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New Office
Hours:
7:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through
Friday
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3/3/2008
Foundation offers incentive for more mealtime together
LIGONIER - Parents of young children who have been meaning to share
mealtime more often as a family have a golden opportunity to do so.
In “Operation Mealtime,” a project supported by the Noble County
Community and Dekko foundations, roughly eight Noble County families
with young children that do not regularly gather around the dinner
table now are being sought to do so over a two-week period.
First, on Thursday, May 8 selected participants will partake in a free
introductory meal at the community foundation building in Ligonier,
with a presentation about fun, easy, everyday “teachable moments”
parents can emphasize during mealtimes along with healthy eating.
The preparation and presentation will be by Laurie Beck of Laurie’s
Lunches & Catering and Diane Shoppell, Teachable Moment mentor for the
Dekko Foundation’s Before5 Initiative.
Next, the families will each share mealtime at home at least five
nights per week over the next two weeks, spending at least one hour at
the table eating, bonding and engaging in conversation about events,
accomplishments, problems, plans, challenges and so on.
The cost of 10 meals per family will be covered by the project, and
they will ideally be relatively simple with children helping in the
preparation and/or clean up. Some of the time around the table could
also be put toward playing games and other activities.
Finally, on Thursday, May 29 the families will return to the community
foundation building for a potluck meal of favorite items they made
during the preceding two weeks, and they will fill out surveys on ways
the additional time together affected their relationships.
Interested families need only write a paragraph or two describing why
they would like to participate and submit it by March 17 with contact
information, the number of people in the family and their ages to
davenccf@ligtel.com or to Noble County Community Foundation, 1599
Lincolnway South, Ligonier, IN 46767.
National studies have shown for years that shared mealtime between
parents and children contributes greatly to the well-being of the
children.
For example, the children are more likely to earn good grades and
confide in their parents and less likely to smoke, drink alcohol or
use drugs. In turn children who have a strong relationship with their
parents are significantly less likely to suffer emotional problems,
attempt suicide or commit violence.
Also, studies have shown kids who frequently eat dinner with their
families have better nutrition than children who eat alone, with the
odds of children being overweight 15 percent lower among those who eat
dinner with their family on most days or every day compared with those
who eat with their family never or on some days.
“There is something specifically nurturing and important about
breaking bread together that seems to protect and promote the
well-being of our kids,” says one researcher, sociologist Dr. Michael
Resnick of the University of Minnesota.
Despite the benefits, a nationwide survey of parents of
children ages 7-12 found that from 1976 to 2000 the percentage of
respondents who frequently had the main meal together on weekdays
decreased from 72 percent to 58 percent, noting that work, school
activities, sporting events, learning opportunities, volunteer
efforts, etc. were pulling parents and children in many directions.
__________________________________________
How To Write A Grant Workshop
From time to time the foundation offers
free "How to Write A Grant"
workshops.
You must register for the workshop by contacting Jennifer Myers
at 260-894-3335 or email her at
grants@ligtel.com
(This workshop does not cover
scholarships for post high school education - money for college.) This workshop
does present useful
information when submitting grants to other organizations. The
foundation considers only not-for-profit projects. If you cannot attend the workshop or would like more
information, contact Jennifer Myers at 260-894-3335 or by email her at
grants@ligtel.com
_____________________________________________________
Senior Citizen
Prom!
Once again members of P.U.L.S.E. of Noble County will be hosting
a Senior Citizen Prom (all free). Live band/Door prizes.
When: March 8, 2008
Time: Doors open at 4:30 - dinner starts at 5 PM
Dance ends at 9 PM
Where: Kendallville Event Center
615 Professional Way, Kendallville IN 46755
Theme: Black and White Affair
(Please dress accordingly if possible)
RSVP to 1-260-894-3335 by Feb 8 (first come first serve)
______________________________________________________
Confirmed in compliance with National Standards
for U.S. Community Foundations.
