Donating online is an easy way to give on our secure donation page and you can direct your gift to a specific program fund. Whitefish Community will send you a tax receipt in the mail. If you have questions about making a donation please do not hesitate to contact us.

You can send a donation in the mail. Checks should be made out to Whitefish Community Foundation. Mail to P.O. Box 1060, Whitefish, MT 59937 or stop in our office at 214 West Second Street, Whitefish. We would be happy to meet with you and discuss your gift, and where it is needed most.

A contribution of appreciated securities can produce significant tax savings to you. You receive a double benefit: an immediate charitable deduction for the fair market value of the securities you contribute, and you are not subject to any capital gains tax on the appreciation. Using securities to open a Donor Advised Fund is a good way to start a charitable giving account with us. Contact Linda Engh-Grady or Daria Perez to learn more about a donation of appreciated securities. 406-863-1781.

Individuals 70 1/2 are able to make their minimum IRA distribution directly to charity and not count it as income. The process is easy: Once you are 70 1/2 are able to take your minimum distribution from your IRA and give it directly to charity. At 72 years of age, you are required to take your distribution. But, if you do not need the income and you do not want the income which could push you into a higher tax bracket, you can roll it over to charity.

Have your financial advisor or the bank holding your IRA make the distribution check out to the Whitefish Community Foundation directly. Then, contact the Whitefish Community Foundation to arrange the designation on this gift. You can put it to work in any of the Foundation’s charitable funds and designate it to the charities of your choice either directly, or through the Great Fish Community Challenge. The Community Foundation will make sure you receive the appropriate tax substantiation letter to provide to your accountant.

A Charitable Giving Fund, also called a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) offers individuals and families the ease and flexibility of giving, similar to a private foundation but without all the expense and administration. Gifts of cash or appreciated securities can be donated to set up your fund. You use your fund to make grants to charities over a period of time. Your gift can also grow tax free through several investment options. You can also set up a Donor Advised Endowment Fund to build a fund that will give to charity in perpetuity and pass your giving tradition on to future generations of your family. The Community Foundation will do all the administration so that you can focus on your philanthropy.

Set up a Charitable Gift Annuity

The Montana Endowment Tax Credit allows donors to pay less in Montana state income taxes when they give a qualifying planned gift to a qualified Montana charitable endowment like the Whitefish Community Foundation’s permanent endowment fund or any of the Nonprofit Endowment Funds held by the Community Foundation. Originally enacted in 1997 as the Montana Income Tax Credit for Endowed Philanthropy, it encourages charitable giving to qualified endowments by offering incentives to Montana taxpayers. It expires December 31, 2026.

A charitable remainder trust (CRT) is an irrevocable trust that generates a potential income stream for you, as the donor to the CRT, or other beneficiaries, with the remainder of the donated assets going to your favorite charity or charities. You may be able to use the Montana Endowment Tax Credit with for your gift. And, you can combine a CRT with a Charitable Giving Fund to achieve even greater flexibility. If you make the beneficiary of a charitable trust the Whitefish Community Foundation, you give yourself the flexibility to more easily adjust and recommend ultimate grants with the DAF. Call Linda Engh-Grady to learn more. 406-863-1781.

set up a charitable bequest

You have taken care of your loved ones and would like to leave something behind for your community. A charitable bequest is one of the easiest ways to make a gift that will make a lasting difference in the lives of others. Bequests can take a variety of forms. You can leave the community foundation a specific sum of money, a percentage of your estate or a specific piece of property.

Whitefish Community Foundation can assist you with setting up a Legacy Fund that will designate gifts in your name to support your favorite charities in perpetuity from your fund. A Legacy Fund is very easy to set up and allows you to be remembered for your gift and make a lasting difference for generations to come. Call Linda Engh-Grady to learn more about setting up a Legacy Fund. 406-863-1781

For specific language to incorporate into a bequest to the Whitefish Community Foundation click Learn More.