Estate and Charitable Gift Planning seminar offered September 25

Make plans to attend the September 25 Estate and Charitable Gift Planning Institute at the RCATT center in Danville. The event will be hosted by The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region and co-sponsored by the Danville Bar Association and the Piedmont Chapter of the Virginia Society of CPAs.

In this national webinar broadcast, participants will learn from nationally-recognized speakers Ann Burns and Kathryn Miree as they share new strategies, practical solutions and opportunities for planning following the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. 

Do not miss:

  • Current case law updates
  • Drafting estate plans in light of recent tax law changes
  • Strategies to address charitable estate goals without using traditional charitable vehicles
  • Simple ideas to maximize lifetime and estate charitable gifts
  • Ethical considerations in charitable and estate planning
  • Why estate planning is more important than ever

Advance registration through August 31 is $30; registrations after August 31 are $40. To register online, go to http://bit.ly/11cjm6u  or mail your check made payable to The Community Foundation, 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541 with a note for Estate Planning Seminar.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is an independent, public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of local civic leaders to gather permanent funds to support our area. The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is a public charity with total assets exceeding $25 million.

For more information on the webinar broadcast or The Community Foundation, contact the Foundation office at 434-793-0884 or visit its web site www.cfdrr.org

Education Funds applications being accepted

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is now accepting applications for two education funds. The deadline for all applications to be received is Monday, March 4, 2013.

The Keokee Fund’s purpose is to support the education of academically gifted students.  The grants will be used to provide support for organizations, schools, classrooms and students that are serving academically gifted students in Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell County. 2013 Keokee Grant Application

The Autism Education Fund’s purpose is to support autism education-related programs or organizations benefitting individuals, families, educators and the community.  The grants will be used to provide support for educators, supplement costs of educational services and promote autism awareness in Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell County. 2013 Autism Grant Application

The Community Foundation is a fully tax-exempt organization. Individuals, businesses or organizations may establish their own fund or may contribute any amount to existing funds. The Community Foundation may be contacted at 541 Loyal Street, VA  24541, (434) 793-0884 or www.cfdrr.org.

Scholarship applications being accepted

(DANVILLE, VA) – The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is currently accepting applications for 31 different scholarships. Area students who are interested may contact their guidance offices for the appropriate forms or print them from the Foundation’s web site at https://www.cfdrr.org/receive/scholarships/. The deadline for all applications to be received is Monday, February 25, 2013.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is an independent, public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of local civic leaders to gather permanent funds to support our area.

While the Foundation works with donors to establish funds and scholarships to benefit any geographic area, our primary service area is Danville/Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. Donations are also being sought to build up resources for South Boston/Halifax County, with consideration being given to other neighboring counties.

Community foundations are established to manage a collection of separate funds created by individuals and corporations – a community of donors – to enhance the quality of life in a local area. These funds are pooled and invested under the direction of a board of directors comprised of community leaders.

The Community Foundation is a fully tax-exempt organization. Individuals, businesses or organizations may establish their own fund or may contribute any amount to existing funds. The Community Foundation may be contacted at 541 Loyal Street, VA 24541, (434) 793-0884 or www.cfdrr.org.

2013 Grant Reception

2013 Grant Reception recipients

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
ANNOUNCES $577,000 IN NEW GRANTS;
MORE THAN $15 MILLION GIVEN SINCE 1996

(Danville, VA – January 15, 2013) – The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region announced today a total of $577,000 in new grants to 44 non-profit community agencies at a reception at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History. The Community Foundation was incorporated in 1996 and has already returned more than $15 million in community grants and scholarships.

This year’s grants contain $250,000 in funding made available by a grant from the Danville Regional Foundation. A complete listing of the grants awarded from the Danville Regional Foundation’s support is below.

