Giving to the Abbotsford Community Foundation

Have you ever wondered why you should give to your community foundation?

As a community foundation, we serve Abbotsford by connecting donors with causes that matter to them. Together, we build, invest and manage the gifts we have been given for the long-term vitality of our community. Because donations are pooled and invested, with the annual earnings reinvested into Abbotsford, your contributions to the Abbotsford Community Foundation continue to make an impact for years to come. 

Here are just a few of the reasons you should consider giving to your community foundation:

1. We are a local organization with deep roots in Abbotsford.
2. Our funds help you invest in the causes that you care about most.
3. We multiply the impact of your generosity by pooling your gift with others to maximize our grant pool.
4. We provide a highly personalized service, tailored to your charitable and financial interest.
5. Our staff and volunteers have broad expertise regarding Abbotsford’s needs and challenges.
6. We can accept a wide variety of assets and gift types.
7. We partner with professional advisors to create effective approaches to your charitable giving.
8. We build endowment funds that will benefit our community forever and help create personal legacies.
9. We offer the maximum tax advantage for most gifts under federal law.
10. We are a community leader, fostering collaboration on issues of broad interest to create positive change.

Your initial gift is the beginning of a powerful investment into the community impact process. Many fundholders with the Foundation continue to contribute to their fund on a regular basis. Your endowment or other gifts can provide a simple way to carry out your annual charitable contributions. We have multiple ways to assist you as you contribute to the fund at any time with gifts of cash or other available instruments. 

Here are some questions to consider as you get started: 

• Do you want to give now or do you want to make a gift later through your estate? 
• If you prefer to give now, would you like to be involved in granting decisions or would you prefer to have others decide based on your wishes? 
• Would you prefer to give to a specific charity or charities or would you rather have your gift used for the most pressing needs in the community
• If you prefer to give to specific charities, do you know the organizations and causes you want to give to or do you need more information to help you decide? 

Once you have reflected on the above questions, you can choose how to support or give what best suits you and your philanthropic goals. 

Here are two ways to support your community foundation:

1. Create a New Named Endowment Fund

An individual, family or organization can create a named endowment fund. The first step is to determine what kind of fund you wish to create based on what you wish to support. You can choose from the following: 

• Donor-Advised Endowment Funds Donor 
• Donor Designated Endowment Funds 
• Field of Interest Funds
• Student Award Funds
• Agency Funds

2. Support Existing Endowment Funds

The Foundation has established several special funds which the community can support. There is no minimum donation. Below is a list of those opportunities: 

• Smart and Caring Community Fund
• ACF Housing Fund 
• ACF Student Awards Fund
• Flow-Through Student Awards

Here are a few other ways to give:

• Make an Online Gift 
• In Memoriam and Tribute Gifts 
• A Gift In Your Will
• Life Insurance Policy
• Appreciated Securities 
• Gifts of Real Property
• RRSP and RIFF 
• Transfer of a Private Foundation

Interested in taking the next step and giving to your community foundation? Donate today by clicking here.
Need more information? See our Giving Guide for complete information on what we do, why we do it and how you can get involved in a way that supports your values and wishes for our community.
 

“The Abbotsford Community Foundation is one of the best ways to give;
it’s strong and it’s living, it’s alive and active!” — Vivian Trethewey