Council
on Foundations Recognizes NCCF for Compliance with National
Accountability Standards
The Noble County Community
Foundation is being recognized for having organizational practices
that are in accordance with the National Standards for U.S. Community
Foundations. The Council on Foundations and leaders of the community
foundation field created the National Standards in 2000 to aid
community foundations in establishing legal, ethical and effective
operational practices that would show the foundations’ transparency
and financial responsibility. In addition, National Standards were
developed to distinguish community foundations from other
philanthropic vehicles, build the capacity of community foundations to
carry out their missions, and assist the field with self-regulation in
a manner viewed positively by the Internal Revenue Service. The
National Standards seal, pictured above, was developed for community
foundations to signify that they have been confirmed in compliance
with the National Standards. Professional advisors and prospective
donors will recognize the seal as an indication of the integrity and
demonstrated excellence of the compliant foundation.
“Adhering to high standards is the best way we can demonstrate ongoing
commitment to maintaining the trust of donors and the entire
community”, said Dave Knopp, Executive Director of the NCCF. “We are
committed to reaffirming the honesty and integrity of the foundation.”
__________________________________________________________
June 2007
Match Opportunities!
The Noble County Community
Foundation is pleased to announce the following match opportunities.
1. Literacy Match
The Noble County Community Foundation and the Dekko Foundation are
teaming up to offer $40,000 each in a matching gift opportunity
through the end of 2008.
Between now and then every dollar donated to the LEAP of Noble County
Endowment Fund will result in two additional dollars supporting
literacy in Noble County, one from the Dekko Foundation that will go
into a new Literacy Field of Interest Fund and one from the community
foundation that will go into LEAP's endowment. The field of interest
fund will be held at the community foundation and used to make grants
for a variety of literacy project ideas submitted by the public.
Deadline for match: 12-31-2008
Maximum amount for match: Up to a total of $40,000 will be
matched. $2 for every $1 donated.
Fund: LEAP Endowment Fund (every donation of a dollar to the
LEAP Endowment Fund will generate and additional $1 for it and $1to
the Literacy Field of Interest Fund)
2. Field of Interest Match
Contributions to the Field of Interest Funds (Arts and Culture,
Celebrate Diversity, Children's Health, Civic Affairs, Education and
Literacy) are part of a Noble County Community Foundation $1 for $1
match of donations from now until December 31, 2008. A maximum of
$5,000 per donation will be matched.
Deadline for match: 12-31-2008
Maximum amount for match: Up to $5,000 per donation matched. $1
for every $1 donated up to a total of $28,000
Funds: Arts and Culture, Celebrate Diversity, Children's
Health, Civic Affairs and Education Field of Interest Funds
3. P.U.L.S.E. Endowment Match
Fore every dollar contributed through May 31, 2008, a dollar match
will come from a coalition of a dozen endowments and foundations,
including Lilly Endowment and Moore Foundation up to $4,000.
Deadline for match: 5-31-2008
Maximum amount for match: up to $4,000
Fund: P.U.L.S.E. Endowment Fund
Contributions can be made payable to the Noble County Community
Foundation and mailed to 1599 Lincolnway South, Ligonier, IN 46767.
Include a note in the memo section of the fund you are donating to.
___________________________________________________
Consider
joining the
Noble Legacy Society
The Noble Legacy Society recognizes those
donors who have invested in the future of our community by naming the
foundation as a beneficiary of their estate plans through a bequest
under a will or trust, an annuity, life insurance, IRAs or retirement
funds or just through a letter on intent. These funds benefited by
estate plans can support any charitable cause or organization and can
work to benefit Noble County FOREVER. To qualify to be a member, a
planned gift through the community foundation can be made for as
little as $1,000. It’s not asked how much is being left to the
community foundation but donors are encouraged to discuss their
planned gifts to make sure their wishes are complied with.
