Partners in Philanthropy

We believe in building partnerships that are effective and harmonious.

At Marietta Community Foundation, we understand the value that professional advisors bring to philanthropy. Your expertise, combined with our community-focused approach, can create a meaningful and lasting impact.

How Partnering With MCF Can Benefit Your Clients

Expertise & Support

MCF has a dedicated team of philanthropic experts who are committed to supporting you and your clients. We provide personalized guidance, resources, and solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each client and their philanthropic goals.

Community Impact

By partnering with MCF, you and your clients can contribute to the betterment of our community. We offer a range of charitable funds and giving options that address various community needs, allowing you to make a significant impact in areas that matter most to your clients.

Seamless Collaboration

We value open communication and collaboration. Our team works closely with professional advisors to ensure a smooth and efficient process, from initial consultation to fund management and grant distribution.

Help Your Clients’ Funds Flourish

Dive deeper into the fund creation process by exploring our Fund Agreement For Donor Advised Funds Template.

10 Reasons

Why Giving Through MCF Just Makes Sense

  1. We are a local organization with deep roots in the community. Founded in 1974, the Marietta Community Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to charities in the Mid-Ohio Valley since its creation. You can learn more about our history, here.

  2. We offer different fund options to match your unique philanthropic goals. We can assist in identifying which fund type best fits your goals, whether it's a donor-advised fund, a scholarship fund, a designated fund, a field of interest fund, or an unrestricted fund. 

  3. We offer maximum tax advantages under state and federal law. The IRS recognizes us as an established public charity, so you can earn the maximum deduction at the time of your gift, and can then advise you to distribute grants over time allowing you to be more thoughtful about your giving.

  4. We provide highly personalized service tailored to each individual’s charitable and financial interests. With our knowledge, we make donors aware of local needs and local opportunities, enabling us to create giving strategies that reflect our donors’ unique interests.

  5. We accept a wide variety of assets and can facilitate even the most complex forms of giving. You can learn more about the many ways that you can give through Marietta Community Foundation below.

  6. Our professional staff has broad knowledge regarding community issues and needs. We keep ourselves educated on all areas of community need - including the arts, economic development, education, environment, health care, human services, and others. Our staff can help you target where your grants will have the greatest impact.

  7. We partner with professional advisors to create highly effective approaches to charitable giving. By partnering with professional advisors, we help clients increase their current income, increase their beneficiaries’ inheritance, leave a legacy in the community, and teach their children about philanthropy.

  8. We multiply the impact of gift dollars by pooling them with other gifts. Each fund at the Foundation builds your initial donation through managed investment pools. This allows your dollars to keep on giving.

  9. We build endowment funds that benefit the community forever and help create personal legacies. Your gifts to the community have enduring value when channeled through the foundation. Our permanent endowments will continue to grow and make grants forever.

  10. We are a community leader, convening agencies and coordinating resources to create positive change. Marietta Community Foundation is more than a charitable giving partner. And it's more than a way to positively impact our community. It’s a shared belief that together we will meet each day knowing that in real and tangible ways, we are making tomorrow better.

 FAQs

  • A community foundation is a collection of charitable endowed funds established by individuals, families, businesses, and organizations. Using these endowed funds, community foundations make grants to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations within a defined geographic area.

  • Some advisors are reluctant to begin a charitable giving conversation with their client and may be concerned about appearing to make a values judgment, especially if the client has not expressed charitable intentions. However, by not broaching the subject of charitable giving, a significant opportunity may be lost for your client and the community. In fact, many individuals expect their professional advisors to bring up the subject, and assume charitable giving is not an option if the subject is not raised.

  • Professional advisors are often faced with a delicate dilemma: you want to discuss the many benefits of charitable giving with your clients, but you want to avoid recommending specific charitable causes or organizations. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution. Talk to your clients about giving through Marietta Community Foundation. Our staff is knowledgeable regarding local nonprofit agencies and the needs of our community. Our staff will meet with you and your clients to help determine the options for giving that best fit their unique interests.

  • While the funds available through some of the major commercial institutions offer the same tax deductibility as a fund at Marietta Community Foundation, our funds are relationship and service-based. With our knowledge, we make donors aware of local needs and local opportunities, enabling us to create giving strategies that reflect our donors’ unique interests. In contrast, commercial funds are transaction-based. The commercial institution cannot provide guidance or insight into our community, its needs, or nonprofit leaders. Additionally, the fees charged against these commercial funds do not support our community. Marietta Community Foundation charges no fees.

  • For all funds except for scholarships, the minimum gift amount is $2,500, which the donor must maintain during the lifetime of the fund.

  • Marietta Community Foundation is one of less than 1% of community foundations that charge no administrative fee. We are a nonprofit and incur operating expenses, so we encourage our donors to make gifts to our Friends of the Foundation Fund. This fund provides support to the Foundation so it can continue the gift of charging no fees.

  • A fund at Marietta Community Foundation is less costly to establish than a private foundation, in terms of both time and money. Our staff can help your clients establish a fund in a day and handle all the administrative details. Establishing a private foundation can take months or longer, and the private foundation then becomes responsible for substantial legal, accounting, and operational matters.

  • Marietta Community Foundation respects requests for anonymity. If your clients wish their funds to remain anonymous, they may designate it accordingly. They may also indicate if they would like for all or occasional grant distributions from their fund to be anonymous on their fund agreements.

  • Absolutely. Our staff will be happy to arrange a time for conversation with you, your clients, and/or associates. Contact our office at 740-373-3286.