Giving is easy through our online donor portal. We have many options, including making an unrestricted gift that gives BCF the flexibility to use where it is most needed. Donors can also select one of our existing charitable funds created by community members in support of an area of interest or specific nonprofit organization or they can create their own fund.

Donors are welcome to give at any time during the year. The Branford Community Foundation organizes two formal appeals a year: an operating appeal (June) and a year-end appeal (December).

You are encouraged to donate to those funds whose causes resonate. Click on the donate button at the bottom of the fund to be taken to BCF’s donation portal.

There are four types of funds.
• Unrestricted Funds give BCF the flexibility to support the most important current and future needs
• Designated Funds are earmarked for a specific nonprofit organization or purpose
• Donor Advised Funds allow the donor to actively manage the use of their gift
• Scholarship Funds enable the donor to establish award parameters while the high school counseling department manages the application process and candidate recommendation

Anyone can create a fund supporting causes or organizations which are meaningful to them or to honor a friend or loved one. The minimum donation to establish a fund is $10,000, which can be given over five years through our Acorn program.

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In aggregate, all of the charitable funds create our endowment. We work with the investment professionals at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (CFGNH) to preserve and grow our endowment. BCF’s individual funds are pooled and invested in a diversified portfolio managed by CFGNH.

The field of interest or organizations a fund supports should align with causes that matter to the donor. The Branford Community Foundation will not award grants to/for: debt reduction, endowments, individuals, lobbying, political organizations and campaigns, or to replace government funding sources.

There are several options for contributions: outright gifts of cash, stock, or other assets (all of which qualify for maximum tax advantage); bequests through estate planning; or future gifts, such as naming The Branford Community Foundation as a beneficiary of an IRA or insurance policy.

When donors give appreciated stock that they have held for more than one year, they generally receive a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the shares while avoiding the capital gains tax that would have been owed if the stock were sold first. This allows the charity to receive the asset’s full fair market value while the donor avoids the embedded capital gains tax. Because the foundation is tax-exempt, it can sell the securities without paying tax, meaning the entire value of the gift can be put to work supporting the community.

Donors should consult their tax advisor or financial professional to determine how these strategies may apply to their individual circumstances.

Individuals age 70½ or older may make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) directly from an IRA to a qualified charity. QCDs can count toward the donor’s required minimum distribution and are excluded from taxable income, which may reduce overall tax liability and help avoid income-based phaseouts or Medicare premium increases.

Donors should consult their tax advisor or financial professional to determine how these strategies may apply to their individual circumstances.

Given the time sensitivity of transferring stock, we ask that you contact The Branford Community Foundation before transferring and let us know once the transfer is complete. We’ve provided the appropriate BCF contact information and the Brokerage Information, including account and clearing numbers.

Click here to download the Electronic Stock Transfer instructions.

Members of the legacy Circle have pledged to include BCF in their estate planning – through a bequest or naming BCF as a beneficiary for the IRA or insurance policy.