Celebrating and Reflecting

On the eve of the new year, it is timely for me to take a moment to reflect on the past year at Women's Fund and to share my vision for the next. 2009 been a challenging and rewarding year for Women's Fund. In the difficult economy, challenges faced by women and girls in our community have increased. This hardship has solidified Women's Fund's position as an expert resource on women and girls. Despite these challenges, we have had many notable accomplishments, impacting women and girls by:

• Concluding our endowment campaign. Thanks to the support of thousands of campaign donors since 2004, we have increased our capacity to grant to women and girl serving organizations in central Indiana now and in the future. And, the launch of online giving is helping us provide better service to our donors!

• Granting $337,500 to 13 organizations focused on keeping women and girls safe and helping women and girls gain and retain employment.

• Celebrating our 9th class of OPTIONS. 210 women have given more than 450,000 dollars to benefit women and girls in central Indiana. These participants and alumnae are the current and future philanthropists and leaders for our community.

• Growing GO: Give Back to include 67 GO Funds and almost 90 children and young adult participants. We also hosted our ninth Power of Girls event in collaboration with Indianapolis Power & Light and The Julian Center.

• Launching a Facebook page and blog to create conversations about women and girls.

What does 2010 hold for Women's Fund? Continued progress through funding addressing our issue areas: caregiving, domestic violence, and insufficient income. Communication with current and future donors will be a priority. And, we will continue to be the expert resource on philanthropy education, through GO and OPTIONS. We will forge ahead in our efforts to improve conditions for women and girls in central Indiana--there is much work yet to be done!

Thank you for reading, and for your continued support. I look forward to connecting with you in the new year!

p.s. Our next post will be January 12th. Women's Fund and CICF will be closed the week of January 4th, so be sure to check back with us!

Resolving to Make a Difference

It is almost 2010, so I am reflecting on what I was doing ten years ago, as the world anticipated what might come with Y2K. That same year, Women's Fund celebrated our first year of grantmaking. Ten years later, we have granted a total of over $3.2 million to 89 central Indiana organizations. Ten years later, we have impacted many women and girls in the community, thanks to thousands of donors, philanthropists empowered to improve conditions for women and girls through our permanent endowment.

While I've always cared about helping others, in ten years, I have grown my knowledge of how I can help the community I am a part of, through volunteering my time, serving in leadership positions, my career, and giving my charitable dollars.

There are many great causes to support... as an individual, sometimes it is difficult to navigate these options! This is why I enjoy being a part of civic organizations helping me focus my efforts (that's me during a service project with one group). This is why I also appreciate being part of Women's Fund, where we are an expert resource on issues impacting women and girls in our community, and on philanthropy education for women and children.

As we head into the new year, I'm excited to think about what 2010 - and the next ten years - will bring for me, for Women's Fund, and for women and girls in our community.

I ask what I can do to help make this next year even better for myself and the community? In this time of resolutions, planning for the future, and reflecting on the past, I also encourage you to learn more about community needs and how you can help. What are your plans?

Exploring a Community Center I Never Had

I’ve become interested in Community Centers through my work with Women’s Fund. Last year alone, Women’s Fund invested $65,000 for operating expenses to three different centers (Concord Neighborhood Center, Hawthorne Community Center and John H. Boner Community Center). Growing up on Army bases, I don’t recall having a community center to go to, so I became curious about them. What are they? Who visits them? What do people do there? Why are they so important?

Well, the more I explored, the more I learned and the more I love about them. First, I love that the word “unity” is in the word community. That’s exactly the purpose of a community center – to bring unity to the communities they serve. No matter a person’s age or their needs, there are programs, activities and services for everyone.

For today's blog I decided to take a closer look at Concord (the picture is from one of their childcare graduations). Women’s Fund has provided significant funds to this organization for a number of years – from computer training for girls to childcare for women; assistance with basic needs to youth development. The Concord Neighborhood Center has been serving south side families since 1875, providing everything from social services, children’s programs, educational opportunities and recreational activities. They pride themselves on their ability to positively impact the lives of its neighbors.

So to answer my own questions:

1. Who visits the center? Concord serves over 1,000 women and girls annually (not to mention the number of boys and men that visit throughout the year).


2. What do they do there? Concord offers childcare, before and after school care, sports, camps, homework help, employment assistance, educational programs, emergency assistance, family literacy programs, wellness classes, health clinics, activities for seniors – and the list goes on and on.


3. Why is it so important? I’m pretty sure the first two answer this question. If it weren’t for Concord, people on the south side wouldn’t have these quality programs and services.

Once again, I thank Women’s Fund for introducing me to an organization I wasn’t very familiar with and for the dollars you invest to help improve the quality of life for our women and girls in our community (in this case, those living on Indy’s south side).

Include Emergencies in Your Giving Plan

A few weeks ago, I attended a Women’s Fund event honoring OPTIONS Alumnae at Linda Mauer’s lovely home. First of all, I was honored to be a part of an organization that is comprised of such fantastic, diverse, and lively women. There were about eighty women present, from all OPTIONS classes, discussing everything from babies, to careers, to charitable giving. It was exciting watching the connections being made everywhere.

