Leave A Legacy

“A portion of our estate will go to the Community Foundation to continue supporting work that we care about after we’re gone, through the Bill and Maxine Aten Fund for the Community and the Challenge Mountain Fund.  The thought that we can be a part of making the area we love a better place after we are gone gives us tremendous satisfaction.  Knowing that we can positively influence other peoples’ lives by being a part of this action gives us both great comfort and a deep sense of honor.”  - Bill and Maxine Aten

 

You Can Make a Difference Close to Home...Forever

Thank you for your interest in learning more about leaving a legacy with the Community Foundation.  Future gifts, also called estate gifts, planned, or deferred gifts, are often the greatest expression an individual or couple can make in support of causes they care about most.  Typically, future gifts are planned when an individual or couple works with professional advisors to create a will, determining what is needed to provide for themselves, loved ones, and causes they care about most.  A future gift can be accomplished with standard language specifying that the Community Foundation will receive a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or what remains after other bequests – including those to family members – are made. Making a future gift is simple and it is meaningful philanthropy almost anyone can do. 

 

You can leave a legacy through the Community Foundation: Here's How

  • Meet with the Community Foundation so that we can learn about what issues are important to you and how you hope to make a difference with your future gift.  (“What Can I Do with My Future Gift?” may be helpful to you)
     
  • Next, complete a “Future Gift Designation Agreement” with Community Foundation staff.  This form outlines exactly how your gift will be applied to meet your charitable goals when the Community Foundation receives it.  This agreement can be changed at any time by communicating with the Community Foundation and does not require changes to your will or trust.  Staff may share a draft “Designation” agreement by email.  Review it to be sure that we understand your intentions.  If the agreement meets your goals, let staff know and we can schedule a date and time to sign the agreement.
     
  • Consider whether you would like to join the Legacy Society, which recognizes individuals and couples who have named the Charlevoix County Community Foundation as a beneficiary of any type of future gift.  The purpose of the society is to acknowledge and thank those who have made gifts of this type, and to inspire others to do the same. Legacy Society options are a part of the “Designation” agreement document. 
     
  • Staff will create official copies of the agreement for you.  We can meet to sign the documents or we can provide them to you by mail with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.  When the agreement is signed, we have all the information we need to be sure your future gift leaves a legacy here in Charlevoix County.

Adding a charitable gift to your will or retirement plan is simple.

The results are remarkable.