The Noble County Community Foundation, Inc. has
made it easy to leave a planned gift. Simply contact the community
foundation and ask for information on the Noble Legacy Society
including the Confidential Gift Planning form or contact Dave Knopp,
Executive Director or Linda Speakman-Yerick by calling 260-894-3335.
Current members are Brian and Doris Baker, Patricia A. Davis, Janell
F. Martin and Children, Anne M. Rowland, Catherine A. Seymoure, Dr.
Robert and Lura Stone, George and Dorothy Witwer and Linda
Speakman-Yerick.
Sharing their legacy story - Brian and Doris Baker
 Brian
and Doris Baker of Kendallville were among the first to become Noble
Legacy Society members. Doris grew up in New Haven, Indiana and Brian
has always lived in Kendallville, Indiana. Their most memorable
achievements thus far include, for Doris, raising a daughter,
graduating from college and teaching for 30 years at East Noble and,
for Brian, it is raising two daughters and helping make Orchard Place
and Orchard Park important residential and commercial developments in
Kendallville. They both enjoy living in a small rural community that
is blessed with very good school systems, libraries, parks, and most
of all caring, down-to-earth people. When asked “Why was it important
for you to plan your gift and/or what are your hopes for the community
by making this gift?”, Brian said “Doris received a scholarship that
enabled her to attend college and follow her dreams. Although the
details of our planned gift are not finalized, it is our hope that
this gift enables other young people to follow their dreams and quite
possibly return to Noble County to share their talents.”
Brian and Doris also shared “while growing up in our
own communities we were continually impressed with the number of
people who would step forward and give their time and resources to
help solve the challenges of any particular moment in time. By making
this planned gift we both feel honored to be able to contribute to our
community in a different way than we have been able to in the past.
Hopefully, we will be part of some solutions to problems that might
not yet exist.”
Brian and Doris remind us of the Gift of Giving. The only way you
can truly get more out of life for yourself is to give a part of
yourself away. Brian and Doris continue to be very active in our
county, and serve as mentors to many. Brian has served as a board
member and officer for the community foundation. Although they are
still planning the structure of their gift, they have chosen the
community foundation to assist them with this major step in their
life.
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Dial
2-1-1.
A new phone number to assist with such things as food, counseling
employment, etc. is now available in Noble County.
Dial 2-1-1 for help with:
Food
Counseling
Employment
Health Care
Support Groups
Housing
Shelter
Legal Aid
Clothing
Education
____________________________________________
Press Release 8/16/2005
“Smart Giving” August 2005: Family Philanthropy
Giving On Purpose
Requests for support come often—and in many
forms. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the countless tugs from so
many different people and causes for our time and money. Each of us
has only 24 hours in a day, and none of us has enough money to meet
all of the needs in our community, our country or throughout the
world.
In so many other areas, we live our lives
with purpose. We prepare for our families. We plan for education,
housing, careers, and household and retirement finances, but we rarely
plan for our giving. Often times, we simply roll up our sleeves, serve
on a board, or write a check when asked. We often feel pulled in so
many directions, and the little here and there that we do never seems
to be enough.
Creating a family giving mission statement
(also called a philanthropic mission statement) is one way to get a
better handle on our time and money and to better live—and give—on
purpose.
A philanthropic mission statement can define
what you and your family want to do with your giving and why.
Effective philanthropic mission
statements
-
Are brief, usually a short paragraph
-
Include what you value
-
Indicate why you have that value
-
Remain somewhat general for growth
-
Suggest how you might support improvement
or change
Take your time, and use this as an
opportunity to work together with your family.
Establishing the mission statement doesn’t
necessarily mean that you will never give to other causes—you may—but
certainly the declaration helps you to truly make a difference in at
least a few focused areas. Even more, you have now involved your
family in articulating some of the values most important to you that
can be handed down from generation to generation.
