Charitable giving may be done at a time and in a way that suits your personal goals and circumstances.
The Community Foundation of Shelby County accepts many different types of gifts that help you fulfill your dreams and receive the best tax advantages. Some donors prefer to make current gifts during their lifetimes. Others feel that a deferred gift is best.
Our staff can work with you and your legal, financial and tax advisors. As a 501(c)(3) public charitable organization, gifts to the Community Foundation of Shelby County are deductible to the highest levels allowed by law. We frequently work with simple and complex gifting strategies that your professional advisors may recommend. We strongly encourage you to consult your tax advisor before making a sizable gift to ensure the contribution is made in a way most advantageous to your personal situation.
One strategy to consider is ‘bunching’ charitable giving to take advantage of today’s tax law. Bunching refers to giving more in one year to a donor advised fund or Gift Account at the Community Foundation of Shelby County in order to exceed the Standard Deduction and then, awarding grants out to charities over the two years. In the second year, no new charitable gifts are added, so the donor takes the Standard Deduction. Click here for an illustration and more details.
For details about gifts, please refer to our General Gift Acceptance Policy
Check our Give Later section to learn about giving in the future from your estate plan or through gift instruments.