The following grants were approved by The Community Foundation’s Distribution Committee and Board of Directors and awarded from various funds as described below:

Animal Welfare League of Pittsylvania County– ($1,500) to provide medical care for animals in rescue and/or foster programs to reduce the number of unwanted animals in Pittsylvania County (Animal Welfare Fund, James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund, Audrey Millner Fund)
Arc of Southside – The Hatcher Center – ($90,000) to support the job training facility and program services for its employees (Faith Home Endowment Fund)
Cascade Community Vol. Fire Department– ($13,430) to improve the property and facilities by paving the parking lot (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund, Faith Home Endowment Fund)
Caswell County Parks & Recreation Department– ($12,500) to air condition the gym so it can be utilized during summer months (Faith Home Endowment Fund)
Chatham First – ($13,675) to develop a walking trail connecting the Pittsylvania County Visitor Center to the Chatham Town Hall (W. Earl & Elise M. G. Allen Fund, James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)
City of Danville – Department of parks, recreation and libraries – senior transportation – ($5,000) to transport qualified Danville City residents that need life-saving dialysis treatment (that are under the age of 60) (Faith Home Endowment Fund)
City of Danville Division of Social Services“Neighbors Helping Neighbors” – ($21,505) to make available critical and emergency needed financial assistance for home energy needs (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)
Danville Area Choral Arts Society – ($1,350) to present the quality choral concert “Rags to Ritz” to general public (Harry Melton Hood Fund)
Danville Church-Based Tutorial Program – ($4,000) to provide educational materials for tutorial sites and summer enrichment activities (Faye Carter Fund, Gamewood Technology Fund, Claudia Vernon Smith Fund)
Danville Concert Association – ($3,500) to bring “6th Floor Trio” to Danville, and have the group’s members conduct a master class with young local music students (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)
Danville Historical Society – ($5,000) to help store and preserve invaluable records and collections of Danville’s history (John C. Swanson, Jr. Fund)
Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History – ($3,550) to help support exhibitions of the work of Elizabeth Austin (Faith Home Endowment Fund)
Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber Foundation – ($8,000) to support the improvement of the Leadership Southside program (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)
Danville Science Center – ($20,000) to help support the traveling exhibits, “Playing with Time” and “Raise the Roof”(Clarence L. Giles Fund)
Free Clinic of Danville – ($9,820) to replace and upgrade equipment used in patient care services and in patient-related tasks (Ahmed Children’s Fund, Faith Home Endowment Fund, Herbert Sater Fund)
God’s Pit Crew – ($9,920) to purchase a new stretch wrap system for the warehouse operation (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)
Institute for Advanced Learning and Research Foundation – ($12,000) to purchase lab equipment to support STEM-based K-12 educational outreach (Faye Carter Fund, Clarence L. Giles Fund)
Keeling Volunteer Fire Department – ($20,000) to purchase equipment for the new fire truck (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)
Lady Astor Preservation Foundation – ($18,000) to provide historical restoration of the façade of the Langhorne House (Faith Home Endowment Fund)
Lutheran Family Services of Virginia – ($1,350) to purchase the LeaPad Explore Mobile Learning Center for adult day care clients (Gamewood Technology Fund)
Pittsylvania County Literacy Program – ($1,200) to support “Program Improvement Through Community Outreach” (James A. and Anne V. Robertson Fund)
Preservation Virginia – ($4,000) to facilitate an educational component of Preservation Virginia’s Tobacco Barns Protection Project (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)
Riceville-Java Volunteer Fire Department – ($25,000) to purchase and equip an all-terrain vehicle to extinguish wild land fires or to transport injured patients from inaccessible areas (James Russell & Zora Carter Anderson Fund)

The following grants were awarded as a result of The Community Foundation’s grantmaking partnership with the Danville Regional Foundation.

