BENEFITS TO CLIENTS
Your clients can address a broad range of local and regional community economic development issues. Your clients' donations work forever. When your clients donate through our endowment funds, their gift principal never gets spent. It's carefully invested, and the earnings are used to benefit the community through annual grants. Plus, each gift is fully tax-deductible and quantifies for maximum benefit under federal law. Your clients can create a personal legacy of giving. We offer a variety of giving options - including the ability to set up a special fund named for your client. If desired, donors can even be involved in the distribution of grant dollars generated by their funds. It's a highly personalized way to give. The Southern Tier West Development Foundation can be the resource to fulfill your client's philanthropic vision. Here's what we offer:

Flexibility
Through the Southern Tier West Development Foundation, an individual, family, company foundation, or charitable organization can create a fund that carries out well-defined interests and wishes.

Simplicity
Donors can establish their own, unique philanthropic fund while avoiding the complications of a private foundation. Many people have found working with the Southern Tier West Development Foundation to be a convenient way to manage all their charitable giving.

Tax Benefits
As a public charity, Southern Tier West Development Foundation offers the highest level of tax benefits for charitable giving. Donors may give cash, stock, closely held securities, real estate, or personal property and receive maximum tax benefits.

Community Impact
The Southern Tier West Development Foundation can help individuals target their dollars toward projects that will meet the community's most pressing needs and promising opportunities.

Permanence
If the original purpose of the fund becomes obsolete, the Southern Tier West Development Foundation's Board of Trustees has the legal authority to redirect the fund to the most closely related use without a lengthy and costly court proceeding. The incorporation of the variance power is a distinguishing characteristic of a community foundation. It gives donors the assurance that their original intent will be fulfilled despite altered circumstances.

Recognition or Anonymity
Most donors create funds that carry their individual or family name, or that of a friend or favorite organization. Such a fund is a permanent legacy and a caring way to memorialize or honor a loved one. Grants made from a named fund are recorded in the name of that fund unless the donor desires anonymity, in which case the Southern Tier West Development Foundation will carefully protect his or her identity.

Security
The Southern Tier West Development Foundation guarantees sound and flexible administration. Our volunteer Board of Directors sets policy and approves all grants.

Responsible Stewardship
An active Board (of Directors) of local community leaders manages the Southern Tier West Development Foundation. They oversee its administration and grantmaking, and are directly responsible to donors and the community.