Fostering trust and making a difference Many people are not aware of the extent to which America’s charitable organizations help improve the quality of life in our communities. From social services to the arts, virtually every aspect of our lives is touched by the work of nonprofits. Indeed, the gifts Americans give to charity every year total more than $557 billion and provide critical support for nearly 1.5 million organizations that are helping communities thrive. Research shows that trust continues to be an important factor in charitable giving. Unfortunately, high levels of trust sometimes can be hard to achieve; 73% of donors surveyed said they felt that it is very important to trust a charity before giving, but only 19% said they highly trust charities. So, what should you do if you know you want to support a particular organization but have not yet gained a level of trust to go “all in?” Or what if you want to support an overall area of community need but you’re not sure which organizations are best aligned with the results you want your charitable gifts to achieve? Or what if you’re fairly certain you know the specific organizations that are addressing your areas of interest right now, but you’re concerned that this “fit” might change over time as needs shift and charities evolve? The FM Area Foundation can help in situations like these and many others. Here are three examples:
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If you’ve established a donor-advised fund at the FM Area Foundation to organize your giving, lean on the team at the FM Area Foundation for insights into which charities are best suited to achieve your goals for impact at any given time. Our team stays up to date on local charities, their priorities, and their programs and staff. We can provide information and insights to help you make informed decisions.
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If you’re committed to supporting a specific charity but you’d instead not give the money outright, you could consider setting up a designated fund at the FM Area Foundation to distribute to the charity according to the parameters you set. Because the charity receives the money in increments every year, charitable dollars remaining in the fund are protected from the charity’s creditors if the charity were to fall on hard times.
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