Experience
The Community Foundation has served Southeastern Connecticut since 1983. We are a public nonprofit that receives and manages funds for individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. During our history of partnering with donors and their professional advisors, we have earned an outstanding reputation for integrity and service.

Strategic philanthropic services
We are a community specialist and knowledge base, helping donors achieve greater impact and joy through their giving.

Flexibility and simplicity
We offer donors flexibility and a variety of giving options. We listen to and honor donors’ wishes. Funds may be established by individuals or organizations using cash, appreciated securities, retirement assets, life insurance, real estate, bequests, etc. Funds can be established with one governing document that specifies the intention of the donor.  Changes can be accommodated without incurring additonal costs.

Legacy
With the Foundation, donors can build a lasting testament to the causes they value, far into the future.

Recognition or anonymity
Donors may choose to receive public recognition or remain anonymous. They may name a fund for an individual, family, group, or for a special purpose.

Donor services
A courteous, knowledgeable and responsive Foundation staff is always ready to answer questions and concerns—and will turn challenges into opportunities.

Maximum tax benefits
As a 501(c)(3) public charitable organization, the Foundation will maximize tax benefits to the full extent allowed, saving on income tax and estate tax, as well as reducing or eliminating capital gains taxes. Every gift qualifies for the maximum charitable tax deduction permitted by law.

Effective leadership and accountability
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is comprised of community leaders and provides overall direction and policy. An independent audit ensures fiscal responsibility.

Investment security
Our experienced investment committee oversees an investment strategy designed to maximize total return within acceptable risk tolerance. The funds are pooled and invested under professional management for maximum return.

Cost effectiveness
The pooling of assets and efficient oversight help to keep costs low.

Variance Power

One of the attractive features of using the services of the community foundation is provision in our By-Laws and in our fund agreements which gives the foundation’s trustees the authority to change a fund’s purpose without going  through a protracted and expensive process of seeking court permission to do so.

The long passage of time can sometimes cause a charitable purpose to become outdated.   You might have heard the story of the wealthy person who died and left a large trust to provide drinking troughs for the horses pulling carriages on Main Street.    Little did they know that in a few years horses had all but vanished from Main Street and the assets in their well-intentioned trust went unused.
           
To avoid the risk of obsolescence, a “variance power” provision is added to all fund agreements with a specific or designated purpose or restricted to a particular field of interest.   It states that the fund is subject to the foundation’s Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and policies “including the variance power which allows the Board of Trustee of the Foundation to modify any restrictions or condition on the distribution of assets for any specified charitable purpose or to specified organizations, if, in their sole judgment, such restriction becomes, in effect, unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment, or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the area served by the Foundation.”