Community Foundation releases its annual Wish Lists – Make a Gift to Your Community!
Have you ever considered giving a holiday gift to your community? With the holiday season approaching, the Oceana Community Foundation recently released its annual Community Wish Lists! The Foundation invites area nonprofits to indicate which near-term projects and purchases can only happen with the financial support from the community as part of its philanthropy leadership framework. This season, 49 organizations serving Oceana County submitted 126 different gift requests, totaling $180,510! To learn more about our Community Wish Lists or to find a wish close to your heart, visit wish lists here or reach out to the Foundation at 231.869.3377.
Wish List ideas span the county geographically and across interest areas – from education, recreation, environment, arts, community development, health and human services and more. They are a great opportunity to support local organization’s essential work. Each gift request is categorized into different funding levels, including under $499, $500 to $1,500, and over $1,500. Last year, 54 wishes were funded by Foundation donor advisors, the Oceana Youth Advisory Council, and local community partners – totaling $60,921 to nonprofits, churches, schools, agencies, and governmental units serving the greater Oceana County area.
For those interested in supporting a wish but unable to give the total amount, the Foundation can help support partial funding of wishes. Donors can pool their gifts to help make a collective gift to their favorite nonprofit or cause. Look up your favorite organization or browse until you find a project you want to support. If you have a donor advised fund at the Foundation, contact us and recommend a grant from the fund to make an impact. If you don’t have a Fund, you can give us a call to assist you in being a wishmaker!
Other opportunities to fund Community Wishes includes directing your charitable IRA (Individual Retirement Account) distribution or a grant from your commercial donor-advised fund to the Foundation with a note listing which requests you’d like to support. For people over 70.5 years old and who are required to take distributions from their IRA, our Community Wish Lists offer a special chance to make an immediate impact in Oceana County! They can turn them into gifts that benefit our community by taking advantage of a special tax provision that allows a direct rollover to the Foundation without having to report it as income. Since Charitable IRA Rollovers were established as a permanent giving option, more people are using their IRAs to support causes in their communities, including establishing charitable funds at the Foundation . Your gift makes a tangible – and immediate – impact on Oceana nonprofits, schools, and more by helping them expand their programs or support their day-to-day operations.
For more information about making a gift, now or through an estate plan, creating a named fund at the Foundation, or to learn more about our scholarship programs, call Tammy Carey at 231-869-3377.