For those with a fund at the Omaha Community Foundation, you can use your fund to support any of the organizations listed below. Log into your online portal to recommend a grant. If you need assistance, our team is here to help facilitate your giving.

Primary Giving Opportunities

Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country – Kerr County Flood Relief Fund

This is the central relief fund established by the local community foundation to ensure that donations go directly to vetted on-the-ground nonprofits, first responders, and government response teams across the hardest-hit areas.

San Angelo Area Foundation

This fund provides financial support to flood victims in San Angelo and surrounding areas.

Additional Organizations

Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR)

TEXSAR is leading volunteer-based rescue and recovery efforts in Kerr County and beyond. Their teams are performing:

• Swiftwater rescues, K9 and ground searches
• Boat and drone operations
• Coordination with local and state agencies

As of July 6, over 50 volunteers were deployed. This will be a long-term response requiring ongoing support for logistics, gear, food, fuel, and housing.

Ark of Highland Lakes

Formerly known as Highland Lakes Crisis Network. Actively supporting flood-impacted communities in Burnet and Llano counties and surrounding areas.

• Operating a warehouse in Marble Falls (800 Industrial Blvd) for meal prep and supply sorting
• Organizing volunteer muck-out teams for flooded homes
• Providing hot meals and delivering essentials to impacted households
• Planning for long-term recovery alongside churches and community partners

World Central Kitchen

WCK mobilized immediately following the flooding and has served thousands of hot meals since July 4. Their response includes:

• Delivering food to displaced families, reunification centers, and first responders
• Supporting impacted summer camps, including Camp Mystic
• Partnering with local chefs and residents to prepare and distribute meals
• Providing comfort to grieving families and fueling search crews with nutritious meals

Mercy Chefs

Providing hot, chef-prepared meals to victims, first responders, and volunteers in the days ahead.

Operation BBQ Relief

Delivering hot BBQ meals to displaced families, first responders, and volunteers.

Austin Pets Alive! & Kerrville Pets Alive!

During the floods, more than 150 pets have been rescued across Kerr, Williamson, and Burnet counties. Their teams are:

• Providing emergency medical care onsite
• Transporting displaced animals into APA!’s care
• Coordinating volunteer-led pet search and rescue along the Guadalupe Rive
• Working with Kerrville Pets Alive! and Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter to reunite pets with families
• Offering cremation services for deceased animals

San Antonio Food Bank

Coordinating food support across Central and South Texas. However, they are not accepting item donations yet—assessments are ongoing.

Team Rubicon

Team Rubicon has deployed veteran-led disaster response teams to support cleanup and recovery operations in the flood-affected areas. A matching gift program is currently active (up to $100,000), maximizing the impact of donations. Their volunteers are helping with:

• Debris removal and home cleanup
• Damage assessments
• Coordinated support with local agencies and emergency responders

Every gift helps

Natural disasters like this one require both immediate relief and sustained support. Whether you’re helping to feed displaced families, supporting search and rescue teams, or funding long-term recovery efforts, your donation matters. Our team is available to help guide your support to the areas of greatest need—please don’t hesitate to reach out.

The post How to Support Flood Recovery Efforts in Texas appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

Committee members bring their lived experience and first-hand knowledge to the discussion, ensuring funding reaches organizations and initiatives that might otherwise be overlooked. This is a unique opportunity to help direct money to causes that directly impact your community while building relationships and growing your leadership skills.

Now accepting applications for the following committees:

• African American Unity Fund
• Futuro Latino Fund
• LGBTQIA2S+ Equality Fund
• Refugee Community Grant Fund
• Omaha Neighborhood Grants

Applications are open March 1 – April 1, 2025.

APPLY

What do committee members do?

Committee members review grant proposals and decide which organizations to fund based on the needs they see in their own communities. Each committee is made up of residents who identify with the population being served, ensuring that funding decisions are made by the people most connected to the issues at hand.

Committee Member Expectations

1. Commit to a two-year term
2. Attend five mandatory meetings and participate in at least two leadership activities
3. Promote grant opportunities and events within their networks
4. Participate in discussions and review grant applications
5. Maintain confidentiality to ensure committee discussions are a safe space for candid feedback

Who can apply?

Applicants must identify as a member of the community served by the committee. In return for their time, talent, and lived experience, committee members receive a $500 stipend.

Want to learn more? Check out our FAQ page.