Once Jennifer got us all corralled for the program, we heard a story that I think may be particularly relevant for lots of us who may be reviewing our giving plans for this year and making decisions for the upcoming year. Two employees from The Julian Center came and spoke to us about the important work that they are doing. Of course, it is always compelling to hear the real stories of the families that The Julian Center is helping, from the battered women who have finally gotten up the courage to leave their terrible situation to the partnership with the prosecutors to ensure that batterers are held accountable. But what was really eye opening was a story that Jennifer shared about how The Julian Center lost a large government grant this year and faced a major budget crisis. The funding situation was so dire, and so unexpected, that The Julian Center faced immediate downsizing of its already lean staff. Jennifer mobilized her Women’s Fund network and helped arrange emergency dollars to allow The Julian Center to maintain the status quo while it worked to find replacement money to ensure that it could continue to maintain its critical staff.

If you contribute to any non-profit organization on a regular basis, you may receive frequent communication regarding financial crises that arise. Sometimes I know that I feel like charities may be crying wolf too often. And sometimes I wonder to myself why these organizations haven’t planned for the unexpected, and that maybe they are just preying on my human reaction to want to help fix an emergent problem. And perhaps they are. But I think the story of The Julian Center demonstrates that it shouldn’t really matter. There was no way for them to know that they would lose that critical piece of funding. The non-profit world can be a fluid, unexpected place, with changes occurring all the time that give rise to critical situations that require immediate funds. From changes in laws, cold winters, economic shifts, and other unexpected events, non-profits have to be incredibly dynamic to meet the needs of its constituents.

This is why I urge you to consider planning to allocate some dollars next year to emergencies of the organizations to which you regularly donate. For me, I always give annually to Planned Parenthood, but I also will set aside some funds to ensure that when I get one of those letters explaining that a local clinic is facing closure, I will be able to help address that immediate need, just as Women’s Fund was able to help rescue The Julian Center this year.

The Best Method to Gift to Charity

The end of the year is a good time to consider donating to your favorite nonprofit organization and to take advantage of tax benefits. Today's post is from Elaine Bedel, Women's Fund Advisory Board member and financial consultant. We are grateful to Elaine for sharing her expertise with our readers.

By Elaine E. Bedel, CFP®
President, Bedel Financial Consulting, Inc.

If your objective is to maximize the tax benefit of your gifts to charity, I recommend you start early. Some of the best options will take time to complete.

Depending on the form of your gift to charity, you can receive tax benefits beyond the charitable tax deduction itself. To take advantage of these other benefits, you need to review your personal situation and plan ahead to allow sufficient time to complete the gifting process.

Gifting Cash is Easy….But Not as Tax Wise
Writing a check to your favorite charity is probably the easiest form of gift-giving. The gift is completed as soon as the check is received by the charity, regardless of when the funds are deducted from your account. Generally, the date on the check is assumed to be the date of the gift.

Gifting Appreciated Assets Provides Greater Tax Benefits
If you gift an appreciated asset, you receive the same tax deduction as you would for gifting cash. In addition, you avoid future potential capital gain tax. You would receive a tax deduction on Schedule A and eliminate the capital gain tax that would be incurred at the sale of the asset.

An appreciated asset is any property that you purchased for less that it is currently worth. If you sell an appreciated asset, you would be required to pay a capital gain tax on the difference between the net sale amount and your cost to purchase. An appreciated asset may be real estate, a work of art, an investment security, or any other property that you own that can be gifted to a charity.

Charitable Gift Funds Allow You to Front-Load Your Tax Deduction
A charitable gift fund, officially referred to as a "donor advised fund", allows you to contribute cash, appreciated securities, real estate, cash value of life insurance, and, in some cases, other forms of business ownership to your own charitable giving account. You can then request gifts to be made to charities through your account until your original contribution, along with any investment earnings, is depleted. You can establish a donor advised fund through a public charity. Many of the mutual fund companies have established public charities to offer donor advised funds. You can also create a donor advised fund through a local community foundation, such as Central Indiana Community Foundation.

Charitable Giving from your IRA
Anyone who is 70 ½ years of age or older can make gifts to qualified charitable organizations from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA). The benefit to the taxpayer/donor is that any funds distributed from the IRA to a charity are excluded from the taxpayer's taxable income for the year. Therefore, no income tax is paid on the IRA distribution. Likewise, the taxpayer does not take the contribution as a charitable deduction on Schedule A of the federal income tax return.

Priority of Giving Methods for Tax Benefits
The following represents the priority for methods of giving based on the greatest tax benefit:

1. Distribution from IRA (for those who qualify).
2. Gift of appreciated assets directly to a charity or through a charitable gift fund.
3. Cash or check.

Summary
Advice: Start early and seek professional advice if necessary.

