The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County was established in 1991 to improve the quality of life in Boulder County and to build a culture of giving. Our primary work is to make grants to community groups working in the arts, civic engagement, education, the environment, and health and human services. We've granted over $25.6 million to qualified nonprofit organizations since we made our first grants in 1992. The foundation also provides non-financial support to community groups, by offering technical assistance and information on capacity building. Finally, The Community Foundation provides philanthropic leadership in the community.

The Community Foundation generally serves Boulder County. Some donors, however, have interests elsewhere which they fund through The Community Foundation.

Donors to community foundations range from people of relatively modest means to those with large financial resources. By establishing a fund or donating to an existing fund within a community foundation, donors can contribute their gifts of cash and appreciated property toward a permanently named endowment or an advised gift fund, in which the principal of the fund is available for grants. Many donors are interested in planned giving and have The Community Foundation in their estate plans or other planned gifts.

The Community Foundation donors are people with a strong sense of community and personal commitment to making a contribution to the communities in which they live. Some donors want to support worthwhile causes in their communities, and The Community Foundation, which offers considerable expertise and familiarity with the community, can help them find the best way to commit their funds. Other donors appreciate the speed, flexibility, and ease of using The Community Foundation. Because the legal apparatus is already in place, existing forms are available so that a fund can be established, including obtaining all applicable tax advantages, in a very short time.

A governing board of trustees comprised of individuals who are representative of Boulder County.

Since our inception in 1991, The Community Foundation has granted over $25.6 million to nonprofit organizations working in the arts, civic engagement, education, the environment, and health and human services. Grant recipients have included Clinica Campesina, Boulder County Safehouse, The Family Learning Center, Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA), the Dairy Center for the Arts, Project Self Sufficiency, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, Parenting Place, Volunteer Connection, the Humane Society, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Adopt A School Program, and Thorne Ecological Institute. A complete grants list is available.

Applicants use the Colorado Common Grant Application format. There are several deadlines: The General Grant Cycle requests are due in September. Other deadlines are found in the Grants section of this website. The Foundation has a Grantmaking Committee, comprised of Community Foundation Trustees as well as members of the community at large, which considers the proposals.

Both are important resources to the community and each complements the other. Some have described the differences by suggesting the United Way is more like the community's check book, raising and distributing money annually, while a community foundation is more like a savings account, making grants from long-term funds in perpetuity. An additional difference is The Community Foundation's scope of funding is broader than the United Way's focus on health and human services.

The Community Foundation's approach offers a number of important financial benefits to donors. The Community Foundation manages a large number of unrestricted and discretionary funds; and therefore, administrative costs and service fees for any one fund are minimized - meaning less overhead cost to a donor's fund. Another important advantage is that the Federal tax code provides significant incentives for contributions to a community foundation.

The Community Foundation has a number of different types of funds to accommodate donors who prefer the long-term strategy of endowments, as well as those who want to give more actively each year. Donors can choose to establish one of these funds, which allow donors to recommend grants, or can choose to contribute to an existing fund that is flexible in resonse to emerging needs in the community.

Community foundations offer a variety of options for making donations. By combining your resources with those of others who share your interests, you can maximize the impact of modest contributions with minimal administrative costs.

The first step is to decide among a Donor Advised Endowment Fund, a Donor Advised Gift Fund, and a Donor Advised Impact Fund. The endowment fund is invested using a long-term strategy. Working with Foundation staff, donors make recommendations for grant distributions generally based on a percentage of the assets in the fund. An endowed fund is the right option for those who are striving for a permanent legacy and a permanent way to contribute to the community. A gift fund comes with all the same staff and administrative services as an endowment fund, but is set up so that the fund may be spent down to zero and then rebuilt. This option appeals to donors who like making more frequent grants. The Donor Advised Impact Fund offers a unique alternative to the first two funds. Like an Endowed Fund the Impact Fund is invested in The Community Foundation's investment pool allowing the principal to grow over time. Donors may request that up to 20% of the fund be granted each year–increasing grant amounts to organizations the donors wish to immediately help.

The Foundation has sample fund agreements available on this site or by contacting the Foundation. We encourage prospective donors to review them with their own professional advisors. The donor may wish to establish the fund to help meet a variety of needs within the community or may specify a purpose or area of concern for which income from the fund is best used. Donors may also name the fund that they endow for themselves, spouses, a family member, a company, or a valued friend. Funds may also be anonymous.

Some people prefer the simplicity of cash. There are, however, many other ways to give, including securities and real estate. Gifts to The Community Foundation may be made at a relatively low cost by giving real estate or securities that have appreciated in value. Were the donor to sell the property, a capital gains tax would be levied if the asset had been held longer than 1 year, whereas a gift to The Community Foundation not only incurs no such tax, but may entitle the donor to a charitable income tax deduction for the full value.

Donors may also contribute online. To cover the transaction costs, a fee of 3% of your total donation will be deducted before your contribution is distributed to The Community Foundation.

Gifts to The Community Foundation may be made subject to life income agreements. Such an irrevocable gift may provide for an annual income paid to the donor for the remainder of his/her life. Through this sort of gift, depending on the individual circumstances, substantial tax benefits may be created. A variety of instruments could be used including a charitable remainder unitrust, or a charitable remainder annuity trust. A charitable lead trust can have gift and estate tax advantages. For more information on unusual gifts, please be in touch with Foundation staff.

Often, people establish a private family foundation because they don't know that in many cases, working through a community foundation offers an easier alternative. In addition to the tax benefits listed below, setting up a fund through The Community Foundation has an extremely short turn-around time, as little as one day. Additionally, the staff of the foundation becomes available to help with grants (including facilitating work with families), screen applications and take care of auditing and financial reporting requirements. Many community foundation donors are also pleased by the fact that community foundations have none of the annual payout requirements of a family foundation.

Community foundations combine the tax advantages of a public charity with the lasting quality of a private foundation. Gifts of cash to a community foundation are deductible up to 50% of adjusted gross income versus 30% for a private foundation. Gifts of appreciated long-term capital gain property can be credited for 30% versus 20% for a private foundation. There is no excise tax on community foundations as there can be on private foundations.

An investment committee of respected individuals from the county's leading financial institutions, brokerage houses and investment firms serve pro bono to wisely guide the board of trustees in maximizing short and long term investments of the funds. The Community Foundation uses a diversified investment portfolio.

The Community Foundation provides all IRS reporting, accounting and accountability. The Grant Committee of The Community Foundation does extensive grant review and site visit work, and their recommendations and evaluations are always available to donors. The Foundation assures that all grant and scholarship recipients meet the tests to assure tax-deductible status. When appropriate, The Community Foundation can help donors solicit proposals to fund certain categories of interest to the donor. Donors are kept apprised of special community needs on a regular basis. We can also help donors publicize their funds or, conversely, act as a community liaison to provide anonymity for donors.

The endowed funds are charged an annual fee of 1.25 % plus Investment Advisor Charges of less than 40 basis points ( < 0.4%). A full schedule of fees is available.

Yes.

Investment guidelines have been established by the Investment Committee, and decisions are made by the Board of Trustees. Short term funds are invested locally for maximum returns and minimum fluctuation potential. Longer term funds are invested in a diversified portfolio to mitigate risk and provide long-term growth of capital. The Investment Committee recognizes the importance of investing in a socially conscious manner and can establish an account that meets socially responsible criteria for those who request it.

Donors making a significant gift of $250,000 or more receive the option of recommending a money manager of their choosing. (FYI: table showing The Community Foundation Investment History)