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YEAR-END SHARING YEAR-ROUND CARING 2021/2022
SUPPORT these participating nonprofit partners in the 2021 Fall/Winter
YOU’RE IN GOOD COMPANY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTICIPATING NONPROFITS
MIDLANDS LATINO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS GRADUATION CELEBRATION OCT., 2021
HOUSE OF AFROS, CAPES & CURLS | AFRICAN AMERICAN UNITY FUND WHISPERING ROOTS FOOD PREPARATION
IMPACT FOR WOMEN SUMMIT KEYNOTE SPEAKER ELIZABETH SMART
YEAR-END GIVING | year-round caring
sharing & caring
2021/2022
GRATITUDE AND GENEROSITY are integral to the holiday period from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, and the spirit of the season creates a heightened awareness of nonprofits and inspires a welcome surge of giving. However, the start of a new year also serves as a reminder that organizations serve year-round and need the support of the community all 52 weeks of the year.
Giving Tuesday was launched in 2012 by a nonprofit cultural and community center in Manhattan and has since been adopted nationwide and in 80 countries around the globe. It’s no coincidence that the movement to support charitable organizations takes place the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, because the last weeks of the year—followed by the energy of beginning a new year—have always been an important time for nonprofits.
Pottawattamie County Community Foundation (PCCF) is a partnership of rural and urban citizens who support and stimulate donor-driven philanthropy. President and CEO Donna Dostal said the holidays are traditionally a time of giving back to the community in a meaningful way to express gratitude, honor loved ones, and elebrate the successes of the year.
“Year-end fund development helps our nonprofit partners close gaps in funding in order to ensure programs and services are strong and available for our community. As organizations prepare the coming year, this push for funds helps to solidify planning and meet budget goals as well,” she explained. “In addition, this time of year is traditionally a time for giving back to the community out of gratitude and kindness. The true meaning of philanthropy, love of humanity through charitable giving, shines brighter during this season of giving… This season of year-end generosity puts giving back at the forefront of people’s minds. There may be opportunities to maximize tax benefits through charitable contributions, but the opportunity to be generous and give back in a festive and selfless way makes this time of year particularly special… For our area nonprofits, this time of annual generosity is welcome boost needed in order to help provide much-needed funds for sustaining programming or promoting special projects.”
Marjorie Mass, SHARE Omaha’s executive director, agreed.
“When we all work together to help organizations meet their holiday giving goals, we ensure they can reach matching-funds pledges, continue their services and plan for the new year,” she said. “Money is the most flexible donation that you can give. It allows organizations you’re passionate about to fill the gaps of the greatest needs. Cash allows nonprofits to pivot to embrace change as those needs shift.”
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sharing & caring
“SIGN A STUD” DURING #GIVINGTUESDAY402 LIVESTREAM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
LIFELOOP VOLUNTEERS AT STEPHEN CENTER Wrapping up, planning ahead
Donna Kush, president and CEO of Omaha Community Foundation, said her organization works with donors and nonprofits and helps connect the dots between the complex needs of the community and those working to make a difference. On the donor side, she explains, people tend to revisit their philanthropic-giving goals at the end of the year and consider ways to optimize tax benefits through tools such as donor-advised funds (DAFs).
“By establishing a DAF, you are eligible for a tax deduction upon receipt of your donation into the DAF, yet you have the flexibility to decide the timing of your distributions to nonprofit organizations,” she said. “This is a particularly beneficial year-end strategy because you can make a year-end gift and take the tax deduction immediately. DAFs and other funds can also be useful tools to offset unexpected year-end earnings or tax implications.
The beginning of a new year is also an ideal time to begin a plan for the months ahead, Kush added.
“Our goal is to help connect philanthropists of all means to nonprofits working to make an impact in this community. The Foundation offers several strategic funds anyone in the community can support; each are aimed at growing impact and capacity throughout our nonprofit community in various focus areas. These include everything from our Community Loan Fund, which uses an impact investing model to make affordable loans to eligible nonprofits, to our Community Interest Funds, which empower everyday
residents to make grantmaking decisions,” she explained. “Unfortunately, we also know many nonprofits are still recovering from the effects of COVID-19, and our Community Resilience Fund is still granting funds to support a long-term recovery. There is still overwhelming need here, including $2.5 million in unfunded requests from more than 90 nonprofits.”
Nonprofits need support all year long, and January puts people in a mindset to look ahead. It’s never too early to formulate a plan on how and who to help.
“Donors are able to support nonprofits with direct monetary support, either as a one-time donation, or perhaps by setting up recurring gifts that last the entire year to come. This is also the time that donors look at their personal finances and meet with their investment and tax professionals to ensure their affairs are in order for tax season, so appreciated stocks are a great way to support a favorite nonprofit,” Dostal said. “Also, gifts from an organization’s wish list are particularly popular with donors this time of year, much like giving a gift to family member. Gifts like diapers, clothing, toys or food are great ways to help nonprofits serving families in our community.”
Multiple ways to give
SHARE Omaha offers the giving public opportunities to connect with metro nonprofits through donations, volunteering and wish lists, making it easy for people to find local nonprofits and engage with them how they choose, Maas said.
“SHARE Omaha is connected to over 600 local organizations, and we’re committed to understanding and uplifting what they need to stay strong and sustainable. At SHAREomaha.org, we champion multiple ways you can give to local nonprofits, whether it’s donating money, items or your time. All of these things continue to be incredibly valuable, and we ~ continued