The post Decide where funds go: Committee members needed for resident-led grantmaking appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

We developed these monthly sessions in response to community feedback. We will provide insights into how OCF works with nonprofits while connecting you with broader resources to fill operational gaps.

Session 1: Community Foundation Essentials 

Gain insights into OCF resources, functions, and collaborative opportunities to enhance your nonprofit’s impact.

Noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, February 11
Security National Bank, 1120 S 101st St.

Speakers: Dasia Horne, OCF Senior Program Manager, and Nathan Morgan, OCF Donor Services Advisor

Register

Session 2: Financial Strategy

Learn strategies for financial stability through endowments, emergency funds, and strategic banking relationships.

Noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, March 11
Security National Bank, 1120 S 101st St.

Speaker: Nathan Morgan, OCF Donor Services Advisor

Register

Virtual Session 2: Financial Strategy

Learn strategies for financial stability through endowments, emergency funds, and strategic banking relationships.

Noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, March 12
Online – Zoom

Speaker: Nathan Morgan, OCF Donor Services Advisor

Register

Session 3: Fiscal Sponsorship Fundamentals

Learn how fiscal sponsorship can expand your impact, provide financial oversight, and connect you with valuable community resources.

Noon – 1 p.m. Thursday, April 10

Goodwill Training Center 3505 L St., Omaha, NE

Speaker: Deb Bunting,an experienced arts consultant specializing in community engagement. She has worked extensively with the Nebraska Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and various grant programs, bringing a wealth of knowledge in nonprofit development and funding strategies.

Register

Upcoming Sessions

We will continue to announce dates and locations of future events. Some sessions will be in-person while others will be online.

• April: Fiscal Sponsorship Fundamentals
• May: Winning Grants
• June: Navigating Funder Relationships to Sustain Support
• July: Developing a Strategic Plan for Growth
• August: Building Non-Discrimination Statements
• September: Mastering Nonprofit Finances
• October: Diversifying Nonprofit Revenue
• November: Understanding Participatory Grantmaking
• December: Nonprofit Lifecycle Insights

The Nonprofit Success Series offers a chance to connect with experts and peers, gain practical tools, and learn from community leaders. We look forward to seeing you!

Questions? Contact Nathan Morgan at Nathan@omahafoundation.org or Dasia Horne at Dasia@omahafoundation.org.

The post Introducing the 2025 Nonprofit Success Series appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

Since April, the Nebraska Tornado Recovery Fund has supported the St. Vincent de Paul Society Omaha, the Rapid Response Team, American Red Cross/Heartland Chapter, Heartland Hope Mission, and Christian Outreach Program-Elkhorn, Inc. 

Coordinated Response 

As the relief efforts transitioned from immediate assistance to long-term recovery, the Omaha Community Foundation established the Tri-County Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) and hired a Disaster Recovery Coordinator to bring together partners and organize the ongoing response. This coalition of nonprofits, government agencies, volunteer organizations, and philanthropic partners is leading the charge in rebuilding communities and addressing the long-term impacts of the tornado. The group is not only focused on recovery but also on building infrastructure for disaster response, ensuring the region is better prepared for future emergencies. 

“We’ve seen incredible collaboration among more than 30 partner agencies,” said Sarah Sjolie, who leads the LTRG as the Disaster Recovery Coordinator. “This includes social services organizations, faith communities, local emergency management associations, and even construction management partners like Cargill and Blair Freeman. We’ve made substantial progress in a short amount of time, and it’s truly a collective effort.” 

Grants and Impact 

So far, the LTRG has provided funding to several key agencies, including Heartland Hope Mission, COPE Elkhorn, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. These grants have been instrumental in maintaining disaster case management services, ensuring that every household affected by the tornado is connected to resources for recovery. Disaster case managers play a vital role in guiding families through the complex recovery process, including FEMA claims, emergency resources, and helping to  secure additional funding for unmet needs. 

The LTRG also formed an Unmet Needs Committee, which finds support for people who have exhausted all other avenues of assistance. For example, the committee was able to find resources to replace a small business owner’s tools, which were lost when he was working on a job in the path of the tornado. 

“These kinds of critical, tangible support efforts are made possible by the dedication of the Tri-County LTRG and the generosity of our donors,” Sjolie said. 

Working with residents, contractors, FEMA and more 

Out of the 900 homes impacted by the tornadoes, 383 cases remain open, and the Tri-County LTRG is diligently working with local communities to address both immediate and long-term needs. Affected residents who have yet to work with a case manager can call 2-1-1 and ask for “disaster case management services.” The 211 service will direct those individuals to one of the LTRG’s partner agencies working on the ground with impacted households. 

