Midwest Writing Center Endowment Fund

We met our endowment fund grant challenge!  Thanks so much to all of you who supported this effort.  We will continue to raise money for our endowment fund which will enable us to continue to provide quality programming at low or no cost.  To see the names of those who have contributed, click here.

Rochelle Murray, MWC board secretary, was featured in the ILLOWA Partnership for Philanthropic Planning online magazine for her gift to the MWC Endowment, click here to read her story!

Endow Iowa Tax Credit
All gifts to the Endowment are deductible to the full extent of federal and state laws.  In addition to enjoying income tax charitable deductions for your gifts, and because the Endowment is held by the Community Foundation, Iowa taxpayers qualify for the 20% Endow Iowa income tax credit. That means that donors significantly save in taxes by making a gift to this newly established fund. 

How it Works

The Midwest Writing Center Endowment is a separate fund within the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend’s total asset pool of more than $47 million. Pooling assets provides greater efficiency, protection against fluctuations in market value, and enhanced earning power. All assets are under the oversight of experienced, professional investment managers. Each year, a portion of the investment earnings are available for the Midwest Writing Center to use, as directed by its Board of Directors, to meet the highest priority needs of the Center.  

Permanent Source of Support in Perpetuity 
Gifts toward the Endowment benefit the Midwest Writing Center, and the people it serves, forever. Unrestricted support is most valuable, as it allows for changing needs over time.  However, an individual donor may establish a separate named fund within the Center’s endowment, and direct the support to a particular purpose of concern to the donor. In this way, a donor or a family can create a legacy that will forever carry on their desired support of the Center’s mission.  Any restrictions on a gift should be discussed with both the Foundation and the Center to ensure that a donor’s wishes can be carried out.

How Can You Participate

1.  Cash:  The easiest gift can be accomplished by writing a check or making an online donation. Checks should be written to: Midwest Writing Center Endowment. Secure online credit card gifts may be made by going to the Community Foundation’s website at www.cfgrb.org and clicking on “Donate Now.” 
 

2.  Gifts of Appreciated Stock: Gifts of stock benefit you by saving taxes twice. In addition to the income tax deduction for your gift, you also avoid paying capital gain tax on the appreciation.

3.  Bequest: Making a bequest through your will or living trust is a wonderful way to make a future gift. Because each person’s situation is different, it is best if you call the Community Foundation and have a confidential conversation regarding your interests. 

4.  Receive income from your gift:  Some arrangements allow you to make a gift to the center and receive regular income from the gift.  These gifts are called “planned gifts,” and are a wonderful way to give, and to receive. The two most common types are charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts.

5. Gifts of other non-cash assets:  These would include retirement plan assets and life insurance.

6. A charitable lead trust: helps a donor reduce gift and estate taxes when passing assets on to heirs. Trust income is paid to charity annually for a period of years; at the end of the term, the trust principal passes to family members.

Until January 1, 2010 you may direct that your minimum required distributions and more from your IRA go  to an eligible charity. This amount is excluded from your gross income.  If your IRA funds are not needed this is a great way to lower your taxable income and help the Midwest Writing Center. These rollover gifts qualify for the Endow Iowa 20% income tax credit. 
 

Pledge Form

I/We are pleased to participate in the Midwest Writing Center Endowment Fund

Name(s): _______________________________________

Please write your name as you would like it shown in acknowledgements of your gift.

Address: _______________________________________

 
_______________________________________________

Phone:  ________________________________________

Email:  ________________________________________

Signature: ______________________________________

I/We agree to make a one-time gift in the amount of $ _____________________ (enclosed)

I/We agree to a total gift in the amount of $ __________________ to be made:

 $ _______________ immediately and

 $ _______________ each year thereafter until fully paid (up to 5 years total)

I (We) agree to make a gift of appreciated stock in the amount of $__________________

I (We) have included the Endowment in my/our will/living trust for $_________________

I (We) have made a gift through an IRA or other retirement plan of $________________

For questions on how to make a gift to the Endowment, contact the Midwest Writing Center by calling 563-324-1410 or the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, 563-326-2840.