Author: Emily Tomlinson

We here at the Community Foundation want to give a shoutout to the professionals who protect the legacies of their clients. We appreciate the CPAs, attorneys and financial planners who help individuals with their estate planning to ensure their philanthropic wishes are met. These professionals can maximize giving by navigating the rules of the tax system and by offering options an individual may not have considered.

Planned gifts may offer substantial financial, tax and estate planning benefits while supporting the vital work of nonprofits across our community. The staff of The Foundation can work with advisors to help individuals turn their monetary gifts into support of a nonprofit, with a goal of long-term systemic change that will transform our community.

The Community Foundation was founded in 1996 by individuals who understood the desire of people who want to serve the community we call home. Over the past 28 years, we have continued to offer people an option to create “forever gifts” that transform our community in a variety of areas including health and wellness, human services and education and youth development.

We are excited to report that 309 students applied for post-secondary scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year. Students applied through our online scholarship portal, which closed Saturday, March 1. Scholarship recipients will be announced in late May.

Through the generosity of donors, for fiscal year 2024-2025 we awarded 160 scholarships totaling $341,240.80 to area students. Currently, The Foundation offers scholarships to students from Danville, Caswell County, NC, and Halifax and Pittsylvania counties.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region offers a variety of charitable funds. One of our eight types of funds is the Agency Endowment Fund. This fund is specifically for nonprofit organizations and churches. The fund can be created by a generous donor, the church or the organization.

An Agency Endowment Fund allows organizations and churches to generate a permanent stream of revenue. Donations may be made to the fund by the organization or its supporters. Grant checks are issued annually by The Community Foundation once the fund reaches the maximum balance of $10,000.

Benefits include:

• Professional management – the organization benefits from the expertise of The Foundation’s investment strategies, allowing them to focus on their mission rather than investing. Additionally, the organization gains the benefit of lower fees due to being a part of a larger investment pool.
• Administrative support – The Foundation handles the administrative and stewardship responsibilities of the fund.
• Increased Visibility – Agency funds enhance an organization’s fundraising prospects and allow it to benefit from the reputation and security of The Foundation.

Currently, The Foundation has seven Agency Endowment Funds, the oldest being the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville Area Endowment Fund, which was established in 2013. Organizations with agency funds are not restricted from applying for grant opportunities The Community Foundation offers.

If your organization is interested in creating an Agency Endowment Fund, or you’re a donor who would like to create one on behalf of an organization, our staff would be happy to meet with you to discuss the opportunity.