The rebuilding process can be complex. As a result of feedback from tornado survivors, a unique and valuable new partnership has formed between the Tri-County LTRG and Blair Freeman, a community-based development company. Blair Freeman will serve as an advocate for homeowners navigating the FEMA and rebuilding process, particularly those who are elderly, new to the community, or non-native English speakers. This “owner’s representative” service will help homeowners get the support they need in dealing with contractors, suppliers, and insurers.  

“This partnership ensures that even our most vulnerable community members are supported in rebuilding their homes and lives,” Sjolie said. 

Over the coming months, the LTRG will intensify its efforts to reach all affected households and continue working on community resilience projects. “Recovery takes time, but we’re here for the long haul,” Sjolie emphasized. “We want to ensure that every person impacted by the tornado has access to the resources they need to recover fully.” 

Get involved 

The Omaha Community Foundation and Habitat for Humanity of Omaha are calling on volunteers to assist with vital post-tornado clean-up efforts in Washington County on Saturday, November 9. The event will bring together volunteers to support several homeowners whose properties were affected by devastating tornadoes that swept across the area on Arbor Day.

Sign up here

• Starting Location: Howard/Sievers Room at Memorial Community Hospital and Health System, 810 N. 22nd St., Blair, NE 68008 

• Schedule:  

• 7:45 – 8:00 AM: Volunteer Registration & Breakfast  

• 9 a.m. -noon: Clean-up efforts 

• 12:00 – 1:00 PM: Lunch & Wrap-Up 

Looking ahead, the Nebraska Tornado Recovery Fund will continue to support long-term efforts. You can donate to the Nebraska Tornado Recovery Fund. We use the fund to partner with nonprofits to help individuals, families, and businesses across Nebraska with long-term needs.  

The post Six Months After Tornadoes, Recovery Efforts Continue in Nebraska  appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

As background, in November 2023, the Internal Revenue Service issued proposed regulations that would change the way Donor Advised Funds are defined and how they operate. Several groups representing the legal, accounting, and fundraising community provided feedback on how the proposed changes would negatively affect charitable giving. Community foundations across the county, including the Omaha Community, shared their concerns as well. You can read our written comments submitted to the IRS prior to the May 6, 2024 public hearings. We were pleased to receive support from a bipartisan group of 33 members of the House Ways and Means Committee, who sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The letter lays out their concerns that “these regulations could have the unintended consequence of impeding charitable giving in our communities, particularly at our local community foundations.”

We will continue to monitor the proposed regulations and any revisions and keep you informed about how any changes might affect your clients’ charitable giving plans.

While the regulations focused on Donor Advised Funds, that is just one type of charitable giving fund offered at the Omaha Community Foundation. We can help your clients with a number of giving tools, including:

• Charitable Checkbook – A Charitable Checkbook Fund allows an easy entry point with an initial contribution of $1,000 or more. The Fund offers you all the Foundation’s services, knowledge, and resources to help make your giving more impactful, with no annual fees or charges.
• Donor Advised Fund – A Donor Advised Fund allows donors—and their successors—to engage in philanthropy, while pursuing larger, longer term philanthropic goals. The Fund offers you all the Foundation’s services, knowledge, and resources to help make your giving more impactful, with a $25,000 investment.
• Field of Interest funds – With a Field of Interest Fund, you can create a lasting legacy by giving in your name, in honor of a loved one, or anonymously with an initial investment of $100,000. OCF can manage the annual selection of grant recipients (nonprofit organizations) using our staff, board, and/or local community experts who are knowledgeable about your cause or issue.
• Designated funds – This allows your client to support a charitable cause or organization they love. Unrestricted funds help your clients support future needs in the community that can’t be predicted and can only be addressed through the community foundation’s perpetual structure and mission to serve the community as a whole.

A major advantage of field-of-interest funds, designated funds, and unrestricted funds is that they are eligible recipients of the popular and tax-savvy planning tool called the Qualified Charitable Distribution, or “QCD,” available to your clients who have reached age 70 ½.

We look forward to helping you serve your charitable clients regardless of where the proposed regulations ultimately land. And we’ll keep you posted!

The post Need-to-know updates on the proposed Donor Advised Fund regulations appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

These grants aim to improve each county’s quality of life by supporting needs and opportunities in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, and historic preservation.

