Ways to Give

Community Foundation Silicon Valley offers easy, flexible options if you are looking to start a family fund or leave a lasting legacy.

Our fund options include: donor-advised funds, supporting foundations, designated funds, field-of-interest funds, scholarship funds and the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2).

Funds may be created with a current gift or via a planned gift. Assets that are accepted include: cash (via check, wire, or credit card payment); tangible personal property;

securities; real estate and deeds of trust; remainder interests in property; oil, gas and mineral interests; bargain sales; life insurance; and other property.

You are encouraged to work with your estate planning professional or tax advisor to determine the type of gift that is right for you and your family.

Community Investment Fund

The Community Investment Fund is an unrestricted endowment fund, which connects people who care with the needs of our community. The Community Investment Fund is unrestricted, which means there is no minimum requirement on donor gifts. Individuals, families, groups, clubs, or corporations - anyone can be a philanthropist with a donation to the Community Investment Fund.

Donor-Advised Fund & Supporting Foundation

In less than a day, you can open a donor-advised fund, receive an immediate tax deduction, and begin your philanthropy. With a single gift, you can easily coordinate all of your charitable activities. Your gift qualifies for an immediate tax deduction, and you can take your time deciding which organizations to recommend for grants.

The Community Foundation's staff is available to help you research issues and organizations you're interested in. Grants from the fund may be made in your name or anonymously, according to your preference. A donor-advised fund may be opened for $10,000.

If your philanthropic goals are more complex, you can create a supporting foundation. Donations still receive the maximum level of tax deductions (as with a donor-advised fund), but the supporting foundation has its own board, investment policies, and 501(c)3 charity status. A supporting foundation may be opened with a $10 million gift.

Field-of-Interest Fund

A field-of-interest fund allows you to invest in a specific area you care about, such as education, the environment, neighborhoods, community services or the arts. With this option, you can rely on the Community Foundation’s staff to identify organizations capable of making the greatest impact in the specific area that motivates you most. We keep you fully informed of the results. A field-of-interest fund may be opened for $10,000.

Designated Fund

You can create a fund to help endow your favorite charity in perpetuity, or assist it over a set number of years. You have confidence that your gift will be a lasting legacy for your favorite nonprofit, or should that organization cease to exist, that the funds will be re-directed to the cause that means so much to you. A designated fund may be opened for $10,000.

Scholarship Fund

You can create a scholarship fund to accomplish specific educational objectives, support schools and universities with whom you have ties, or benefit other schools of your choosing. Scholarship funds are established as endowments, with a percentage of the fund available for scholarships each year. The minimum gift to open a scholarship fund is $50,000.

Unrestricted Fund

Unrestricted funds are endowed and benefit community grantmaking programs. These funds offer a wonderful opportunity to support the community in perpetuity and are often created to honor a loved one. The minimum to open a named unrestricted fund is $10,000.

Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2)

If you’re interested in meeting with other philanthropists, pooling resources to invest in the local community, and being involved hands-on, then the SV2 giving circle might be right for you. For more information, visit www.sv2.org.

Planned Gifts

With a planned gift through Community Foundation Silicon Valley, you can ensure that you will continue to make a difference for generations to come. Some types of planned gifts allow you to receive income for life, then benefit charity after you’ve passed on. Any of the fund types described here may be created with a planned gift.

Charitable Bequests

Bequests are the most frequent type of planned gift made to charity. Your estate receives a charitable deduction for the full amount given, so your heirs pay no estate tax.

Life Income Plans

You can make a gift to charity and earn immediate tax savings, but keep the income your gift earns for as long as you live by using one of the life income plans available through CFSV. Life income options include the charitable remainder unitrust and the pooled income fund.

Life Insurance & Retirement

Your life insurance policy or retirement plan (IRA, 401k) can be used as a charitable gift.

Charitable Lead Unitrust

The lead trust makes regular income-tax-deductible gifts to charity as the income beneficiary. When the trust terminates, the entire principal is returned to you or to your family.