Making a charitable contribution can be as easy as writing a check or as complex as valuing and transferring appreciated property. You will need sufficient time to complete the gifting method that can provide the greatest tax benefit for you. Since certain gifting strategies may impact other areas of your overall financial plan, you may also want to secure the professional assistance of a financial planner to analyze the appropriate method of giving for you.

Elaine E. Bedel, CFP is president of Bedel Financial Consulting, Inc., a fee-only wealth management firm providing financial planning and investment management services. For more information, visit their website at www.BedelFinancial.com or email to ebedel@bedelfinancial.com.

‘Tis the Season for Joy; Not Pain

I recently read an article about the increased rate of domestic violence during the holidays, which really breaks my heart. The holidays are supposed to be filled with fun with family and friends, not a time for living in fear of violence. I can’t help wonder if holiday stress, stretched finances and increased alcohol consumption at holiday parties affect relationships and individual attitudes. I must confess I have found myself fighting back my own road rage recently – only to remind myself that the holidays are a time for cheer and joy, not frustration.

“Holiday stress” is no excuse for abuse (nothing is). If you – or someone you know, are in an abusive situation, it’s important to get help. Talk to a friend, stay at a relative’s house or take advantage of the many local resources we have available. Below are three places I’ve become more familiar with through working with Women’s Fund.

• The Julian Center – provides shelter, counseling and education for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and other life crisis.
• Prevail, Inc. – provides support and programs to victims of domestic violence in Hamilton and surrounding counties. They also staff a 24-hour crisis line: 317.776.3472. Their mission is to provide advocacy, awareness, support services and education to victims of crime and individuals and families in crisis.
• Turning Point Domestic Violence Services – provides support to women, men and children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. They have a 22-bed emergency shelter, the provide education, prevention and training programs; and they have a 24-help line: 1.800.221.6311.

No matter the reason; no matter the season; I truly believe there is no excuse for abuse! I’m glad to know Women’s Fund is supporting these organizations so victims of abuse can find help – and hope.

"Working it Out" with Girls Inc.

When I had an opportunity to volunteer for Girls Incorporated of Greater Indianapolis, I was immediately interested. At Women's Fund, I had heard and seen many great things about the organization and its efforts to develop girls who are strong, smart, and bold. Through their recent expansion of outreach-based programming, volunteers and staff are reaching more girls through program delivery in community centers and schools.

As a volunteer, my positive perceptions of Girls Inc. have remained true. This fall, I lead a six-week afterschool program in a Pike Township elementary, through a partnership with Junior League of Indianapolis. Prior to facilitating the program, I received comprehensive training, detailed curriculum materials, solid staff support, and was paired with a volunteer co-facilitator. With all of these supports in place for volunteers, it is no wonder Girls Inc. is growing to meet the needs of girls in central Indiana.

The program I co-facilitated, "Work it Out," focused on helping girls, 6-8 years-old, learn to be good friends, work through conflict, and deal with bullies. A program like this is needed for girls of any age, especially with examples of unhealthy relationships so prevalent in the media. In six weeks we covered a lot of ground, with only a few minor hiccups... which you could expect with girls that age! I was impressed at the thoughtful conversations, positive feedback, and progress we seemed to make with many girls. At the end of the program, the girls were eager for it to continue and to share their favorite moments. Many shared one of my favorite lessons, the "Put-up Party," when they wrote and shared positive statements about each girl in the room.

This volunteer experience has helped me develop my facilitation skills and learn more about the current problems and issues faced by girls. It's been validating for me to see first-hand the results of funding Women's Fund has provided to Girls Inc., and I am proud of Women's Fund's support of gender-specific programs for girls in central Indiana.

Food Stamps on the Rise

Women’s Fund recently asked its Facebook Fans what they thought when hearing the words Food Stamps. What images come to mind? Interesting question – and one I wasn’t sure I knew how to answer right away. So I read up on it, did some online research and have a much better answer today than I would have had a few weeks ago.

According to a New York Times article, food stamp use is at an all-time high and increasing each month. The program helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children. More than 36 million people are using food stamps (now as simple as using an ordinary – and unnoticeable plastic card) for staples like milk, bread, cheese and other necessities. Nearly 12 percent of Americans receive aid — 28 percent African-Americans, 15 percent Latinos and 8 percent Caucasians. Those numbers alone make me realize that any one of my fellow shoppers could be using food stamps.

In fact, the more I think about it, my friends who have recently lost their jobs due to downsizing could be using – or could benefit from food stamps; my divorced friends who may be struggling financially could benefit from food stamps; my friends who are single mothers could benefit from food stamps. Maybe they’re already using them.

I’ve never been judgmental, but the first images that came to mind (until now) about food stamps were of people who were poor and/or homeless. Truth is, we don’t know the stories behind the recipients – nor do we need to know. What we need to know is the program is a much needed one.

I really knew little to nothing about the program until Women’s Fund asked that simple question. Now I want to learn more.

If you, or someone you know could benefit from food stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), there are great local resources to get help. Click here to find out more.