How to Give

  • Invest in Oceana County. By joining other generous donors in contributing to the Community Investment Fund, your gift of any size will go further, not only to help address current and future needs, but to take advantage of new opportunities, as well. Or if you’re interested in education, the arts, wellness, or another special aspect of the community, you can give to a fund associated with that area. If you prefer, you can also add to the endowment fund of an organization that is especially important to you.

  • If you want to achieve greater impact while streamlining your giving, our Donor Advised Funds offer maximum flexibility. However, there are many types of funds to choose from. Come in to talk with us and we’ll help you decide which is best for you.

  • While 70% of people give to charity during their lifetime, only 10% leave a gift through their estate. The impact you’re making now can continue, long after you’re gone. When you leave a legacy, future generations will know what was important to you. If everyone leaves 5% (or more) of their estate to a Foundation fund, over $111 million will be invested in Oceana County over the next 50 years!

    For generations, families and their wealth were closely tied to their local communities. Today, the inheritance you leave might be scattered around the globe. If Oceana County has been important to you, make part of your legacy a gift to help build its future.

    What can your gift support? Whatever is important to you!

    You can give to existing funds to support the arts, education, the environment, health, or community development. If a specific organization has been important to you, such as your place of worship, your school, or your favorite nonprofit, you can add to or create a fund to support them. Perhaps there’s a place in the community that you’ve loved, like Pentwater Harbor, Golden Township Park, or Little Sable Point, …your gift can ensure that others get to enjoy it far into the future. If it’s too hard to choose, a gift to the Community Investment Fund, or creating an unrestricted fund in your own name, ensures that there are resources to put toward whatever will make an impact in the community of the future.

    Leaving a legacy is not just for the wealthy. If you consider the value of your home, retirement and savings accounts, or life insurance, you may be surprised how quickly it adds up!

    Start your fund

    • Add up home, savings, life insurance, etc. and plan a gift
    • Leave $20,000 (5% of a $400,000 estate)

    After 25 years

    • $29,000 granted into the community
    • $26,000 balance in your fund

    After 50 years

    • $90,000 granted into the community
    • $85,000 balance in your fund

    Leaving a gift can be as simple as changing a retirement account or life insurance beneficiary designation. Or you can work with an attorney to update your will or trust. Ask us…we can help! And we love to honor those generous people who have made a planned gift. Learn more about our Legacy Society here.

    You can help build up Oceana County. Leave a gift to its future!

  • You can generate donations for the Foundation for free while shopping on Amazon Smile! Just like its twin Amazon.com, you can shop for your favorite items. However, choosing to buy on Amazon Smile will lead to the Amazon Smile Foundation donating .5% (i.e., 1/2 percent) of the price of your eligible purchases to your charity of choice! You can make the Community Foundation for Oceana County your go-to beneficiary and support our community while going through your daily routine. Here’s the direct link to choose us as your charity –  smile.amazon.com/ch/83-1970895.

    While we absolutely encourage everyone to always SHOP LOCAL first, if you do find yourself ordering online – we appreciate your support here too. Don’t forget to bookmark our Amazon Smile page for easy access!

What to Give

You can give now and watch your contribution hard at work, or give forever by supporting your community long after you're gone.

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Types of Funds

Give to one of our more than 125 charitable funds today, leave a gift for the future, or start a named fund of your own.

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Every gift makes a difference.
Where and how is up to you.

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