- About Us
- Resources
- Contact Us
- Scholarships
- Giving Cards
- Blog
- My Fund
- Corporate Products and Services
- Giving Circles
- How to Use Your Fund
- Private Foundation Services
- Reverend Elbert C. Cole Founders Fund
- White Paper - Social Responsibility: The Power of the Corporate Philanthropy Platform
- About Us
- Benefits
Giving Better Blog
Charitable Giving Stories, News and Ideas from the Innovative Team at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and its Non-Geographic Label, Greater Horizons.
Friday, May 18, 2012 - 13:09
School may be wrapping up for most students, but the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation’s new Charitable Giving Institute is in session! The Charitable Giving Institute was designed to give donors the tools and connections they need to make a difference in an area they’re passionate about, and in April, 16 Community Foundation donors took their first steps on a path to better giving.
With access to the best and brightest minds in charitable giving, the Charitable Giving Institute is helping the participants develop individual giving blueprints to leverage their philanthropy for a bigger impact, and they each have their own goals in mind. For example:
- To learn how to give more strategically.
- To figure out what charitable causes I’m passionate about.
- How to involve the next generation in charitable giving.
- How to develop a corporate giving program.
- How to form a network of fellow donors.
Well-known Kansas City philanthropists Barnet Helzberg and Tom Bloch kicked off the first session sharing lessons they’ve learned about giving from both their successes and failures. Jason Franklin, Bolder Giving’s executive director, discussed the stories that inspired the billionaire’s Giving Pledge.
Challenges and opportunities in human services, the arts, education and healthcare was the focus of the second session. Area experts Brenda Sharpe, president and CEO, REACH Healthcare Foundation; Munro Richardson, vice president of education, Kauffman Foundation; David Warm, executive director, Mid-America Regional Council; and Mary Kennedy, executive director Mid-America Arts Alliance weighed in on their sectors.
Upcoming sessions will help participants learn about the best tools to use to achieve both their philanthropic goals and the legacy they want to leave to their families, friends and community, from Law Professor Chris Hoyt. They’ll also learn how to engage their family in giving from Carol Weisman, author of Raising Charitable Children.
Are you interested in learning more about how you can have more fun and make a bigger impact with your charitable giving? Contact Greater Horizons and the Community Foundation to find out how we can help you take your giving to the next level.
Authored by: Debbie Starke, Vice President
0
Friday, May 11, 2012 - 14:04
If you, your family or your organization is looking for an easy, inexpensive way to organize your philanthropy, a donor-advised fund might be worth considering.
Donor-advised funds are an attractive alternative to private foundations, offering more flexibility, confidentiality and maximum tax benefits. Donor-advised funds are quick and easy to establish, and they are administered by public charities, so you’ll receive an immediate tax deduction when you add cash, stock or other assets. The money in the fund is invested, allowing your charitable dollars to grow while you take your time deciding when and where to do your charitable giving.
Once you’ve established your donor-advised fund, you can grant your charitable dollars to 501(c)(3) public charities at your convenience. There’s no distribution requirement, so you can grant as little or as much as you want, and you can also designate successors to advise the fund after your lifetime.
As an added bonus, if you add to the donor-advised fund annually, and if you do all of your charitable giving through the fund, there’s only one receipt to worry about when tax season rolls around.
It’s easy and inexpensive to establish a donor-advised fund with the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation or Greater Horizons. Contact us today to get started.
Authored by: Leanne Breiby, Communications Manager
0
Friday, May 4, 2012 - 10:31
“From what we get, we can make a living;
what we give, however, makes a life.” – Arthur Ashe
As senior vice president of sales and new product innovation for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Brenda Chumley (shown here with her two children) has seen her fair share of lives touched by philanthropy.
Brenda has held a number of roles at the Community Foundation since joining the team in 1993. The diversity of her positions (from the development team to the president’s office) allowed her to master the ins and outs of the business of charitable giving and helped her and her team maintain the Community Foundation’s reputation as one of the most entrepreneurial and innovative in the country. 
