FAQS

Community foundations are public, nonprofit foundations established to promote and facilitate philanthropy in a geographic area.

The Community Foundation of Ogden Valley  exists to “improve lives through philanthropic leadership” by providing superior donor services, making grants that positively impact the community, ensuring the sustainability Ogden Valley philanthropic community, and acting as a leader, catalyst and resource.

The Community Foundation of Ogden Valley is especially active in its hands-on support of local nonprofits and can especially help donors with knowledge of local nonprofits and projects.  All philanthropic donations received by the Ogden Valley foundation are used for Ogden Valley programs and community events.

The Community Foundation makes philanthropy easier for donors by providing maximum flexibility and services.  The Community Foundation provides accountability for charitable gifts, in-depth nonprofit information, recognition, anonymity, tax benefits, and endowment management.  It offers a wide range of donor programs, vehicles and funds to suit a donor’s needs. The Community Foundation is continually looking for ways to help and improve Ogden Valley specifically.

The Community Foundation assists nonprofits through competitive grants, nonprofit management expertise, educational programs such as board development and grant writing training and also serves as a nonprofit’s connection to Ogden Valleys donors.

• To provide ease of giving to the donor community;
• To provide expertise in charitable giving to the community at large;
• To attract new donor financial support into the community, which will then be disbursed to nonprofit organizations for unmet financial needs;
• To offer a local competitive granting source;
• To enable donors to support the field(s) in which they have an interest, rather than selecting a specific charity;
• To provide permanence and sustainability to the philanthropic field;
• To entice organizations to collaborate and communicate by offering venues for networking;
• To educate by providing seminars, workshops, one-on-one consultation, and reference materials for use by the entire community relating to nonprofit management and operations;
• To increase the capacity of local organizations to achieve their missions in the most cost-effective manner possible.

The Community Foundation is largely funded by donations from individuals and sponsorships from local businesses.
CFOV holds local fundraisers but is largely dependent on the generosity of Ogden Valley residents, local business and visitors.

No. By making charitable giving easy, the Community Foundation brings more money to nonprofits, enhancing their sustainability and effectiveness.  The Community Foundation also promotes annual formalized giving to nonprofits through its funding efforts.  It provides technical assistance and support to local nonprofits to enhance their effectiveness and impact.

Individuals and organizations create funds at the Community Foundation for a variety of reasons:

• • To make their philanthropy more strategic;
  • To be part of a community of fellow fund holders seeking to strengthen the Ogden Valley community;
  • To provide funds in perpetuity to a cause or area of interest;
  • To use the Community Foundation’s excellent philanthropic services to learn more about causes of importance to them in the Ogden Valley;
  • To direct their philanthropy in an informed and efficient way with the help of fellow Ogden Valley residents.  Having the same goals and objectives as yours.  

The Community Foundation is a public charity, and therefore donors receive maximum tax benefits when they make a contribution, whereas gifts made to a private foundation are more limited. Private foundations are exposed to excise taxes and various restrictions as to what can and cannot be held in their investment pool. With a fund at the Community Foundation, donors have no meeting or reporting requirements.  Donors to the Community Foundation also become part of a “community of givers” who strengthen the Ogden Valley community.  (See Community vs Private Foundations for comparisons.)

Many donors establish and contribute to personal Donor Advised Funds.  They then make recommendations for grant distribution to nonprofits over time.  Donors also contribute through giving circles, trusts, endowments and scholarships.  The Foundation sponsors popular events for donors to support many nonprofits at one time by contributing to the matching pool or designating the specific organizations they wish to support.