Overview:

A designated fund is established to support one or more specific nonprofit organizations. The donor names the organization(s) at the time the fund is created, and distributions are made to those organizations on an ongoing basis from the fund’s earnings.

Ideal for clients who:

• Have a strong, long-term commitment to a specific nonprofit or cause
• Want to ensure ongoing support for an organization beyond their lifetime
• Are interested in making a major gift but want it professionally managed and distributed over time

Key Features:

• Permanent fund — continues to support the named organization in perpetuity
• Professionally invested and administered by MMACF
• Can be established with a current gift or through a planned gift
• Named fund options available

Overview:

Agency endowment funds are established by nonprofit organizations to build long-term financial sustainability. The nonprofit works with MMACF to create a permanent fund that is invested alongside the Foundation’s other assets, with annual distributions returned to support the organization’s mission.

Ideal for clients who:

• Serve on or advise a nonprofit board and want to help build long-term organizational stability
• Want to make a legacy gift that benefits a specific nonprofit organization permanently
• Are working with a nonprofit client on endowment or sustainability planning

Key Features:

• Minimum establishment: $1,000
• Professionally invested by MMACF
• Annual distributions support the nonprofit’s mission
• Donors can contribute to existing agency funds through designated or legacy gifts

Overview:

Scholarship funds allow donors to support students in Marinette and Menominee Counties pursuing post-secondary education. Donors establish criteria for award selection — which may include school attended, field of study, financial need, or other meaningful criteria — and MMACF administers the selection process and distributes awards annually.

Ideal for clients who:

• Want to honor a loved one, mentor, or personal connection through educational giving
• Have a strong tie to a particular school, field, or student population
• Want their giving to directly impact young people in the local community

Key Features:

• Donor-defined eligibility criteria
• MMACF manages the application, review, and award process
• An endowed fund with permanent annual awards.
• Named scholarship options available

Overview:

A field of interest fund directs giving toward a broad cause area — such as health, youth development, the arts, or animal welfare — without naming a specific organization. MMACF awards competitive grants to nonprofits and programs that align with the fund’s focus, allowing giving to remain relevant as the community’s needs evolve.

Ideal for clients who:

• Are passionate about a cause but don’t want to be tied to a single organization
• Trust MMACF’s local knowledge to direct resources where they are most needed
• Want their giving to remain responsive and flexible over time

Key Features:

• Broad cause area defined by the donor — MMACF identifies the strongest grant recipients
• Professionally administered and invested
• Adapts to changing community needs without requiring donor involvement
• Named fund options available

Overview:

A donor advised fund (DAF) is one of the most flexible charitable giving tools available. The donor makes a contribution to establish the fund — receiving an immediate tax deduction — and then recommends grants to qualified charitable organizations over time. The fund can involve family members and continue across generations, making it an excellent tool for building a culture of giving within a family.

Ideal for clients who:

• Want to take a tax deduction now but distribute charitable dollars over time
• Have a significant liquidity event — such as a business sale or inheritance — and want to manage the charitable portion strategically
• Want to involve their family in philanthropic decision-making
• Are charitably inclined but haven’t yet identified specific recipients

Key Features:

• Immediate tax deduction at the time of contribution
• Donor recommends grants on their own timeline
• Accepts cash, securities, and other assets
• Can be established during lifetime or through an estate plan
• Family members can be named as successor advisors

Note: Donor advised funds are not eligible recipients of Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs.

Overview:

Unrestricted gifts give MMACF the greatest flexibility to direct resources where community need is greatest. These gifts support the Foundation’s ability to respond to emerging challenges, invest in new opportunities, and address needs that may not fit neatly into a specific fund or cause area.

Ideal for clients who:

• Trust MMACF’s local judgment and community knowledge
• Want to maximize broad, flexible community benefit
• Are interested in supporting the Foundation’s overall grantmaking capacity

Key Features:

• Maximum flexibility for MMACF to respond to community needs
• Simplest structure — no donor-defined criteria required
• Can be given as a current gift or through an estate plan

The simplest and most common gift method. Cash contributions are generally deductible up to 60% of the donor’s adjusted gross income (AGI), with a five-year carryforward for unused deductions. Cash gifts can be directed to any MMACF fund type.

Gifts of long-term appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares allow donors to avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation while deducting the full fair market value. This is often one of the most tax-efficient giving strategies available and is accepted by all MMACF fund types.

Advisor tip: Clients holding highly appreciated, low-basis securities are strong candidates for this approach — particularly in high-income years or when rebalancing a portfolio.

Clients age 70½ or older may transfer funds directly from their IRA to MMACF tax-free through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). QCDs count toward required minimum distributions (RMDs) and are excluded from taxable income, up to the annual IRS limit. QCDs are particularly valuable for clients who do not itemize deductions.

Important: QCDs cannot be directed to donor advised funds. They can support designated funds, field of interest funds, scholarship funds, unrestricted funds, and certain other fund types. Contact our team to confirm eligibility for a specific fund.

MMACF may accept gifts of real property, including personal residences, vacation properties, and commercial real estate, on a case-by-case basis. Gifts of appreciated real estate can offer significant tax advantages while removing the property from the donor’s taxable estate. All real estate gifts are subject to review and acceptance by the Foundation prior to transfer.

Note: Please contact our team before recommending this option to a client. Early conversations help ensure the property meets our gift acceptance criteria and that the transaction is structured appropriately.

Gifts of closely held business interests — such as S-corp shares, LLC interests, or partnership interests — can be an effective charitable giving strategy in connection with a business sale or ownership transition. These gifts are accepted on a case-by-case basis and require advance coordination with our team.

Note: Early engagement is essential for business interest gifts. Please contact us well before any anticipated transaction.

Clients may name MMACF as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, or transfer ownership of an existing policy to the Foundation. Beneficiary designations are a simple, revocable way to make a meaningful future gift without impacting current cash flow.

Retirement accounts — such as IRAs, 401(k)s, and 403(b)s — are among the most tax-efficient assets to leave to charity, as they are subject to both income and estate tax when inherited by non-spouse beneficiaries. Naming MMACF as a full or partial beneficiary of a retirement account allows clients to pass more tax-efficient assets to heirs while directing heavily taxed assets to charitable purposes.