1) Decide when to give - donations to the
unrestricted general fund and creation of separate
funds can take place now, be established in your
will, or created through a trust arrangement that
benefits your family as well as charity. You may
give in honor of an anniversary, to celebrate a
special event or to support a cause. Tax deductions
are earned at the time of your gift to the fund,
while grants awarded from the fund may be
immediate and/or continue into the future.

2) Decide what to give - almost any kind of asset
can be used to start a fund or make an unrestricted
general fund donation. These can include gifts
of cash, publicly traded securities, closely held
stock, interests in limited partnerships, real estate,
life insurance, bequests, annuities, tangible
personal property and private foundation assets.

3) Choose the purpose or intent of the fund -
we offer a variety of fund types that are flexible
to meet your different charitable interests and
reflect your values.

4) Choose the name of the fund - if you decide to
create a separate fund, it can be named for the
donor, the donor's family or as a memorial to
someone special. Every grant from the fund
will carry this name. If you prefer anonymity,
you may choose a name that reflects the fund's
charitable purposes.