Thoughtful Giving Inspiring
Nourishing Community
A strong community is like a backyard garden. If we plant seeds and tend the green shoots, flowers and fruit will blossom— right before our eyes, entirely within our reach and influence. What grows in distant fields is important, of course, but to improve the unique nature of where we live, we must value and enrich the ground close to home.
Through the generosity of donors, we support local programs and expand local resources, nurturing and growing bountiful opportunities where we live and thrive together.
Our Story
The Winston-Salem Foundation’s charitable history runs deep. Our community foundation was established in 1919, and we were the first foundation established in North Carolina. We consistently rank among the 50 largest community foundations in the United States.
We are comprised of hundreds of charitable funds created by individuals, families, nonprofits, and businesses. These funds improve the quality of life in Forsyth County, its surrounding areas, and beyond.
We strengthen our community in four broad ways:
■ Encouraging & facilitating philanthropy — supporting donors as they establish charitable funds, create planned gifts, and invest in the causes most meaningful to them
■ Supporting local nonprofits — making grants to charitable organizations serving Forsyth County in a wide variety of program areas
■ Investing in community priorities — addressing local challenges with our partners through grants and technical assistance
■ Supporting students & teachers — strengthening education locally by awarding scholarships to students and by providing funding for educators and youth-led service projects
Why Partner With Us? Ways to Give
PERSONALIZED SUPPORT
We understand your reasons for giving are as unique as you are. We will work with you to define your charitable interests and to design a giving strategy that’s right for you.
STRATEGIC IMPACT
With deep roots in Forsyth County, we can help channel your resources to make the greatest impact on local opportunities and challenges as they change over time.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Throughout the year, we offer many ways to learn about the changing needs of our community. You will have the opportunity to engage with other donors, with our staff, and with nonprofit organizations on the ground making positive change.
EASY SET-UP AND ADMINISTRATION
Establishing a fund can be accomplished quickly, and our online portal provides convenient access to monitor your fund’s grantmaking activity. We simplify your record-keeping and provide administrative oversight — allowing you to enjoy giving.
TAX BENEFITS
As a public charity, we offer the highest level of tax benefits for charitable giving, and we accept many types of assets, including cash, securities, retirement assets, life insurance, real estate, closely-held stock, partnership interests, and deferred gifts.
GEOGRAPHIC FLEXIBILITY
While the primary geographic focus of our work is Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, grants may be made to any charitable organization in the U.S.
A CHARITABLE LEGACY
If you create a permanent endowment, your generosity will benefit the causes and organizations most important to you, for generations to come.
We’ve designed many giving options to meet your unique circumstances.
Your charitable fund can be customized to meet your needs and objectives, whether you decide to give broadly, to support areas of interest, or to benefit specific nonprofits. Once established, you and others can make additional contributions at any time.
DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS
This is our most common type of fund. You can establish a Donor-Advised Fund today, claim an immediate income tax deduction, make charitable grants now or in the future, and add to the fund at any time. Unlike national and commercial donor-advised fund sponsors, we can provide guidance on local issues and organizations, drawing upon our century of philanthropic experience in Forsyth County.
PERMANENT FUNDS
When you create an endowed fund, you ensure lasting community impact through a permanent charitable fund.
If you have a passion for supporting higher education, Scholarship Funds are a wonderful way to help local students pursue their dreams. Scholarships can have standard guidelines that support students based on merit or need, or they can have more customized guidelines. Scholarships are also meaningful ways to honor or memorialize an individual or family.
Other popular fund types are Designated Funds to support specific nonprofits and Unrestricted and Field of Interest Funds to support the Foundation’s work in addressing Forsyth County’s ever-shifting challenges and opportunities. Organizational Endowment Funds can be established by nonprofits, providing long-term financial support to fulfill their mission.
The Power of Endowment
When you establish a charitable endowment, your gift grows significantly in value over time.
In the example below, a fund established 50 years ago with $50,000 has now granted out more than three times the original investment — and the endowment has tripled in size.
This example assumes a 4% annual spending rate and a 7% rate of return. (Over the past 50 years, a blended portfolio of 65% stocks and 35% bonds would have generated over 9%.)
Planned Giving
We can help you define your own charitable legacy by facilitating planned gifts.
There are many tax-efficient ways to structure your future giving that can mutually benefit you, your loved ones, and your favorite charitable organizations.
PLANNED GIVING TOOLS
■ Bequest — Name the Foundation in your will or trust to support your favorite causes, and benefit the community well into the future.
■ Beneficiary Designations — Name the Foundation as a primary or contingent beneficiary for any asset that passes outside of your will or revocable living trust.
■ Charitable Remainder Trust — Establish a CRT to provide you and/or a designated beneficiary with income for the life of the trust, and the remainder goes to support charitable causes.
■ Charitable Lead Trust — Establish a CLT to make significant charitable gifts for the term of the trust while transferring substantial assets to non-charitable beneficiaries later.
ASSET TYPES
■ Retirement Plan Assets — Name the Foundation as a beneficiary for a simple and tax-efficient way to benefit the community.
■ Life Insurance — If your need for life insurance has decreased, direct an unneeded policy to the Foundation to achieve your charitable goals.
■ Real Estate — Use your appreciated property’s value to benefit the community — or create a life income gift.
■ Retained Life Estate — Live in your home or vacation property as long as you like and transfer future ownership to the Foundation.
Our Development and Donor Services team is always here to assist you. We would welcome the opportunity to help define your charitable interests and to develop a giving plan that’s right for you.
(336) 725-2382 • giving@wsfoundation.org • wsfoundation.org
