Clayton County Foundation for the Future Endowment Funds Pay Out $130,000
The Clayton County Foundation for the Future recently authorized $129,800 in agency and donor-advised endowment payouts for fiscal year 2017.
Community foundations are charitable organizations that administer funds to benefit their communities and improve the lives of people in their geographic region. Nonprofit organizations and community members can create endowment funds at CCFF to benefit charitable causes. These funds are invested and pay out 5% annually to the designated nonprofits, providing a reliable source of income to sustain organizations’ operations forever.
Endowment funds help organizations like the Carter House Museum. Located in Elkader, Iowa, the museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the town and all of Clayton County.
“Without the endowment, the museum would have a very tough time being able to even stay open,” said Elkader Historical Society President Betty Buchholz. “The people of Elkader way back in the 1840s were concerned about preserving their history. They were the ones who started the town. It was important to them to have second, third and fourth generations know what they did.”
Donors can also establish endowed donor-advised funds through the Community Foundation like the Dr. John Rathe Endowment, which supported a social media internship position at Clayton Ridge.
“One of the things I’ve known for some time is that we do not have a social media presence for the district, and saw that was an area we could improve upon,” says Mindy Reimer, Clayton Ridge librarian and technology specialist. “We thought it’d be a great opportunity for a student to do that and to enhance some of their leadership skills,” says Mindy.
Several nonprofits have established endowment funds through CCFF. Nonprofit leaders look to the Community Foundation to hold their organizations’ endowments because the reliable source of funding helps them to respond to emerging needs as well as to plan and sustain the good work they do.
Donors who give to endowments through a community foundation also benefit from the Endow Iowa 25% State Tax Credit in addition to federal charitable income tax deductions.
“These funds help sustain the crucial missions of nonprofits in Clayton County so they can continue to enrich lives in Clayton County forever,” said Cheryl Meyer, CCFF Donor Connections Coordinator. “Each fund is unique to a donor’s dreams for the future of Clayton County.”
For more information about the Clayton County Foundation for the Future, visit www.dbqfoundation.org/ccff.
Elkader Historical Society President Betty Buchholz believes in the power of endowments. Endowment dollars help her and other volunteers at the Cart House Museum preserve the history of Elkader and Clayton County. Don't see the video? Click here to watch.