October 2023

Grant Helps Victim Assistance Program Open Child Care Center at Domestic Relations Court

Three generations of the Venarge family meet annually at The Center for Family Philanthropy of Akron Community Foundation to review program descriptions from organizations seeking funding that have been identified by Akron Community Foundation and fall within the family's areas of charitable interest. A grant made by their family fund in 2022 supported the opening of the Children Who Witness Violence Drop-In Center, located on-site at the Summit County Domestic Relations Court.

Year-end will be here before you know it. To ensure you get a tax deduction in this calendar year or that your favorite nonprofits receive grants from your fund, please follow the below recommended guidelines:

• December 1: Submit your grants through DonorCentral or by completing our grant recommendation form to ensure processing by the end of the year.
• December 11: Initiate your stock transfers and IRA distributions to ensure enough time for processing.
• December 31: Make sure your gifts are postmarked or made online by 11:59 p.m. to earn a tax deduction for 2023.

We anticipate delays in mail delivery as we approach the holiday season. For that reason, we advise you to use your DonorCentral account to ensure we receive your recommendations on time.

Have you thought about how you'll make a charitable impact this year? With input from our Professional Advisor Council, we've created a Year-End Giving Guide with strategic tips to help you maximize your tax savings with charitable gifts. Akron Community Foundation can accept gifts from the simple to the complex, including qualified charitable distributions from IRAs and closely held stock.

It was a light-bulb moment the first time CBIZ Managing Director Naomi Ganoe learned about the benefits of gifting a life insurance policy to charity. As someone with a longtime passion for giving back to the causes she cares about, Naomi was drawn to the simplicity and effectiveness of this giving vehicle.

Mariana joined the foundation in September and assists in cultivating and maintaining relationships with grant seekers, grantees, donor-advised fundholders, and other internal and external partners by providing guidance on the foundation's community investment processes. She also works closely with our Center for Family Philanthropy team to match charitable families with needs in the community, as well as to research topics that align with their specific philanthropic values and missions.

Your quarterly fund statement is now available

Fund statements for the quarter ending June 30 are now available through our online fundholder portal, DonorCentral. This document includes timely financial information, such as your fund balance, contributions, investment activity, grants and distributions, and more. For questions about your fund statement, please contact us at 330-376-8522. If you haven't registered your DonorCentral account yet, view our instructions to get started. 

Need a refresher on your fund statement? Check out our guide to understanding your fund statement.

Upcoming Events and Other News

• Akron Community Foundation distributes nearly $4M in quarterly grants
• Black Giving Collective Fund established
• Akron Community Foundation awards nearly $200K for local food pantries
• Tickets on sale for Sugar Plum Tour of Holiday Homes
• Summit County Opioid Healing Fund awards nearly $450K
• Rethinking inherited IRAs
• Strategies for returning to work to make the most of your charitable goals
• Do catch-up contributions mean more money for charitable giving?

Have a question about your fund?

We're here to help! We created a series of videos that answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

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