Philanthropy should be a joy, not a burden. We make giving simple and satisfying.

We work with you and your family members to develop a strategy and framework for your giving. Your contributions are consolidated into one charitable fund which we create and oversee for you. You will receive regular financial reports detailing the status of your fund.
Download the donation form.
Learn more about creating or supporting a fund.
View frequently asked questions.

Choose to give in one or more of the following ways:

Cash— Cash assets are the simplest and most convenient gift.

Credit Cards— Credit card companies charge an average of 3% nationally and 5% for international credit cards. While you will receive credit for the entire amount of your gift, the fund to which you are donating will be charged the credit card processing fee. To avoid any reduction to your generous gift, you may make your donations by check, in person or by mail to the Eau Claire Community Foundation, 306 S. Barstow St., Suite 104, Eau Claire, WI, 54701. If you do decide to donate by credit card, for security purposes the Eau Claire Community Foundation only accepts credit card gifts by telephone or in person at the Foundation office. Please call the Eau Claire Community Foundation at 715-552-3801 to make your gift. We accept Visa and MasterCard. No matter how your gift is made, thank you for your generosity to our community.

Securities— Receive significant tax savings for you and be more philanthropic than you thought possible. You'll receive a double benefit: an immediate charitable deduction for the current fair market value of the securities you contribute, and you are not subject to any capital gains tax on the appreciation in value. The fair market value of your contributed securities can be deducted up to 30% of your adjusted gross income. In addition, if the amount is larger than you can use in one year, you can carry the surplus as a charitable deduction over the next five years.

Assets— The expense and time of administering a private foundation can become an unwanted burden. Transferring the assets of a private foundation to a donor-advised fund at the Eau Claire Community Foundation provides significant tax and administrative benefits.

Bequests— Naming the foundation as a beneficiary of your will is an ideal way to create a fund. Your estate taxes may be significantly reduced, and the fund will continue to work as a living symbol of your interests. Bequest options may be gifts of cash, stock, or property. You can leave a gift to both your family and charitable interests through a bequest. Plus, you will save your family money by decreasing inheritance taxes. When you make a bequest to the foundation, you become a member of our Legacy Society.

Life Insurance Policies— If the protection of a life insurance policy is no longer needed, it may prove a practical, tax-deductible gift. Or you may retain ownership of a policy naming the Eau Claire Community Foundation as a beneficiary, resulting in an estate-tax reduction but no deduction for income tax purposes.

Retirement Plans— Name the Eau Claire Community Foundation as the beneficiary of your IRA or qualified retirement plan. Depending upon accumulations, retirement plan assets can be subject to multiple taxation if left to heirs. By gifting your retirement plan assets, you can establish a charitable remainder trust to provide income to a spouse or family member.

Stocks— Make a gift of stock to Eau Claire Community Foundation by transferring shares to the our clearing or brokerage account. Once we receive the stock in our account, we will instruct our broker to sell and send the proceeds by check for credit to the fund of your choice. We will send you an acknowledgement of the donated value (tax-deductible amount), based on the average of the high and low traded values of the stock on the date of the transfer. For specific instructions, ask your broker to call the foundation (715) 552-3801 or email .

Electronic Funds Transfer—To arrange an electronic funds transfer (EFT), contact Deborah at financial@eccommunityfoundation.org or call (715) 552-3801.

Get more people involved! We offer individual or group site visits, as well as educational forums on estate planning and charitable giving.

You can give anonymously. Although it is a great encouragement to see what fellow community members have given, you always have the option to remain anonymous. Grants can also be made in your name or in memory of a loved one and publicly acknowledged.

HOW WE EFFECTIVELY MANAGE YOUR INVESTMENT

Investing funds wisely is critical to the foundation and to achieving the philanthropic goals of our donors. We strive to maximize that income while also ensuring that we are managing financial risks prudently. Our investment philosophy is fairly typical for community foundations. Our long-term goal is to assure a long-term rate of growth sufficient to offset normal inflation, administrative fees, and management fees (if any), plus reasonable, regular distributions. We announce the granting amount in May of each year. Any additional income over the amount available to grant combined with fees stays in the fund to compensate for the years in which the overall returns fail to meet our goal.

Our Investment Committee (composed of exclusively board and community members with strong business and/or investment backgrounds) approves and monitors all investments on a regular basis. Our Board of Trustees receives regular reports on all its financial activities.

We are able to maximize our efficiency by spreading costs of administration and investment management among a growing number of funds. Thus, we are able to offer substantial cost savings over private foundations. Small funds particularly benefit from the diversified portfolio.

FOR PROFESSIONAL FINANICAL ADVISORS

We offer assistance to you and your client in structuring gifts that maximize tax savings, while establishing an enduring community legacy. Adding our expertise to yours will ensure your client makes educated decisions while selecting from a full spectrum of options. We invite you to contact us about your clients' needs and see how we can work together to reach their charitable giving goals.

A Lasting Legacy for Eau Claire

It has been seven years since Tammy and I have been back in Eau Claire where I grew up. We have been involved in donating to the Eau Claire Community Foundation since it began. My parents, Dick and Marlene Cable, have been instrumental in coaching us in developing the principles Tammy and I now use to continue our legacy here in Eau Claire. Recently, our focus was significantly clarified when my mother passed away and I worked with my dad to write my mother's obituary. I learned what she valued in her life, and that the Eau Claire Community Foundation was truly important to her.

Not only have my parents been role models for me, but I consider many of those involved in creating and providing on-going support of the Foundatioin to be pillars for the Foundation and for the Eau Claire community.

My family and I are currently reviewing some core principles of life. We believe that what one centers on during one's life time defines one's legacy. I could not think of a
better center of focus than the Eau Claire Community Foundation.
-The Cable Family