By mail, email or fax: Complete the Donor Advised and Community Charitable Fund Grant Recommendation Form; then mail, email or fax your suggestions to LCF. Additional copies of this form can be downloaded from our website (http://www.thelcfoundation.org/grants/dafunds/) or by calling LCF (740.349.3863).

The quickest way is to contact LCF at 740.349.3863 or grants@thelcfoundation.org.

Grants cannot be made from donor advised funds to private non-operating foundations, international organizations or to individuals.  Grants cannot be made from donor advised funds for memberships, tickets to events, goods purchased at a charitable auction or other fundraising event, or anything else that benefits the donor.  Grants cannot be made or to support political campaigns or for lobbying purposes.  Grants cannot be made for event sponsorship that includes tickets, advertising space, or other benefits to the sponsor; and for direct advertising for corporate donors or public officials.  Donors, their advisors, and related parties may not receive grants, loans, compensation or similar payments (including expense reimbursements) from the donor advised funds.  Please note that the Pension Protection Act of 2006 imposes penalties on donor advisors and foundation staff who do not follow these rules.

Yes. You may recommend multi-year (installment) grants. These grants are approved for the full grant amount, but are paid in installments based on a schedule recommended by you (e.g., annually). Due to IRS regulations, you may not recommend grants to fulfill pledge obligations. Please do not sign pledge agreements with charities; rather contact the Foundation first. We are happy to put your grant on a payment plan subject to the availability of funds from your donor advised fund.

There are specific IRS rules regarding the deductibility of charitable contributions for which donors receive a benefit. (For example, when a person buys tickets to a fundraiser and receives a dinner as part of the cost of the ticket, then the deductible amount is equal to the cost of the ticket less the value of the dinner.) Since a gift to LCF results in a full charitable deduction, then the donor may not receive goods and services in exchange for that gift. You may make a grant in response to a fundraising event in lieu of attending. Further, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 expressly prohibits donors from receiving “more than incidental benefits.” Penalties apply for not following the rules.

Remember this rule of thumb regarding grants for memberships or special events: If you could not write a check from your personal checking account and receive a full deduction for the gift, then LCF will not be able to make a grant. Note the following possible language: “I am suggesting a grant to {name of organization} from my donor advised fund at the Licking County Foundation. Please note that if the grant is approved, it does not qualify for goods or services. I do not wish to receive any goods or services.”

No. Under the Pension Protection Act, donors, advisors or related parties are prohibited from receiving grants, loans, compensation or similar payments (including expense reimbursements) from donor advised funds.

The fund can make grants to any U.S. 501(c)(3) that is a public charity. Private foundations do not fall under this definition.

Yes. Places of worship generally qualify as do most educational institutions. You can also suggest grants to governmental entities such as municipal police departments, libraries, and hospitals. Grants cannot be used to pay a child’s tuition or for medical bills.

No. Donor advised or community charitable funds may not make grants to individuals either directly or indirectly or to a charitable entity for the benefit of a specified individual. Further, donors, advisors or related parties are prohibited from receiving grants, loans, compensation or similar payments (including expense reimbursements) from donor advised or community charitable funds.

Yes. The Foundation will always protect the anonymity of our donors.

Yes, you may make donor advised grants to organizations in which you, your spouse or family members participate in a volunteer or board capacity. We simply ask that you certify that you will receive no personal benefit from the grant by agreeing to the terms and conditions on the Donor Advised Grant Recommendation form.

Yes. While LCF’s mission is to improve the quality of life in the Licking County area, we understand that many people have charitable interests outside this region. Therefore, any qualified public charity in the U.S. may receive grants from a LCF donor advised or community charitable fund.

No. International grantmaking is much more complicated than domestic; and at this time, LCF is not able to help you. We can, however, award grants to U.S. public charities that fund and support foreign charitable activities.

Processing of requests may take up to 30 days from date request received (longer if securities need to be sold) to allow for due diligence to be conducted. LCF processes grant disbursement checks typically within two weeks of final approval.

To minimize administrative costs, grants must be at least $250.

No.

LCF encourages fund advisors to retain an active role in their donor advised or community charitable fund. In order to carry out its mandate of distributing charitable dollars to the community, LCF periodically reviews the grantmaking activity of all donor advised funds. Should a fund not make any grants over a five-year period, the foundation will contact the fund advisor to discuss intentions for the fund.

You may be involved in the grantmaking from the fund, but may not control it. In accordance with tax law, when you establish a donor advised fund you must relinquish control of the assets you contribute to the fund in order to take a charitable deduction. However, you do retain the right to make grant suggestions for the review of the LCF Governing Committee. (See “Why does the Board have the final authority to approve or deny the grant?” below.)

IRS regulations require that a donor relinquish control over the gift at the time it is made. (Donors only qualify for a tax deduction if they give the money to a public charity and relinquish the right to control it.) Consequently, the Governing Committee at LCF is legally empowered to approve or deny a donor’s grant suggestion.

If a donor suggests a grant to an organization that does not qualify for tax-exempt status, or if it is clear that the donor would receive some benefit from the grant, the Board would deny the request. However, if all suggested grant recipients are qualified U.S. public charities, and there is no suggestion of private benefit to the donor, the Board will endeavor to honor the donor’s wishes. We look forward to working with you to support the charitable causes you care about most. If you need additional information or assistance with identifying some worthy charitable causes, please call us at 740.349.3863.