Benefits of Donor Advised Funds
Donor advised funds (DAFs) are an incredibly popular way of giving if you want to make a difference, but don’t have enough resources to set up your own private foundation. Here are just a few of our favorite reasons to open a donor advised fund with the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro (CFGG).
Give however is best for you
Donor advised funds can be opened and added to with traditional methods like cash, credit card, and check. We also even accept stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares, life insurance, and estate gifts!
Our expertise
We vet every requested DAF grant through IRS guidelines to ensure all gifts go to legitimate public charities, big or small, and can even direct grants internationally. You receive reports each time you direct grants as well as quarterly reports on your fund’s balance. Want to make your gifts to charities anonymously? No problem!
CFGG has connections with over 700 local nonprofits. If you’re overwhelmed by the number of charities doing great work in the community, we’re here to help you research and support those that are doing the work you care most about right here in Greensboro – whether that’s healthcare access, environmental causes, or food insecurity.
Tax benefits
You can make tax season easier on yourself by directing all your charitable giving to your Donor Advised Fund, and you’ll only have to keep track of one gift receipt. Then, you can direct your grants to your favorite non-profit organizations at any time of year – no more rushing to make sure you get it all done before December 31 to be eligible for write-offs.
If you have a big year in the stock market, you can eliminate capital gains taxes by donating those shares straight to your DAF. Similarly, if you’re selling a property, business, or other large entity, opening a donor-advised fund with the profits can help manage the tax hit you could otherwise take.
If you donate consistently, you can “pre-pay” multiple years’ worth of donations into a donor advised fund and utilize the tax deduction in a single year. For example, if you usually give $10,000 annually, you can donate five years’ worth to the DAF and claim the deduction for $50,000 in a single year; then, you can direct a grant of $10,000 each year to your charity of choice for the next five years.
Keep it going
We can document your wishes for how you’d like your donor advised fund to be managed after your lifetime – whether that’s appointing a successor advisor or moving your funds to a permanent endowment that will contribute to your favorite causes in perpetuity. Additionally, assets in a fund aren’t subject to estate taxes, so they can help reduce the burden on your family after you’re gone.
DAFs are a great way to set up your family’s next generation to be philanthropic; you can even open donor advised funds for your children or grandchildren.
Southeast Guilford High Receives $12,000 Hubert B. Humphrey Jr. Award
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro awards $12,000
Southeastern Guilford High is this year’s winner of the Hubert B. Humphrey Jr. School Improvement Award. Superintendent Oakley presented the award on Tuesday during the annual State of Our Community event sponsored by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.
The Humphrey Award is designed to “enhance a comprehensive school improvement plan that supports collaboration and leads toward improved student achievement.” A selection committee reviews certain academic metrics and considers how each school plans to engage the community, serve diverse student populations, and improve student outcomes.
Principal Christopher Scott took the helm of Southeast before the 2022-2023 school year. Throughout the year, he and the school’s new administrative team utilized input from stakeholders to honor the history of the school, address concerns from stakeholders, and implement research-based high-yield strategies to support staff and students. The strategies played a role in improving the graduation rate, lost instructional days, and teacher retention.
“I am proud of the Southeast Guilford High School team and the leadership of Principal Scott. Over the last year, they have implemented a robust set of strategies to improve academic performance while supporting the well-being of students,” Superintendent Oakley said.
The school will receive $12,000, which it will use to focus on student support. The school plans to update the space students use for E-therapy sessions and install sensory boxes for students in each administrator and counseling office. It also plans to use the money to support its attendance plan and improve the transition from middle to high school by hosting quarterly meetings for first-year students and their families.
Hubert B. “Hugh” Humphrey was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation from 1981 until he passed away in 2003. Revered by fellow trustees and staff, Humphrey also served as legal counsel to the foundation. In November 2003, the trustees created the Hubert B. Humphrey Jr. School Improvement Award to honor his dedication. The Foundation established a fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, which is used each year to support the cash award.