Today Brenda is primarily responsible for developing new lines of business and attracting new donors who want to simplify and organize their charitable giving with a donor-advised fund. As the executive director of Greater Horizons (the Community Foundation’s non-regional brand), Brenda works with community foundations, private foundations, educational foundations and many other charitable entities across the country that contract with Greater Horizons for back-office services.
Brenda also works to help companies develop corporate social responsibility programs, and she oversees our popular Giving Card program. (Giving Cards are much like retail gift cards, except they are redeemed to benefit any 501(c)(3) organization in the United States.)
With so many “hats,” there’s hardly a dull moment in Brenda’s world. And who knows what the future might hold for Brenda and her team, as they work to find new ways to make charitable giving easy, fun, and rewarding for everyone.
Authored by: Leanne Breiby, Communications Manager
0
Friday, April 27, 2012 - 15:13
We’re proud to share that Corey Ziegler has been named one of Ingram’s “40 Under Forty”. The “40 Under Forty” is Ingram’s list of local powerhouses that are making an impact in Kansas City and within their organizations.
Corey is corporate counsel for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and our non-regional brand, Greater Horizons. Corey has been with the Community Foundation since 2005. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, C
orey practiced estate planning law for seven years with a large Kansas City firm. As corporate counsel, Corey works with donors to give strategically to the causes they care about through donor-advised funds and other charitable vehicles. She also ensures that every charitable investment adheres to IRS guidelines and regulations, so our donors can do their charitable giving with peace of mind.
Corey’s philanthropic endeavors don’t stop with her work at the Community Foundation. She is also very involved in her community, lending her expertise in charitable giving and estate planning while serving on many nonprofit boards throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Congratulations to Corey for being recognized by Ingram’s and working tirelessly to make giving easy, fun and rewarding for all of us.
Authored by: Leanne Breiby, Communications Manager
0
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - 09:39
While our hometown baseball team isn’t exactly wowing crowds these days, last week in the Northland a group of heavy hitters hit a grand slam with nearly 400 civic and business leaders, community volunteers, and donors at the Northland Community Foundation’s 15th Annual Celebration Breakfast. The event, which is held each year to celebrate philanthropy in the Northland, is the signature event for the Northland Community Foundation, one of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation’s regional affiliates.
Emcee Dub Steincross kicked off the event (or, I suppose I should say, batted leadoff) with a rousing performance of “Casey at the Bat,” which readied the crowd for Board Chair Michael Short’s “pitches” for the Community Foundation’s philanthropic products and services, including donor-advised funds, giving circles and Giving Cards. Michael’s pitches weren’t meant to strike anyone out, of course, as he explained how the Community Foundation is here to help everyone give, whether it’s $25 or $25 million.
Past and future Northland Community Foundation leaders came together as the event honored Virjean Burton, the founder of the Northland Community Foundation, and welcomed Louise Welborn as the new Executive Director.
Parkville residents Fred and Linda Mitchell were the deserving recipients of this year’s Pinnacle Award, which is given each year by the Northland Community Foundation to recognize and honor those who give charitably and best exemplify civic pride, leadership and neighborhood caring. Fred and Linda have been active members of Northland philanthropic endeavors for many years, most recently providing their time, passion and expertise to the Northland Childhood Hunger Initiative.
Finally, guests were inspired by keynote speaker James “Jim” Stevens, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Angel Flight Central, an organization dedicated to providing long-distance transportation at times of personal and community crisis. Jim told heart-wrenching stories of his experiences as a volunteer pilot, transporting children and families in times of need. One thing was clear – his organization, as well as the thousands of other nonprofit organizations in our region, wouldn’t be able to serve our communities' needs without support from donors and volunteers.
Northlanders left the Breakfast inspired and ready to “play ball,” charitably speaking.
Authored by: Leanne Breiby, Communications Manager
0