The Noble County Community Foundation, Inc.
can help you with your philanthropic goals; contact Dave Knopp,
Executive Director, for more information by calling 260-894-3335 or
email him at
davenccf@ligtel.com
__________________________________________
Grow Your
Fund
If you have an established fund at the community foundation and would
like a brochure explaining your fund to be able to attract more
donations, contact Jennifer Shultz at the community foundation.
Upon request the community foundation will create a brochure
highlighting your fund and how your friends, business contracts and
potential donors can give to your fund.
_____________________________________________
Press Release June 2005
Your Contingency
Notebook
Do you have a "contingency notebook"? Perhaps you do, but you call it
by another name. Maybe it's your "emergency file" or your "crisis
notebook." Or, it may be you've yet to get going on something like
this.
A
contingency notebook is a three-hole binder containing all the
information a loved one or personal representative needs to know
should you become seriously incapacitated or even die. When tragedy
strikes, it's no time to go through drawers, filing cabinets and shoe
boxes looking for pertinent information. Those who bear responsibility
for your affairs need the relevant material immediately.
Your
up-to-date contingency notebook can make all the difference.
After
you've obtained a good-sized notebook and 12 dividers, label the front
cover in big letters, "Contingency Notebook." Then divide it into
several sections, including:
1.
Action List. Specify the immediate and secondary steps one should
follow if something happens to you.
2.
Key Contacts. Identify family members, friends, professional advisors
and others who should be informed of your condition.
3.
Medical Notes. List any medical problems and treatments. Identify
types and locations of medicines. Name your doctors and provide
contact information.
4.
Financial Accounts (savings, checking, brokerage, credit, debit,
etc.). Include account numbers, customer service phone numbers and a
copy of a past statement for each account.
5.
Insurance. Include life, accident, disability, auto and health policy
information. Summarize your coverage and/or include a copy of the
coverage page from each policy. Identify insurance agent(s) and phone
numbers.
6.
Business Interests. Include copies of contracts and outline action to
take.
7.
Asset Inventory. List your major possessions (autos, real estate,
etc.).
8.
Funeral Instructions. Identify your wishes concerning the funeral
service and burial. You might also suggest your favorite charity
for those who wish to make a memorial gift in your honor.
9.
Estate Planning Documents. Include copies of your will, power of
attorney, living will or directive to physicians, trusts and other
items. Also, specify where the original of each document can be found.
10.
Charitable Commitments. Summarize your charitable involvements,
including your ties with the Noble County Community Foundation. This
will help your family know what organizations you supported during
life, and why.
11.
Personal Items. Include biographical information that can be used in
preparing your obituary. Summarize your values and purpose in life.
You might also provide personal notes to each family member expressing
your love and your hopes for them.
12.
Miscellaneous. This section is reserved for anything that doesn't fall
into one of the other categories.
For the
sake of your loved ones, we urge you to get started with your
contingency book right away. Keep working on it until you are
satisfied it is complete. Then show it to your family and tell them
where they can find it. All of this will produce peace of mind for you
. . . and for them.
_______________________________________________________________
Press Release 5/6/05
Collectibles
Count
When most people decide to make a charitable gift to their favorite
charity, they either write a check or call their stockbroker. Few
consider the option of giving "tangible personal property" such as
coins, gems, artwork and other collectibles. Yet these items can very
often make excellent gifts.
Here are four steps to follow
if you have one or more valuables you would like to give the Noble
County Community Foundation as a charitable gift.
1. Contact the
community foundation’s executive director.
Dave Knopp can explain the ins
and outs of giving tangible personal property and assist you through
the entire process. Dave can be reached by calling 260-894-3335
or email at
davenccf@ligtel.com.
2. Obtain a qualified
appraisal of the item(s) you wish to give.
This will be necessary for
claiming an income tax charitable deduction on gifts exceeding $5,000.
3. Ascertain whether
your gift passes the "related use" rule.