About Guilford County Schools
Guilford County Schools, the third largest school district in North Carolina and among the largest of more than 14,000 in the United States, serves nearly 70,000 PK-12 students at 126 schools. With approximately 9,800 employees, GCS works in partnership with parents, businesses, colleges, and the community to deliver an education that connects student interests and skills with the careers and economy of our future here and around the world. We provide educational choices to meet individual student needs in culturally diverse citizenship and new opportunities to help our students grow. For more information, visit the district’s website at www.gcsnc.com.
Building a Better Greensboro through Impactful Giving
$212,500 in nonprofit grants awarded to support health and wellness, economic mobility, and cultural vibrancy in the Triad
The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro announced $212,500 in nonprofit grants to support the Foundation’s focus on health and wellness, economic mobility, and cultural vibrancy. $164,500 was awarded through its competitive Community Grants Program, and $48,000 was distributed through the Tri-County Health Fund. “We are excited to support nonprofits contributing to a thriving and culturally diverse Greensboro,” said Bishop Adrian Starks, Chair of the Grants Committee. “These grants will increase these organizations’ capacity to respond to current and emerging needs in our community,” said Starks. The grantees of the Community Grants Program are:- African American Atelier, Inc.
- The Arc of Greensboro
- Cambodian Cultural Center of North Carolina
- Combat Female Veterans Families United
- Eastern Music Festival
- Magnolia House Foundation
- Montagnard Dega Association, Inc.
- National Institute of Minority Economic Development/Women’s Business Center of Greensboro
- North Carolina African Services Coalition
- On Track Education, Inc.
- StepUp Greensboro
- Central Carolina Health Network
- Free Clinic of Rockingham County
- Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine
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Below is background on the organizations and a brief description of the projects receiving funding from the Community Grants Program and the Tri-County Health Fund. African American Atelier, Inc. ($15,000) The African American Atelier, Inc. is committed to supporting and presenting the work of artists of color while exposing, educating, and engaging the residents of Guilford County. Funding from the Community Grants Program will support organizational capacity, maintain and expand current programs, present culturally diverse art exhibitions, and offer a symposium focused on the business side of art to artists in our community. The Arc of Greensboro ($11,000) The Arc of Greensboro is committed to securing rights for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the opportunity to choose and realize their goals of where and how they learn, live, work, and play. Funding from the Community Grants Program will support the Arc and Arts, a program that exposes people with intellectual or developmental disabilities to various art mediums and cultural institutions throughout Greensboro. Cambodian Cultural Center of North Carolina ($10,000) Cambodian Cultural Center of NC (CCC of NC) works to build our communities across North Carolina, together. We are run and led primarily by second-generation Cambodian Americans whose mission is to help preserve the Cambodian cultural heritage and identity among younger generations of Cambodian Americans who are born in North Carolina. Funding from the Community Grants Program will support organizational capacity and expand programming centered around food sovereignty. Combat Female Veterans Families United ($25,000) Combat Female Veterans Families United provides transition services to Combat Female Veterans (CFVs) and their families, supporting life after war. Funding from the Community Grants Program will provide general operating support and support the expansion of current programs. Eastern Music Festival ($8,000) Eastern Music Festival’s (EMF) mission is to promote musical enrichment, excellence, professional collaboration, innovation, and diversity through a nationally recognized teaching program, music festival, concerts, and other programs that will enhance the quality of life, health, and vitality of our region. Funding from the Community Grants Program will support the EMF’s Encircling the City Outreach program which is an educational performance and service-learning project designed in collaboration with the Greensboro Public Library. Magnolia House Foundation ($15,000) The Magnolia House Foundation, Inc. intends to restore and maintain the structure and operation of the historic motel. Once complete, an exact replica of the NC Green Book site and what it represents to the region can be properly documented. Funding from the Community Grants Program will provide general operating support and strengthen organizational capacity. Montagnard Dega Association, Inc. ($20,000) The Montagnard Dega Association (MDA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community-Based