This grant cycle was made possible through the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license.

Read the full report here.

Below are the 2024 grant awardees:

Audubon County

The Audubon County Community Foundation awarded $143,342 to Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Pat Kaiser, Gina Benton, Megan Wagner, Dr. Bob Blomme, Travis Nelson, Donna Olson, and Doug Carter.  

Cass County

The Cass County Community Foundation awarded $145,696.77 to Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are Kristi Burg, Gaylord Schelling, Sue Hunt, Sandy Bierbaum, Justin D. Hockenberry, and Mike Tibken. 

Crawford County

The Crawford County Community Foundation awarded $141,535 to Crawford County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Crawford County Community Foundation are Kelly Sonnichsen, Maura Sailer, Steve Vollstedt, Steve Brownmiller, Deb Garrett, Jace Hawley, Paul Outhouse, Deb Quandt, and Sarah Weinbrandt. 

Fremont County

The Fremont County Community Foundation awarded $97,773 to Fremont County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Fremont County Community Foundation are Darynn Ruiz, Teri Emberton, Staci Shearer, Teresa Hardy, Tim Inman, and Mai Le. 

Harrison County

The Harrison County Community Foundation awarded $143,314 to Harrison County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Harrison County Community Foundation are Barb Oliver, Lori Thomsen, Kerry Stueve, Gordon Fliehe, Todd Noah, Noel Sherer, and Ashley West. 

Mills County

The Mills County Community Foundation awarded $143,313 to Mills County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Mills County Community Foundation are Jennifer Gee, Kate McGann, Keith Johnson, Mary Bolton, Jim Schoening, and Brent VonEssen. 

Montgomery County

The Montgomery County Community Foundation awarded $143,337 to Montgomery County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Montgomery County Community Foundation are Kevin Britten, Kim Robinson, Brian LeRette, Marty Barnett, Dennis D. Bloom, Tammie Bodwell, Christine Johnson, Jenna Ramsey, and John Tischer. 

Page County

The Page County Community Foundation awarded $143,333.59 to Page County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:  

Advisory board members of the Page County Community Foundation are Mark Walter, Brian Steinkuehler, Pam Herzberg, Marlene Bashaw, Scott Brown, and Zeb Burkheiser. 

Shelby County

The Shelby County Community Foundation awarded $141,531 to Shelby County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2024 Grant Cycle.  

The following organizations are Spring 2024 Grant Recipients:   

Advisory board members of the Shelby County Community Foundation are Brock Darling, Michael Riley, Max Powers, Jodee Dixon, Leona Konz, and Jill Mages. 

Read the full report here.

_______

For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Sunni Kamp (sunni@omahafoundation.org) or Sydney Calcagno (sydney@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458.  

The post More than a million dollars granted to Southwest Iowa community projects appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

For Juanita, her parents greatly influenced her approach to charitable giving and helped her develop her philanthropic focus areas.

Developing philanthropic goals through family history

When Juanita’s mother, Marjorie, was a young girl in Birch Tree, Missouri, her Grandma Cherry would visit and help when a new child was born into the family. During those visits, Grandma Cherry used the same spoon to feed both herself and her grandchildren. Unfortunately, Grandma Cherry had tuberculosis, more commonly known as “consumption” at the time, and this simple act of sharing a spoon passed along the disease to Marjorie and her siblings.

Luckily, Marjorie recovered at the TB Sanitorium in Norton, Kansas and lived a healthy life, but her experience with tuberculosis left a lasting impression. She recorded the story of her family’s battle with tuberculosis, which was compiled into a memoir and educational book called “Grandma Cherry’s Spoon.”

Her experience with tuberculosis and living a life shadowed by the disease made both Majorie and Juanita’s father, John, passionate about supporting local health programs and health education. They were strong supporters of the Audubon County Memorial Hospital Foundation.  Four years after her father’s death and when Marjorie was in her final days, Juanita promised that she would carry on her parents’ work in those areas.

Juanita’s father also influenced the charitable causes she supports. He was truly a steward of the land, and he passed his deep love of nature on to Juanita.  He was proud to be the second registered Tree Farmer in the State of Iowa and could boast he had the largest Buckeye tree in the state.