Air Force Association, Chapter 240 – ($1,500) to provide a “matching grant” proposal from K-12 science teachers to focus on STEM-based classroom projects (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
American Red Cross – ($15,000) to continue to be prepared to provide relief for clients of disasters throughout Danville and Pittsylvania County (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
ATT Search & Rescue Dogs of Virginia, Inc.– ($1,500) to assist in conducting the International police working dog association recertification workshop (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Averett University – ($21,500) to provide a “classroom of the future” on Averett’s North Campus (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Bachelors Hall Volunteer Fire Department – ($3,700) to purchase a Toughbook 19” computer to enable complete, accurate, and timely reporting of medical emergency calls to the office of emergency services (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Brosville Community Volunteer Fire Department– ($5,500) to assist with purchase of a new Thermal Imaging Camera (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Cascade Community Center – ($6,000) to replace the windows to help with heating and cooling the building (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Caswell County – Family Services – ($7,000) to purchase playground equipment for the outdoor play area (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Casville Volunteer Fire Department – ($8,000) to upgrade the vehicle extraction equipment through the purchase of a rescue spreader (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Danville Cancer Association – ($25,000) to assist with the cost of cancer-related prescriptions for local cancer patients (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Danville Community College Foundation – ($15,000) to purchase a welding simulator (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Danville – Pittsylvania Community Services – ($9,500) to provide Crisis Intervention Team training for Danville and Pittsylvania County law enforcement to enhance their capacity to identify and respond appropriately to individuals with mental illness (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Danville – Pittsylvania Habitat for Humanity – ($18,000) to purchase building materials and contract labor needed to construct a new four bedroom, two bathroom home at 114 Brush Arbor Court (Danville Regional Foundation Fund, Pat & Cathy Daly Fund)
Danville Speech and Hearing – ($25,000) to provide speech/language pathology services and supplies to uninsured, undersinsured and/or low/no income citizens of the Dan River Region who present a communication disorder (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Danville Youth GROW (First Tee of Danville) – ($10,000) to promote The First Tee Nine Core Values and Life Skills Curriculum through an outreach effort to the community (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Gretna Little Theatre – ($10,000) to provide live theatre performances for Gretna residents, featuring local actors, students, and senior citizens (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Mt. Hermon Volunteer Fire & Rescue – ($8,000) to purchase safety gear and high visibility parkas/jackets for emergency responders (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Northern Pittsylvania County Food Center – ($20,000) to provide food to those in need in the northern portion of Pittsylvania County (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Ringgold Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad – ($20,000) to re-chassis the 2004 ambulance with a new 2012 Ford F-450 4×4 (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
Southern Area Agency on Aging – ($21,000) to provide emergency assistance to older adults in Danville or Pittsylvania County with income at or near poverty level (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)
640 Community Rescue Squad – ($6,500) to acquire a Stryker Lift assisted ambulance cot (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

PREVIOUSLY AWARDED GRANTS
The following grants were also recognized but have been previously awarded from donor advised and designated funds:
Gary A. and Sherry M. Carroll “Good for Youth” Fund
Westover Christian Academy
Christian Charities Fund
God’s Pit Crew
God’s Storehouse
Little Life Pregnancy Center
James L. Clark and Henrietta Clark Fund
Danville Life Saving Crew and Rescue Squad
Moffett Memorial Baptist Church
P. Niles Daly, Jr. Fund and Philip & Frances Daly Fund
Boys and Girls Club of the Danville Area
Dan River Inc. Endowment Fund
Averett University
Danville Community College Educational Foundation
Danville Concert Association
Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber Foundation
Danville Symphony Orchestra
Free Clinic of Danville
God’s Storehouse
House of Hope
United Way of Danville-Pittsylvania County
Davis Family Fund
Averett University
Bassett Memorial United Methodist Church
Danville Cancer Association
Longwood University
Martinsville Cemetery Fund
Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church
Evans Library Fund
Danville Public Library
Gantsoudes Family Fund
Danville Cancer Association
St. Peter’s Greek Orthodox Church
Garden Club of Danville Fund and Alma Courtney “Sigie” Perkinson Rose Fund
Garden Club of Danville
Fund for Halifax County
South Boston-Halifax County Museum
Southern Virginia Botanical Gardens & Environmental Education Center
Bobby Hawker Memorial Fund
Pittsylvania County Community Action
Holland Fund and Wynne’s Falls Fund
Cross Roads Reconciliation Services
Larry Donald Huskey Memorial Fund
Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Plantation
Piedmont Access to Health Services
Kang-A-Rhue Children’s Cancer Fund
Danville Cancer Association
Keokee Fund
Hannah Ricketts to attend the University of Virginia Summer Enrichment Program
Alexander Heath Light & Mary Nelson Light Mission Fund
Oak Grove Residential Care
Herman and Helen Melton Historical Fund
Pittsylvania County Historical Society
Miller Woodbury Fund
Cape Fear Academy
Moses & Louise A. Merricks Fund
Mount Cross Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Sharon Baptist Church
Wayles Harrison Cancer Fund
Morotock Arts and Culture Fund
Averett University
Danville Area Choral Arts Society
Danville Concert Association
Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
Danville Symphony Orchestra
Irving H. and Louise Hambrick Scarce Animal Fund
Animal Welfare League of Pittsylvania County
Cora Taylor Younger Smith Fund
American Indian College Fund
Berea College
St. Paul’s College
United Negro College Fund
Benjamin M. Sugg Fund
Clover Cemetery
Urban Bible Fund
New Community of Praise
Veterans Memorial Fund
City of Danville

