SPOTLIGHT ON OUR DONORS

LUCKY WINNER JOINS PIQUA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FAMILY

December 2008 brought overwhelming good luck to several local residents – and to The Piqua Community Foundation.  A group of Piqua city employees hit the jackpot – the $207 million jackpot – of the Mega Millions Lottery.  Luckiest of all, Richard Donnelly of Piqua had put in an extra dollar that week and got two shares of the winnings.

Donnelly came to The Piqua Community Foundation with the idea of using a portion of his winnings to help his community and those who live in it.  And The Foundation had the perfect options for Donnelly to use his good fortune to help his favorite local charities in a variety of ways.

“This is a perfect way for someone who wants to reap the tax benefits of helping the community, and still have some time to think about exactly how the funds should be distributed,” explained Karen Wendeln, executive director of The Foundation.  “Mr. Donnelly had several ideas about things he wanted to support, and The Foundation was able to accommodate them all.”

Donnelly’s gift to The Foundation has become “The Donnelly Funds”, comprised of three separate endowment funds.  The Donnelly Designated Fund allowed Mr. Donnelly to designate several of his favorite local organizations, with each receiving an annual grant check.  The Donnelly Advised Fund will make grants each year to different organizations or projects that are selected by an advisory committee, and then ratified by The Foundation’s Board of Directors.  And the Donnelly Unrestricted Fund will allow the Foundation’s Distribution Committee to make additional grants to community organizations as part of their twice-annual grant distributions.

Frequenty Asked Questions:

Why should I donate to the Foundation?
The Foundation makes grants to organizations that help improve life for Piqua residents, assuring the funds go to quality projects that will really make a difference.

Can I decide who receives the funds?
Yes! Through a personal gifting account or a named fund, the donor directs which groups will benefit from the donation.

Do I need to be wealthy to use the Foundation?
No! Anyone can benefit our community by giving to our Piqua Community Fund. You can also use a personal gifting account to realize maximum tax benefits for contributions made. The Foundation also has options to defer your gift through planned giving.

How can I get involved?
Contact executive director Karen Wendeln at our office. We will respond promptly.

Personal Gifting

The Community Foundation Personal Gifting Accounts allow anyone to make gifts with the maximum tax advantage.

The donor gives stock, property or cash to the Foundation and takes the tax benefits at the time of the gift. The donor may then advise the Foundation to make distributions from the account to charitable organizations at any time. Gifts may be given to any qualifying not-for-profit organization, including most churches, schools, alumni associations, and charitable causes.

There is no minimum amount necessary to open an account, and no limit to the length of time the Foundation will hold the funds. These accounts allow donors to gift appreciated securities or other assets, without paying capital gains tax so they can be generous with the money instead!

Planned Giving

The Heritage Society honors friends who, through their generosity, have included the Piqua Community Foundation in their wills or estate plans. Contact the Foundation office for more information on planned giving.

Establishing A Fund

"Providing your opportunity to enrich our community"