Have you ever given a special gift to someone you care about and witnessed their joy? Or brought a smile to a stranger’s face by buying their coffee? If so, you’ve likely felt it. That flittery feeling of giddiness knowing you did something to brighten someone’s day. To bring a little sunshine into the world. The satisfaction in knowing you spread kindness. It’s the secret you get to have with yourself knowing you made the world a better place. This is joyful giving.
During uncertain economic times, we often expect giving to drop; however, that’s not always the case. Studies show that donors often give more at the start of a recession. During the height of the pandemic, we saw giving soar. I believe part of the reason why is joyful giving. Several studies in the fields of psychology and neuroscience show that giving spreads joy for both givers and recipients. Gifts don’t have to be big or perfect – they just need to be meaningful and have a positive impact on something, or someone, we care about. At Community First Foundation, we’re all about making good happen – for everyone. Here are just a few ways we’re trying to do it.
We help nonprofits secure their futures with endowments. An endowment is a fund that benefits an organization by providing long-term support. People and organizations establish endowments for a variety of reasons. They may be passionate about a cause or the work a nonprofit is doing. They might feel strongly about an unmet need in their community and want to impact lasting change. Nonprofits establish endowments to secure their future, with a fund that will pay them dividends as it grows.
We help both individuals and organizations create endowments that align with their passions and motivations for creating impact. Joy is realized when donors discover they are creating a legacy for the cause they care about most. Or when a nonprofit recognizes they’ve secured their financial future in perpetuity. This. Feels. Good.
Just because the economy may be slumping doesn’t mean giving needs to be. Givers are still looking for ways to connect and create joy, share a smile and have an impact on things important to them. They want to make a difference. A planned gift can be the right tool at the right time to help them do this. Also called a legacy gift, planned giving is designated for an organization at a future date, through a will, formal financial or estate plan, or sometimes at the time of death. It can be a great way to transfer wealth and leverage tax advantages.
American philosopher William James once said, “The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.” It’s an amazing feeling knowing that your gift, and your impact, will outlast you. Planned giving is a great way to create lasting joy and long-term impact. Feel good giving in the moment. Feel great knowing your gift will give again tomorrow, and into the future.
Are you or your business interested in giving or working with us to make good happen? We can help! Whether it is making a donation to your favorite nonprofits on Colorado Gives 365 or opening a donor advised fund, we’ve got something for everyone. And if your business is looking to augment your employee or corporate giving, we can create a corporate giving page on Colorado Gives 365 or help you open a corporate giving fund.
At Community First Foundation, we take pride in knowing the work we do together – with you – is having positive impact in our communities. It’s changing lives. It’s sustaining opportunity. It’s creating joy, and it’s good for everyone.
Author: Kelly Dunkin
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