As a child, Juanita spent a lot of her time in nature. Her parents owned land and a cabin in Guthrie County, and Juanita has many fond memories of her time on this property — playing in the mud, hunting for bugs, and watching her dad make modeling clay from the red clay soil. Juanita’s parents donated these 55 acres known as Sutcliffe Woodland to the Guthrie County Conservation Board to be used for environmental education and as a wildlife refuge.  When her father first saw the sign that the Guthrie County Conservation put up, he said that was better than any tombstone he could wish for.  With their love of the land, Juanita spread both of her parents’ ashes among the pine trees on the hill as requested by her parents.  The family planted 2000 pines on that hill in the 1950’s and their survival were the pride of her parents.

Memorializing a family legacy through charitable giving

After her parents passed away, Juanita wanted to set up a charitable fund to memorialize their work in the community. While she was exploring different options, she discovered the complexities of setting up her own 501(c)(3) charitable organization. A local attorney suggested she explore setting up a fund through the Audubon County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation.

After connecting with the Community Foundation, Juanita realized that setting up a fund with them was an easy and effective method of giving to honor her parents and would allow her to quickly begin granting funds out into the community.

“The ease of the process is the best part of working with the Community Foundation,” Juanita said.

Through her fund, she supports organizations that focus on health education and environmental conservation. She has developed relationships with several organizations over the years and has set up a succession plan to ensure these organizations will receive continued funding upon her passing.

When asked what legacy she hopes to leave behind, Juanita said: “In the end, my goal is to make things better for others.”

“You don’t have to do something big to make a change,” Juanita said. “You can start with the simplest gesture of kindness and goodwill.”

Opening a Donor Advised Fund

Partnering with the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa on a Donor Advised Fund will help you to maximize your community impact. Your contributions accrue interest, which will allow you to provide additional support to causes important to you.

“You don’t need millions of dollars to make an impact,” Juanita said.

The Community Foundation simplifies the charitable giving process by handling your paperwork and serving as a personal giving resource. There are a variety of fund options for individuals and families who want to start making an impact in their community today.

In addition to the Audubon County Community Foundation, the Omaha Community Foundation supports affiliates in Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page and Shelby counties. We also support fundholders across Southwest Iowa who want to make an impact in their own communities.

Contact the Community Foundation’s Southwest Iowa team today to discuss your philanthropic goals at (402) 342-3458 or visit swiowafoundations.org.

The post Reynard honors her parents’ legacy by supporting conservation and health education  appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

Over 100 students in third through twelfth grade across the region are heading to the lakes for peak fishing season with the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team. This local nonprofit’s mission is to promote, advance, and sponsor amateur fishing for youth across Southwest Iowa. The primary initiatives of the group are to instill the ideals of sportsmanship, diversity, equity, and inclusion through special educational workshops, mentoring, and community outreach. Student anglers can participate through online fishing, as well as kayak and boat tournaments.

After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, during the peak time of social distancing, fishing became an important escape for many families.  In 2020, Southwest Iowa Fishing Team Founder Bob Harris also saw fishing as an opportunity for his grandchildren and their friends.

“All activities were being cancelled, and my grand kids loved to fish at our little farm pond,” Harris said. “I decided I needed to tap into their passion for fishing, so I found an online fishing tournament for my two grandsons to participate in. Before that, I hadn’t realized there were so many opportunities for competitive fishing. That first tournament got us hooked.”

In September of 2020, Harris proposed the idea of a fishing team to a small group of students. There was an enthusiastic response, and the fishing team had their first tournament at Hacklebarney Lake, near Villisca, Iowa. Sixteen students participated. The entire team caught a total of five fish. The biggest fish weighed one pound.

Today, the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team consists of over 100 student anglers from a dozen different schools. In the past year, the team caught a combined total of 663 pounds of fish in boat tournaments, 13,137 inches in virtual and kayak series, and 2,208 fish overall.

Sixty percent of students who participate on fishing teams are not involved with traditional high school sports. This extracurricular activity provides students with an opportunity to participate in a sport outside of school, with the potential to earn scholarships to advance their education.

“Fishing is fun, but we also had to teach these students how to help the fisheries,” Harris said. “We needed to teach them what good conservation looks like, and how to take care of these bodies of water. I am very proud of the fact that we have worked closely with the Iowa DNR to educate our students and give back to the communities where we fish.”

The rise in popularity of fishing after 2020 resulted in a strain on the aquatic life in lakes across Southwest Iowa. The Southwest Iowa Fishing Team turned to grant funding to restore and replenish the deteriorating habitats in these lakes. Like all animals, fish need a healthy living habitat to survive, grow, and reproduce.