The Community Foundation’s next grant cycle will begin in June for projects to be funded in 2014.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is a public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of civic leaders to improve and enrich area lives through the generosity of donors.

The Community Foundation office can be reached at 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA, 24541, (434) 793-0884 or at www.cfdrr.org.

2012 Annual Report

 

Community Foundation of the Dan River Region 2012 Annual Report

The Community Foundation’s Annual Report is now available for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2012. Please download a copy here. You may also stop by our office to pick up a copy or call us at 434-793-0884 to request a mailed copy

The Community Foundation awards first grants from The Fund for Halifax County

The first grant presentations were recently made from The Fund for Halifax County. Shown left to right are: Halifax Fund Advisory Committee members Logan Young, Bill Kelehar and Mayor Carroll Thackston; Community Foundation Director Debra Dodson; South Boston-Halifax County Museum Board President Paul Smith; and Bill McCabe, Southern Virginia Botanical Gardens Board Vice President Bill McCabe and President Dr. Charles Stallard.

( Halifax County – October 24, 2012) -The Fund for Halifax County has awarded its first grants, thanks to the work of the Halifax County Advisory Committee. The committee consists of a few prominent members of Halifax County who wish to see the county grow and prosper. After carefully reviewing the nine applications received, they chose The South Boston-Halifax County Museum and The Southern Virginia Botanical Gardens and Environmental Education Center Inc. to receive a grant of $500 each. They presented the checks on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at the Botanical Gardens at Edmunds Park in South Boston.

The Fund for Halifax County is a unique opportunity for citizens, organizations and businesses to help build an endowment to improve and enrich lives in Halifax County. The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region hopes to continue to grow this unrestricted fund to enable more grants to be given in the future. The next cycle of grant applications for The Fund for Halifax County will be taken in August 2013.

Anyone can make donations to The Fund for Halifax County. Checks should be made to The Community Foundation, with the Halifax County Fund specified, and mailed to 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541. Online gifts can be made through www.cfdrr.org. Gifts of stock, life insurance, and personal property can be accepted, as well as will bequests.

The Fund for Halifax County was introduced April 21, 2010 at a Chamber Business After Hours hosted by The Community Foundation with The Prizery. The Fund was established after a $10,000 gift from the Chastain Home of Halifax was given to meet the minimum requirement for an endowed fund. The fund’s current balance is $12,600, thanks to numerous smaller donations.

The Community Foundation has made over $1,000,000 in grants in Halifax County since its formation in 1996. In 2003, the Chastain Home for Gentlewomen gave a gift of $1,030,000 to The Community Foundation to provide three years of grantmaking to charitable organizations assisting elderly women in Halifax County. In 2000, a gift from the estate of Benjamin M. Sugg established a fund to provide annual grants to the Clover Cemetery. In 2011, the South Boston Medical Fund was established for indigent care and general Halifax County charitable causes. Currently a donor is working to raise the $10,000 minimum to endow the Gideon Miller Cancer Fund in memory of the former employee of Wells Fargo in Halifax County.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is a fully tax-exempt organization. It has total assets of more than $23 million, with 102 different funds under its umbrella.

The Foundation began in 1996 as DPC Community Foundation with a core service area of Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell Counties. In 2004, the Foundation changed its name to The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region to offer its services to Martinsville/Henry County and South Boston/Halifax County.

For more information on The Fund for Halifax County or establishing a charitable fund of any type, contact the Foundation office at 434-793-0884 or visit the web site www.cfdrr.org.