This IRS tax rule stipulates
that any tangible personal item given to a qualified charity (like the
Noble County Community Foundation) must be useful to the charity in
carrying out its charitable mission in order for the donor to receive
full tax credit for the gift. If not, the charitable deduction is
limited to the actual cost basis of the item(s).
One more thing about gifts of tangible personal property: If your gift
passes the "related use" test, you can claim the full appraised value,
but only up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income. On the other
hand, if your gift does not pass the "related use" test, you can claim
a deduction only for the cost value of the asset, but up to 50 percent
of your adjusted gross income. In both cases, you have an additional
five years to carry forward and apply any unused income tax charitable
deduction resulting from your gift.
4. Consult your tax
advisor.
While Dave Knopp, Executive
Director, can provide information and assistance in making a gift of
tangible personal property, you will want to obtain exact figures and
professional advice from your tax advisor and perhaps other competent
advisors.
________________________________________
Retirement Accounts: Good asset to donate
Many people have
accepted the belief that they must leave the inheritances in their
retirement plans to family members, despite the fact that this can
cause severe taxation on these assets upon their death. What if you
could eliminate these taxes while donating money to charity and still
leaving your heirs with an inheritance of a much higher value?
Well, you can. More
favorable laws have now made it even easier for you to designate the
community foundation as the sole or partial beneficiary of your
retirement account. Taxation could reduce your retirement account up
to 80 percent if left to family members. This means that family
members might receive only 20 cents on the dollar. Why throw away such
a large majority of your hard earned money?
Noble County Community
Foundation, Inc. is not subjected to such taxation. Naming the
foundation as beneficiary stretches the value of your assets as far as
possible, and 100 percent of your gift will go to charity.
All of this has made
the retirement account one of the most attractive assets for a donor
to give to charity, saving other, less taxed assets for family.
You can also name a
specific charity or charities to benefit directly through the
community foundation. With the designation, you have the option of
directing that monies go to support specific interests, specific
nonprofit organizations, or to the community as a whole through the
works of the foundation. There is great benefit to giving through the
community foundation, especially if you choose to request a specific
interest or nonprofit.
Such a gift may not be
realized for many years. Needs and opportunities change over time. A
specific cause or a particular organization may no longer be needed by
the community at some point; consider the eradication of polio in
America. But, because the community foundation is here forever and
will always have a board of community leaders who understand the
community’s needs and a donor’s original intent, monies won’t be lost.
Funds can be redirected in a manner that most closely matches your
original interest and direction.
In the end, listing
Noble County Community Foundation, Inc. is a win-win situation not
only for charity, but also for you and your family. To obtain more
information on your retirement plan options, please contact Dave Knopp
at 260-894-3335 or email us at
nccf@ligtel.com
_________________________________________
Charitable Giving with Life
Insurance
Never overlook
options you may have to gifting cash. Other assets you may already
have can often be more flexible and effective. Life insurance in
particular offers several options that can allow you to be a
substantial donor for only a few dollars a year.
A donor may transfer ownership
of an existing policy to the community foundation, assigning the
foundation as the policyholder and beneficiary. Doing so only requires
you to give up your ability to change policy details without
consulting the foundation. But as the donor, you could receive a tax
credit on the cash surrender value of the policy at the date of its
transfer, and it is possible for you to take further income tax
deductions for any future premiums payments. The policy would be
removed from your estate for estate tax purposes, and the community
foundation would receive the benefit completely tax free, making for
an incredibly generous gift.
Friends of the community
foundation have used this form of donation to their advantage instead
of canceling those policies they started long ago to protect a growing
family that is now grown.
Donors may also consider
purchasing a new policy to donate to the community foundation. Under
this option, you could make the same substantial gift and receive tax
credit for the annual premiums paid. Again, the community foundation
would receive the gift entirely tax free.