Organization formed in 1988. We exist to unite and strengthen the fraternal ties of all persons of Montagnard heritage, to create a positive environment for all to meet, to build safe, healthy communities, to inspire education, and to preserve our cultural heritage. Funding from the Community Grants Program will provide general operating support and allow for an expansion of cultural arts programming for refugee communities in Greensboro. National Institute of Minority Economic Development- Women’s Business Center of Greensboro ($30,000) The Women’s Business Center of Greensboro promotes economic self-sufficiency for all women in the Greensboro, North Carolina area through entrepreneurship. Funding from the Community Grants Program will support expanded programming offered through the Women’s Business Center of Greensboro. North Carolina African Services Coalition ($11,000) The North Carolina African Services Coalition (NCASC) provides services to refugees, asylees, and human trafficking victims who settle in Greensboro, NC, and is dedicated to empowering refugees and immigrants of the Triad through direct social services and employment programs. Funding from the Community Grants Program will support the NCASC’s Tulip Society for Afghan and Refugee Women program which is a support space for women, and their children, who have been forcibly displaced from their home countries to connect with one another, participate in workshops, and attend outings to cultural institutions throughout Greensboro. On Track Education, Inc. ($12,000) On Track Education, Inc. is here to help struggling students. We collaborate closely with teachers to design a tutorial experience that will help the students in class. If needed, we coach students on-site or tutor them after class to assist them in reaching academic success. Funding from the Community Grants Program will provide general operating support and programmatic support for a summer literacy, math, and entrepreneurship program in Northeast Greensboro. StepUp Greensboro ($7,500) StepUp Greensboro works to motivate, empower, and equip individuals to become self-sufficient and stable through employment and life skills training. Funding from the Community Grants Program will support organizational capacity and the expansion of StepUp Greensboro’s Job Readiness program. Central Carolina Health Network ($4,000 a year for 2 years) The Central Carolina Health Network (CCHN) mission is to serve people by expanding access to quality care for persons living with HIV and reducing the spread of HIV through education and prevention. Funding from the Tri-County Health Fund will support transportation services for clients. The Central Carolina Health Network provides services in Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham County, along with four other counties in Central North Carolina. Free Clinic of Rockingham County, Inc ($10,000 a year for 2 years) The Free Clinic of Rockingham County recognizes the right of low-income, uninsured citizens of Rockingham County to have access to health care that compassionately meets their essential medical and pharmacy needs. Funding from the Tri-County Health Fund will support the launch of a culturally relevant Diabetic Intervention Program for Rockingham County’s Hispanic and Latino population. Free Clinic of Rockingham County provides services in Rockingham County. Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine ($10,000 a year for 2 years) Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with one purpose: to provide care for you and your family, regardless of your ability to pay. Funding from the Tri-County Health Fund will support patient advocacy. Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine provides services in Guilford County. The Community Grants Program is the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro’s annual, competitive grants process for nonprofit organizations. In 2023, this grantmaking program awarded one-time operational grants to smaller nonprofits that support Greensboro in becoming a more economically mobile, or culturally vibrant community. These grants will support organizations whose missions align with the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro’s focus to maximize opportunities that meet community needs. The Tri-County Health Fund is a field of interest fund established in 2021. In 1998, Community Care of North Carolina launched a pilot program designed for the Medicaid population in Guilford County. This pilot soon expanded to Randolph County and Rockingham County. Over the last 20 years, Partnership for Community Care transformed into a multi-sector effort expanding access, decreasing cost, and improving health outcomes for 118,000 individuals from across the three counties. In 2019, this publicly funded program dissolved. The remaining assets were entrusted to the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro resulting in the establishment of the Tri-County Health Fund.Ann Flynt: Women in Philanthropy
Over the years, society’s view of what philanthropy is and who can be a philanthropist has drastically changed.
