be unrestricted, to be used by the community foundation to meet the greatest needs in the community now and in the future.

Funds Can Be Directed
You can designate a particular organization within your area of interest, name a specific community to be supported, or create a scholarship in memory of a loved one. You can also establish a fund that allows you to be more actively involved by suggesting grants from it whenever you choose.

Funds Bring You Benefits
No matter the size of your fund, every donor enjoys the benefits and services of the Foundation. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Funds are pooled together and invested for maximum stability and return. Activities are overseen by a board made up of some of the most distinguished and capable leaders in Mercer County. And you can tap the knowledge of our community programs team experts in charitable giving, community needs, and the nonprofit sector—to help guide your individual grantmaking

Click here for the forms you need to get started or

here if you would like to learn more about how a charitable fund could work for you.

Giving to a Community Foundation Fund

Gifts to any Community Foundation fund can be in the form of cash, securities, real estate, or other assets. Your gifts always qualifies for the maximum tax benefit under state and federal law, including (in the case of assets with appreciated value) the advantages associated with donating potential capital gains.

You can choose to make your gift from the following methods:

Outright Gifts:

· Cash – Please make checks payable to "Princeton Area Community Foundation- The__________Fund" For wire transfers, please contact the community foundation directly for instructions.

· Credit Cards - You can make your gift with a credit card on-line or by calling us at 609-219-1800 with your credit card information.

· Securities – Please refer to the stock transfer form for instructions on security transfer to any community foundation Fund.

· Real Estate or other assets – Please contact us for detailed instructions on gifting real estate or other real property into a charitable fund.

Planned Gifts:

· Bequest. You can designate a gift or portion of your estate any Community Foundation charitable fund using the sample bequest language here.

· Charitable Remainder Trust. You can place assets in a trust that pays annual income to you (or another named beneficiary) for life. After your lifetime or a term of years, the remainder of the trust can be transferred to a Community Foundation charitable fund.

· Charitable Lead Trust. You can place assets in a trust that pays a fixed amount to a Community Foundation charitable fund for the number of years you select. Once this period ends, the assets held by the trust are transferred to the beneficiaries you name.

· Retirement Plan/Life Insurance. You can name a Community Foundation charitable fund as the designated beneficiary of a retirement plan or as the designated beneficiary, or partial beneficiary, of a life insurance policy.

Charitable Fund Services

We understand the importance of ensuring that your charitable gifts go to the areas you are most passionate about, and that your gifts are used as you intend. To meet your needs and maximize the impact of your charitable giving, we provide a wide array of services:

Guidance and advice, if you like, to achieve your desired goal
Coordination with your professional advisor (attorney, CPA, asset manager, etc.)
The flexibility to accept a variety of different gift types, such as:
- Cash
- Publicly traded securities
- Closely held stock
- Real estate
- Works of art
- Life insurance
Investment/asset management services
- Quarterly or Semiannual fund statements
- Oversight and monitoring of investment performance
Stewardship of your legacy after your lifetime
Planned-gift consultation and services
Donor services including:
- One-on-one sessions to help create a customized charitable giving strategy or simply refine your giving approach for maximum impact
- Ongoing research and updates on community needs and charitable giving opportunities
- Opportunities to match your charitable interests with community needs
- Ability to give anonymously
- Comprehensive record keeping
- Grantmaking and evaluation services, including due diligence on all grants that are made from your fund
- Invitations to educational seminars and events
Administrative services including:
- IRS reporting (you don't have to file a separate tax return for your fund)
- Personalized gift acknowledgement letters for tax purposes
- Check administration and issuance
- Personalized grant letters

Princeton Area Community Foundation
15 Princess Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 tel: 609.219.1800 fax: 609.219.1850

info@pacf.org