Seven Simple Steps to Get Started
We offer assistance in helping you to define and fulfill your charitable goals and suggest the following steps as you think about your giving. We are also happy to meet with you to discuss these topics.
- Make a list of the things you value most in life. Is it the arts or a beautiful landscape, or both? What are your interests within a particular field of interest? How have these changed over time?
- Think about organizations and causes that you have supported in the past, through your financial contributions and volunteer activities. What was important about this? What made you feel the best about giving and why did you feel rewarded?
- Ask yourself where you could make the most difference with your resources. You may have a list of 20 organizations that you support, but where can you make the most impact?
- Decide how much you have to give. Are there other ways that you could give beyond financial resources? We can explore the different types of assets that you could give.
- Decide when it will be best for you to give. We help you determine if this is a good time for you to invest some of your money for future giving; you can still give money away today as well.
- Choose what you want to support. If you are unsure about this, we can help. We discuss how your gifts could be pooled with other donors to fund projects that might otherwise go unsupported. We also suggest ways to support your field(s) of interest with your time and expertise.
- Speak with us about how to give. You have many options from a variety of assets that allow you to start giving immediately or you may create your own named donor-advised fund. You might also explore legacy planning that will make gifts to the community after your lifetime.
Please contact J Mullineaux at 707.303.9620
Greg Young, a Community Foundation donor advisor, talks of the rewards of supporting a nonprofit organization with a local branch in Sebastopol. "I belong to Bread for the Journey because I want to support local start-up organizations that need a little boost to achieve their vision. That boost is often money, but sometimes it's simply asking the right question like, 'What is a business plan and why do you need one?' Watching these seeds sprout is even more rewarding than I had dreamed; meeting people who have the passion and knowledge to make our community a better place is an amazing experience. It fills me with hope for the future... and joy."
Helen McStravick’s commitment to caring for those in need spans her lifetime and continues today through her donor-advised fund with the Community Foundation Sonoma County. After Harry’s death in 2001, Helen has continued to make grants from their donor-advised fund to support the mentally ill homeless population in Sonoma County, and she will leave the remainder of her estate to do the same. It’s comforting as she grows older, “a gift for me,” she says, and a way of honoring her husband’s wishes and extending her reach in the community. More…