A donor may also elect to
remain the owner of the policy. In certain circumstances, gifts of
life insurance can help offset estate taxes while ensuring a future
gift to your favorite organization. You would not receive credit for
annual premium payments, but you may structure the gift in such a way
as to minimize or completely cancel out a large estate tax bill with
the charitable tax credit.
A gift of life insurance is
not an all or nothing option either. It is extremely easy to assign
the foundation as a partial beneficiary and still accomplish your goal
of support to your community.
Yet
another option is to use life insurance in replacing the worth of
other donated assets. You may have another asset, such as a large IRA,
that is an even better candidate for gifting. For example, if a single
person left a large 401k to his or her children, the asset could be
consumed by as much as seventy percent or more in tax (estate, income
and state inheritance) with little actually going to the children.
If
instead a charitable organization such as the foundation is named as
the beneficiary of the IRA and life insurance is used in an
irrevocable life insurance trust to replace what would have gone to
the children, the children can receive proceeds through the trust
equal to the value of the 401k gifted—tax free.
Regardless of which option you choose, charitable giving with life
insurance can be an affordable way to establish a legacy that will
allow you to make a powerful contribution to society. Even a modest
annual premium gift can create lasting benefits for you, your family
and your community.
The Noble
County Community Foundation can show you how your gift can make a
difference. Contact Dave Knopp, Executive Director at 260-894-3335 or
email nccf@ligtel.com
You must
consult your insurance, tax and other professional advisors for the
best options and tax results for your particular situation.
Did you know that you as a
donor have a choice?
Community members have an idea
that the community foundation invests donations from many community
members, businesses and other organizations to make distributions to
area nonprofits through decisions made by our board of community
leaders. And they are right.
But the foundation also accepts donations
from individuals, businesses and organizations that want to make their
own decisions about where their charitable dollars will go.
“Some donors are surprised to learn that
they have a choice as to where and how their charitable dollars will
be spent,” said Dave Knopp, Executive Director of the Noble County
Community Foundation.
There is a growing trend of those donors who
want to be actively involved in the grantmaking process. What many
don’t know is that a community foundation is for both those donors who
want to give to the community but prefer that future decisions are
made by others and for those who want to make specific recommendations
themselves.
How does it work?
With a gift to the community foundation, you
can establish a donor-advised fund, a donor-designated fund, or a
field-of-interest fund that allows you to make recommendations on
exactly how your charitable dollars will be invested in the areas you
care about most.
· A
donor-advised fund allows you or someone designated by you to
recommend general or specific grants be made out of the fund from year
to year to one charity, multiple charities, or different charities
each time for any charitable purpose such as capital campaigns,
church, scholarships, etc.
· A
donor-designated fund can be set up so that each year particular
grants are made to the same organization(s) predetermined by the
donor.
· A
field-of-interest fund enables the donor to choose an area of interest
such as arts or education for grantmaking but leaves the final
determination of which organization(s) should be funded up to the
community foundation.
A variety of assets can be used to start a
fund. Some assets make more sense to donate than others such as
donating securities, or other appreciated assets, and avoiding any
capital gains tax. You or others can add to the fund at any time. You
make recommendations for the board’s approval and to write checks from
the account. Then, the community foundation ensures that your intent
is followed and takes care of all of the details.
If you want a choice and want to ensure that
your charitable dollars are being invested in such a way as you
intended, setting up a fund with the community foundation is easy and
rewarding. For more information on donor-advised, donor-designated, or
field-of-interest funds, call the community foundation today at
260-894-3335 or email us at
nccf@ligtel.com.
___________________________________________________________
Visit GuideStar, the national database of U.S. charitable
organizations, which gathers and distributes data on more than 850,000
IRS-recognized nonprofits to learn more about the Noble County
Community Foundation, Inc.
www.guidestar.org
____________________________________________________
Noble County Community Foundation, Inc.
1599 Lincolnway South
Ligonier IN 46767
Phone: 260-894-3335
Fax: 260-894-9020
Email: nccf@ligtel.com
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