Establishing an endowment with the Catholic Community Foundation allows us to “drought-proof” the ministries of the Catholic Church. We currently manage more than 900 permanent named endowments to various ministries totaling more than $87,000,000, including field of interest, designated, donor-advised and unrestricted endowments. These can be set up by either organizations or individuals.

How it works: Endowment contributions are invested in the Catholic Community Foundation’s portfolio. A portion of the annual income is distributed to the ministries designated by you. The rest is reinvested, ensuring distributions are made in perpetuity. The Catholic Community Foundation’s investment objectives are committed to Catholic moral and social values – the Catholic Community Foundation will not make distributions or grants to charities that are not consistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church.

If you are looking for ways to support ministries that are important to you (such as your parish, school, cemetery, seminarian education or other diocesan ministry) but feel overwhelmed by the thought of writing another check or giving up your assets today, a simple, flexible and effective way to support those ministries is by including them in your estate plan. Often, the largest gift a person will be able to give will be through their estate. Including a charitable bequest in your will or living trust will help ensure the ministries closest to your heart will receive your support long after you’re gone.

By including a charitable bequest to the Catholic Community Foundation in your will or living trust and working with CCFESD staff to set up an endowment, you are ensuring the ministries you choose are supported in perpetuity.

Are you looking for an easy, cost-effective way to support ministries you love? A donor-advised fund, which is like a charitable savings account, may be the right choice for you.

How it works: You transfer cash or other assets to the Catholic Community Foundation. You can then recommend — but not direct — how much and how often money is granted to the ministries you support, including your parish, school, cemetery, diocesan ministry or other charity.

You qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction at the time you contribute to the account, and the power to make recommendations on which charities to support whenever you want. You centralize your giving and record-keeping in one location. And maybe best of all, you can start a legacy of giving by letting your children help decide which grants to recommend.

Retirement accounts offer two unique opportunities to give.

1. By designating CCFESD as a beneficiary, your retirement account can be transferred tax-free after your passing. The proceeds will then be used to fund the ministry you designated before you passed.
2. Donors aged 72 and above who must take Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) on their retirement accounts can contact their financial advisor and have those distributions sent directly to CCFESD to be distributed to their designated ministries. Donors who use this method – called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) – can increase their giving during their lifetime, and can avoid paying unnecessary income tax on their RMDs.