Check out our 2025 Q3 Newsletter

As the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to think about how your generosity can make the greatest impact — both for the causes you love and your own financial goals. At Foothills Community Foundation, we’re here to help you make those decisions with confidence.

Make the Most of Your Year-End Giving

Did you know that donating appreciated stocks or assets can often be more powerful than giving cash? When you donate publicly traded stock you’ve held for more than a year, you can generally:

  • Claim a charitable tax deduction for the stock’s fair market value

  • Avoid capital gains taxes you’d owe if you sold the stock first

That means you can make a larger gift — and reduce your tax burden at the same time.

If you’re considering year-end stock gifts, using a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) offers flexibility and simplicity. You can transfer securities now, receive an immediate tax deduction, and recommend grants to multiple charities over time. This approach is especially helpful for donors who want to “bundle” several years of giving into one deduction or who are still deciding which nonprofits to support.

Estate Planning That Reflects Your Values

Your Donor-Advised Fund can also be part of your estate plan. Naming your DAF as a beneficiary in your will, trust, or retirement account:

  • Creates a charitable legacy that continues after your lifetime

  • Allows funds to bypass probate, simplifying settlement for your heirs

  • Lets successors continue your philanthropic wishes

Let your legacy and generosity continue to serve others for years to come.

Quick Year-End Checklist

  1. Talk with your financial or tax advisor.

  2. If donating appreciated stock, start transfers early — ideally before mid-December.

  3. Consider gift bundling into your DAF if you want a deduction now but plan to make grants later.

  4. Let us know if you’d like to include your DAF in your estate plans.

Foothills Community Foundation is here to help. Contact us for stock transfer instructions, sample beneficiary language, or a conversation about whether a DAF fits into your giving and estate plans.

📞 864.222.9096
🌐 FoothillsCommunityFoundation.org

Save the Date!

Open House – Tuesday, October 28 | 4:30–6:30 PM
📍 100 AnMed Foundation Drive, across from the YMCA

Come see our new home and learn more about the work we’re doing together to strengthen our community.

Category: News