The Southwest Iowa Fishing Team received a total of $27,050 in grants throughout 2021 from six out of nine counties that make up the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa, including Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Montgomery, and Shelby. These grants were provided to support the purchase and placement of artificial fish habitats into lakes across the region.

Students were involved in every phase of the conservation efforts, including designing the fish habitats, building the structures, and placing them in bodies of water. After a structure is placed into a lake, the fish habitat provides a space for fish to nest, feed, and seek shelter. After eighteen months, the structure becomes a complete living habitat. The quality and quantity of fish habitats in a body of water directly affects fish populations. Since 2021, over 350 fish habitats have been placed in lakes across Southwest Iowa.

Moving forward, the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team is hoping to expand into more metro and rural areas across the region. Currently, the organization is fully led by volunteers, and operates on generous corporate sponsorships and donations. If you or someone you know is interested in supporting the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team, the group is currently looking for volunteers to help develop a new website or coordinate social media content. Other volunteers are also always welcome. You can contact the organization at swifishingteam@gmail.com.

The post Amateur fishing takes off across Southwest Iowa appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

Enter the Qualified Charitable Distribution 

Your clients can give nearly any type of asset to a Donor Advised Fund at the Omaha Community Foundation. A notable exception, though, is the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). A QCD allows a taxpayer 70½ or older to make a direct transfer of up to $100,000 annually from an IRA to a qualifying charity. A Donor Advised Fund is not a qualifying charity.   

Although Donor Advised Funds cannot accept QCDs, the Omaha Community Foundation offers other types of funds that can accept QCDs. For example, designated funds and field of interest funds held at the Omaha Community Foundation are ideal recipients of QCD transfers. These fund types are often overlooked, despite the high value they can deliver to your client and to the community.  

What is a Field of Interest Fund? 

The Council on Foundations defines a field of interest fund as “a fund held by a community foundation that is used for a specific charitable purpose such as education or health research.” Perhaps your client is passionate about rare-disease solutions, feeding the food insecure or preserving works of art, for example. Your client selects the name of the fund (family, cause-related or anything meaningful to them) and then, the knowledgeable team at the Omaha Community Foundation distributes grants from the field of interest fund in a way that is aligned with your client’s values and charitable wishes outlined in the fund documentation. 

What is a Designated Fund? 

Designated funds are defined as “a type of restricted fund in which the fund beneficiaries are specified by the grantors.” These are an excellent choice for a client who knows they want to support a particular nonprofit for multiple years. The client names the fund and the Omaha Community Foundation fulfills the pre-designated distributions. Made over time, these funds can help the nonprofit with cash flow planning. Distributions are aligned with your client’s wishes set forth in the original fund document.  

QCD reminders 

For the client aged 70½ through 72, a QCD removes funds from an IRA before the client reaches the age of73, which is the threshold for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). This can lessen the eventual income tax hit that accompanies RMDs. And for RMD-applicable clients, the QCD counts toward their RMD. In both cases, the QCD transfers do not fall into the client’s taxable income. 

QCDs are even more popular now that the $100,000 cap will be indexed for inflation based on rules established by new laws. Also, the new regulations also permit a a one-time $50,000 distribution to a charitable remainder trust or charitable gift annuity. 

The post Hidden no more: Designated Funds and Field of Interest Funds appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.

We are actively looking for new members to join committees for our five Community Interest Funds. Applicants must belong to or identify with the community served by the committee.

• African American Unity Fund
• Equality Fund for LGBTQIA2S+
• Futuro Latino Fund
• Omaha Neighborhood Grants Program
• Refugee Community Grant Fund

Applications are open March 2 – April 2, 2023. 

APPLY NOW

Community Interest Funds are resident-led grantmaking programs that leverage the power, understanding, and lived experiences of community members by asking them to lead grant processes. That includes reviewing proposals and deciding which organizations to fund based on the needs of their communities.

→  Read more about the 2022 grant recipients.

What do committee members do?

Committee members must be able to commit to a two-year term. During that time, you will regularly attend scheduled meetings and events, participate in meeting discussions, and review grant proposals to make funding decisions.

Additionally, committee members are expected to:

1. Commit to five mandatory meetings and at least two leadership activities
2. Commit to representing the Omaha Community Foundation and its programs
3. Ensure confidentiality, as committee discussions are a safe space for candid feedback
4. Promote program grant cycles and events on social media and within their networks

To learn more, check out our FAQ page.

The post Join a resident-led grantmaking committee appeared first on Omaha Community Foundation.