We work with you to research and develop core components of your program or giving strategy, and help you develop a deeper understanding of your field of interest or focus area by benchmarking key activities and approach against peers.
Philanthropic Advising
Once you’ve opened a fund at SVCF, your philanthropy advisor and/or the members of our philanthropy services team serve as your consultants and personal liaisons at SVCF. Our staff can offer a wealth of knowledge and assistance. For example, we can:
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Research causes and nonprofits that interest you
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Help you develop a family philanthropy plan
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Review your investment strategies and options
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Optimize your charitable giving
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Invite you to events and gatherings that resonate with your passions
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Introduce you to other donors with similar interests
We also offer customized philanthropic advising and management services that are available at an additional fee, including strategy and program design, scholarship program development, generational giving strategies and supporting organizations.
Clearly defined goals and motivations are key to achieving sustained impact. SVCF can help hone the goals of your philanthropic activities and create mission and vision statements that ensure thoughtful philanthropy for years to come.
Our dedicated scholarships team works with you to design and manage a scholarship aid program for students who meet your selected criteria.
We can help develop program parameters and understand what kind of support to provide recipients. SVCF can publicize the scholarship, handle inquiries and field questions from applicants and other stakeholders, as well as support the creation and operations of a selection committee. We will help process applications, host interviews and process payments.
SVCF supports families in engaging the next generation of givers in a highly customized way. We work with each member of the family to identify what matters most to them through a values-seeking exercise, allowing individual voices to be heard.
We can help families build consensus around their philanthropic goals with input from each family member. SVCF then works with the family to build out a giving plan that accurately reflects their values and motivations, while also considering different styles of giving. We can help create guiding principles, outline meaningful roles and coach on best practices, and build out a family giving strategy.
A tax-wise alternative to a private foundation, a supporting organization allows you to hire staff and convene a board.
Supporting organizations are far less restrictive than private foundations, and SVCF handles all of the administrative oversight, including the IRS-mandated tax returns and annual audits.
Supporting organizations are individual 501(c)(3) public charities under Section 509(a)(3) of the tax code. Although they have their own tax ID number and your contributions receive the maximum level of tax deductions (as with a donor advised fund), each supporting organization is covered under the umbrella of SVCF and its grants and activities must fulfill and support the charitable purposes of SVCF.
The donor and SVCF work together to appoint a board. A majority of its members must be appointed by SVCF because of its role as the “supported organization.” The board controls the investment strategy and may also select managers.
Our expert staff is available to help your supporting organization meet its grantmaking and philanthropic goals. We can help define strategy, engage extended family and assess the effectiveness of grantees and more. Supporting organizations may make international grants and are allowed to continue for generations.
Please note that the cost to create a supporting organization amounts to several thousand dollars for legal fees and the set-up process can take several months.