Grow It Goal 9

Families contribute to charitable causes and endowments that benefit the community and its people.

Common Sense

• Charitable giving can make the difference to families, by providing local, essential services to when they are in emergency need, or trying to get ahead.
• Locally controlled charitable resources provide funds that help establish, stabilize and/or contribute to nonprofit organizations and public-private partnerships that help low-income workers and their families achieve other Earn It, Keep It, Grow It goals, e.g., pursue education and skills training, gain financial know-how, save money to purchase homes or vehicles, even start or grow businesses.
• Local endowments set up to benefit specific issues, organizations or the community as a whole grow over time into a significant community asset, make the community attractive to outsiders who are considering moving to or investing in the area, and provide the community its own locally controlled savings that can attract and leverage other resources.

Fast Facts

• The U.S. is in the midst of a $41 trillion transfer of wealth from generation to generation. REF
• That transfer is taking place even faster in rural areas where long-held family property is being sold or converted from farming or ranching to other uses. REF
• Community endowments are less likely to exist in rural than urban areas, but the number of community endowments affiliated with existing community foundations (most of which are rural) increased by roughly 130% between 1998 and 2004—a dramatic rate. REF

Check out related Action Ideas and Alerts below! Or view other Grow It goals here.