Advisor FAQs

Philanthropy is a very special decision. As a professional advisor, you can help clients realize their charitable objectives by listening for charitable giving opportunities, explaining options and suggesting solutions. Significant giving opportunities often arise when clients are making major business, personal, and financial decisions. Our staff can work with you and your client to recommend giving strategies.

Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. offers the maximum charitable tax advantages available by law. Because we are a public charity, it is not subject to the taxes and regulations affecting private foundations and it has greater flexibility on matters such as minimum payout.

Your client has two great options for supporting a favorite charity: a donor advised fund or a designated fund. A donor advised fund gives individuals, families or businesses the opportunity to participate in grantmaking by recommending their preferred nonprofits and programs as grant recipients. It is a simple, personal and highly effective way to give. A designated fund provides regular, annual funding to one or more nonprofit organizations specified by the donor. In both instances, we handle all of the administration, record keeping and financial statements for the funds.

A donor advised fund with Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. will give your client the opportunity to take part in the grantmaking process without the work and expense of operating a private foundation. Your client can establish a donor advised fund with our foundation with a minimum gift of $10,000. Each year, your client will have the opportunity to recommend grants to community organizations. We perform the due diligence to ensure the recommended grantees are qualified, viable organizations in good standing and then issue the checks from the fund. Grants are then ratified by our grants committee. Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. handles all the paperwork and administration. Donor advised funds are a great way for your client to involve children and grandchildren in family philanthropy.

Your client can recommend a grant to any organization that is qualified as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which includes most faith-based programs. Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. will ensure that groups recommended for a grant meet this requirement. In complying with federal tax laws and for the protection of your client, Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. cannot approve grant recommendations that would benefit an individual, fulfill a personal obligation or support a political campaign or a private foundation.

The minimum amount to open an endowment is $10,000 and $15,000 for a scholarship. A non-endowed donor advised fund may be established with no minimum but a goal to reach $10,000 within 4 years.

In general, Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc., Inc administrative fees do not exceed 1 percent of the fund’s average balance. Scholarship endowments are subject to a 2 percent annual fee.

Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. has the ability to accept a range of assets including:

• Cash (or checks) – often the simplest and most convenient form of gift
• Publicly traded securities (equities, bonds, mutual funds)
• Closely held stock*
• Real estate*
• Tangible personal property*

*These require prior approval and may have other conditions of acceptance.

In addition, donors may also utilize other charitable giving options to start or grow a fund, including:

• Gifts by will or testamentary transfers
• Charitable remainder trusts
• Charitable lead trusts
• Retirement plan assets
• Life insurance

Private foundation transfers

Yes. If the donor does not name a successor, or after the successor’s passing, Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. will continue to award the funds in accordance with your client’s wishes as articulated in the fund agreement.

All Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. fundholders can choose from a menu of services without any extra charge. These include: investment management, grantmaking, planned giving, marketing and overall fund administration. In the event a donor requests services beyond the routine, Marshfield Area Community Foundation reserves the right to assess additional reasonable administrative fees.

Yes. Our role is to help donors create funds that carry out their charitable goals, whether in Wisconsin or elsewhere. Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. donors have the ability to recommend grants to organizations across the country.

Contact Stacey Schultz, Marshfield Area Community Foundation, Inc. Executive Director, at Stacey@marshfieldareacommunityfoundation.org or (715) 384-9029.