Research has shown that women play a central role in the charitable giving space. There has been a shift in our culture whereas women are making more independent financial decisions. As a result, there has been a rise in the role women play in philanthropy. From donating to giving circles to holding leadership roles within charitable organizations, the presence of women in philanthropy is increasing.
In this edition of The Conversation, CFGG’s Director of ETWI and Guilford Apprenticeship Partners, Ann Flynt, provides insight into her journey and experience being a woman working in philanthropy.
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How does your career at CFGG help and/or influence your passion and goal in life?
All my life, I have felt the need to help people, but also wanted to excel in the business world. I began my career as a commercial underwriter for a large insurance company right out of college, but then life happened — I got married and quickly became the mother of 2 children. I was lucky to be able to stay home and take care of my 2 children for 7 years while my husband worked to support the family. When I decided to re-enter the workforce, I switched from my business focus to becoming an educator. The daughter of a college professor who spent her entire life around college campuses, becoming an educator was in my blood — there were a number of family members who were educators.
I began my career as a teacher assistant, and I worked my way up from a teacher assistant to a teacher, to assistant principal, to finally principal, earning additional college degrees and credentials along the way. But being the CEO of a school was not all that I thought it would be. So, I went looking for something new that would not only challenge me but also use my business and education knowledge and background. I was lucky enough to find that perfect position here at CFGG when I was hired as the Four County Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator with the Eastern Triad Workforce Initiative. I could not believe how lucky I was to not only find the perfect position, but also the best mentor and boss in Donna Newton who was the Director of Workforce Initiatives at CFGG. In my new role, I would be working with students, parents, educators, business-people, and community members. It was the perfect fit — a balance of education and workforce — with a focus on apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships are the gold standard of the workforce, and how blessed was I to have the opportunity to help develop Guilford Apprenticeship Partners (GAP) youth apprenticeship program. Helping young people find their career pathway and giving them the opportunity to earn a college degree with no debt, while also building a career for themselves — how powerful and rewarding! The work that GAP does is life-changing and truly inspirational as I get to see young people find their calling while also blossoming into adulthood! Additionally, I get to use both my business and education background.
How do you overcome the challenges you face?
I believe with hard work, faith, and determination you can overcome and survive any challenge you face. My family is a source of strength to me when I have had to deal with difficult situations, and I know that they will always be there cheering me on, telling me that I can do it! I am so thankful to have such a supportive family— Family means everything to me!!
What is a quote that empowers/inspires you?
This quote from Winston Churchill truly inspires me:
Success is not final
Failure is not fatal
It is the courage to continue that counts.
What advice would you like to give to other women?
I would like to encourage women to support each other, encourage each other, and band together to continue to make our community stronger and stronger each day!
Ending the Cycle of Poverty Through Micro-Enterprise
Passion to Purse and YWCA Greensboro are empowering women to start small businesses as a big step toward financial security.
In 2015, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro’s Women to Women endowment fund awarded its first-ever, multi-year grant to Passion to Purse. This program, offered through YWCA Greensboro, is aimed at ending the cycle of poverty and homelessness by helping low-income and minority women start micro-enterprises.
While the core of the program remains an eight-week course covering business development, market research, pricing, and financial projections, it also offers a safe space for these women.
“It was like a support group for them,” said Rosalyn Womack, founding director of Passion to Purse. As the women worked on their individual businesses, they were also helping each other through the adversities they faced in their own personal lives.
Now in its fifth year, Passion to Purse has countless success stories of helping women create jobs for themselves. From selling hair products and hand-made soaps to opening bakeries and online consignment stores for designer children’s clothing, the “graduates” of Passion to Purse can be found living and thriving across our community.
The program is also thriving. Since receiving its first grant from Women to Women, Passion to Purse has been able to secure additional funding due in part to the prestige of that first grant.
“It makes other funders very comfortable [to know that] Women to Women found it fundable,” said Lindy Garnette, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Greensboro.
To learn how you can donate to causes like this and others that are empowering people to create better lives for themselves, contact us today.