|
|  |
|
|
|
The Iowa Community Affiliate Network (Iowa C.A.N.) is a collaboration of the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation and the Iowa Area Development Group Community Foundation, who have recognized a need for a new avenue to encourage philanthropy throughout Iowa. Iowa C.A.N. provides individuals, families and companies a tax-smart and simple means to build permanent endowment funds and make grants to benefit their communities. The Iowa Community Affiliate Network is designed to provide service and support to communities and rural counties in Iowa. The Iowa Community Affiliate Network currently serves 30 counties throughout Iowa, including an "umbrella" or "Family" of related funds benefiting specific communities or projects.
The GDMCF and the IADGCF have collaborated to form the Iowa Community Affiliate Network to provide Affiliate Community Foundations with:
• Investment management driven by proven endowment
building strategies
• Administrative support and consulting
• Technical & planned giving assistance
• Board and organizational development
• Educational and marketing materials
• Networking and learning opportunities
Affiliate Foundations have independent boards and unique missions. They share many of the same opportunities and challenges of a full-service community foundation, but are relieved of tax filings, audits, and other financial and legal burdens. Affiliate Foundations promote endowment building, community grantmaking, organizational collaboration, and public leadership.
What is a community foundation?
A community foundation is a vehicle for building charitable endowments and for charitable giving for the benefit of the entire community. Through the mechanism of endowment funds, charitable minded individuals can establish funds to build a permanent source of charitable assets to meet emerging, as well as existing, needs of the community.
What is the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation?
Established in 1969 to expand private philanthropy in the Greater Des Moines community, the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation is a public charity. It is one of more than 700 community foundations nationwide and is a member of the Council on Foundations. The Community Foundation facilitates charitable giving for local needs and presently manages more than 500 funds totaling approximately $182 million in assets.
What is the Iowa Area Development Group Community Foundation?
Since 1985 the Iowa Area Development Group (IADG) has been promoting partnerships to build stronger communities and the rural economy. Together with its member-owned utility partners, the IADG has provided services and support that have truly helped sustain, transform and grow the economy of rural Iowa. Their foundation has been established to foster economic development and community betterment by providing research and promotion, education and training and community-based and guided philanthropy.
What is an "endowment fund"?
An endowment fund is a permanent fund, which follows a specified spend rate, established when the fund is created. Grants for charitable purposes are distributed from investment income on an annual basis, creating a stable grantmaking stream. Endowment funds should not be confused with a capital fund, a reserve fund, or a special project fund, all of which generally allow for expenditure of the principal.
What is an "affiliate"?
Affiliates are local area community foundations that advise on a geographically focused collection of funds. They are components of the GDMCF sharing in its tax-exempt status and developed to increase the philanthropic base for the respective locale. Affiliate organizations are made up of community minded individuals who have the ability to assess community needs, to implement their own asset development, evaluate area grant applications, encourage partnerships and initiate activities to enhance their own geographic area. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
