Ways to Give

Whether you're considering opening a donor-advised fund to start your charitable giving now, or you're planning for the future, we have the vehicles that can help you make maximum impact.

Donor-Advised Funds

These allow an individual, family or business to contribute assets to a fund and then recommend grants at any time to support qualified nonprofit agencies, schools, or religious organizations. They are a flexible, tax efficient and personalized way to support organizations in Marin County, elsewhere in the U.S., or around the world.

Advantages of DAFs

Ways to Give Now


Supporting Organizations

These are separate nonprofit corporations that operate under MCF’s status as a public charity. Through its own board, on which the donor(s) may choose to sit, a supporting organization can determine its own investment strategy and grants priorities. Alternatively, it can use MCF’s investment pools and ask MCF to invest the assets on its behalf. Supporting organizations are an excellent cost-effective and tax-efficient alternative to a private foundation, with only a fraction of the administrative responsibilities. It is also an option for those donors who want to involve family members in charitable giving activities – perhaps for several generations.

Scholarship Funds

These funds allow you to give the gift of education. MCF can help you establish an objective set of criteria to select individuals who receive scholarships. Scholarship funds may be established by an individual or a group.

Designated Beneficiary Funds

These funds support one or more specific organizations that are specified at the inception of the fund. This is a way to ensure an organization will receive your support, for the purpose you intend, over any period of time you choose.

Committee-Advised Funds

These are funds established by one or more donors whose grants are recommended by a committee. The members of the committee do not have to be donors to the fund. However, all members of the committee have an equal voice in selecting grant recipients.

Field of Interest Funds

These funds allow you to identify an area of your philanthropic interest to support, without requiring you to specify any particular organizations. MCF’s philanthropic advisors can provide you with guidance should you need it, so that you can create a plan for giving within that issue arena.

Organization Funds

These are designed for nonprofit groups, schools, or religious organizations as part of their overall fundraising strategy. Often this type of fund provides organizations with a way to establish an endowment into which individuals can make contributions.

Ways to Give Later


Legacy Funds (Imprint)

These are established by donors as part of their estate planning. Typically, all or part of the donor’s estate is left as a bequest to a charitable fund at the Foundation. The fund becomes a vehicle for accomplishing the donor’s charitable wishes after they pass. Read more about Imprint at the base of this page.

Charitable Remainder Trusts

Giving through a charitable remainder trust enables you to receive income for the life of the trust, with the residual going to the charities of your choice.

Charitable Lead Trusts

A charitable lead trust enables you to make significant charitable gifts now while transferring substantial assets to beneficiaries later.

Retained Life Estates

Turn your property’s value into community good through a charitable gift of real estate.

Gift of Life Insurance

For those whose need for life insurance has decreased, making a gift of an unneeded policy can be a convenient and effective way of meeting your charitable goals.

Retirement Fund Plans

People who have planned carefully for their retirement may find that the assets in their IRAs or other qualified plans exceed their needs. The remainder may be transferred to your fund at MCF, if so desired.

Imprint

Imprint is MCF’s custom legacy program. It allows you to specify your precise wishes for your giving and have confidence that they will be fulfilled exactly as you intended.

Learn More

For information about opening a fund, please contact

Henderson andrea linkedin
Andrea Henderson

Senior Director of Planning

415.464.2507
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