Hospice Support Services Fund Created with Community Foundation

Danville, VA ‐‐ Hospice Support Services has dissolved and transferred its assets to The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region. The new Hospice Support Services Fund will make grants to area nonprofit agencies to provide assistance with expenses not covered by insurance to Danville-Pittsylvania residents who have elected hospice benefit.

The Community Foundation will work through local nonprofit agencies, such as the Danville Cancer Association, to manage the financial assistance program, with the first funds expected to be available in fall 2013.

Hospice Support Services of Danville-Pittsylvania, Inc. began in 1984 as a grassroots movement within the local Mental Health Association and became a reality in 1985 with the acquisition of local grants. In 1985 patients were admitted with hospice services provided by staff and volunteers. After new licensing requirements by the Commonwealth of Virginia Health Department were implemented in 1993, Hospice Support Services worked as a nonprofit arm of Commonwealth Home Nursing & Hospice.

Currently the Danville region has several hospice providers, all of whom are for-profit. The Community Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization and will be able to accept tax-deductible charitable contributions. The Hospice Support Services Fund would be an appropriate designation for gifts in memory of hospice patients.

“The Community Foundation is grateful that we can help continue the legacy of all the hospice volunteers and donors,” said Debra Dodson, Executive Director of The Community Foundation.

How to Give

Those who wish to support the Hospice Support Services Fund can send donations to The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541. Online credit card gifts can be made at www.cfdrr.org. Please designate if your gift is in memory or honor of someone.

In addition to monetary donations, the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region also accepts donations of property and other assets. These donations can often relieve tax burdens for those who donate, their estates or their heirs. Our professional advisors will work with you to find the best options available for maximizing your gift’s value.

Appreciated Property – Gifts of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate can result in dual tax benefits; the full value of the assets are usually deductible, with no capital gains tax paid on the appreciation.

Wills – A will bequest made to the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is deductible for federal estate tax purposes and may result in additional savings on state inheritance and estate taxes.

IRAs – The gift of an IRA to the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region can, upon your death, eliminate significant income or tax liabilities for the estate.

Life Insurance – A life insurance gift, through a new or existing policy, offers a cost-effective way to make a significant gift to the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is an independent, 501c3 public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of local civic leaders to gather permanent funds to support our area. While the Foundation works with donors to establish funds to benefit any geographic area, our primary service area is Danville/Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. Donations are also being sought to build up resources for South Boston/Halifax County, with consideration being given to other neighboring counties.

Community Foundation meets National Standards

Community Foundation in Top Philanthropic Tier Nationally

Local Organization Meets Rigorous Standards for Quality and Accountability

 Danville, VA – The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region recently received notification that it has met for the second time the nation’s highest philanthropic standards for operational quality, integrity and accountability. The notice comes from the Community Foundations National Standards Board, a national accreditation organization based in Arlington, Va.

“This is similar to the Good Housekeeping Seal for community foundations,” said Diane Miller, Manager, Community Foundations National Standards Board. “It says that The Community Foundation has demonstrated a commitment to operational quality, integrity and accountability.”

The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investments, grantmaking and administration. With over 200 community foundations already confirmed in compliance nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors. Community foundations must submit documentation for recompliance every five years.

“This is critically important to our donors,” said Debra L. Dodson, Executive Director of The Community Foundation. “When people make a memorial gift, set up a charitable bequest, or establish a fund, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their charitable wishes. The National Standards confirmation says our house is in order.”

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region was established in 1996 and currently has assets of more than $23 million, with $1 million awarded annually in grants and scholarships. The foundation works with individuals and groups to establish a range of charitable funds, allowing donors to advance a cause such as education or the environment, support an individual organization, provide flexible support for community needs or recommend individual grants. In addition to affirming the organization’s philanthropic services, the confirmation validates The Community Foundation’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.

“Some say it’s easier to create wealth than to give money away wisely,” said Niki Fallis, Community Foundation board president. “There’s some truth in that. Grantmaking is a lot like investing… we need to assess risks, weigh potential gains, diversify assets, monitor performance and operate fairly. When you see the National Standards Seal, you can be assured that we’re committed to meeting the highest standards for grantmaking as well.”

The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations program is the first of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.

Through philanthropic services, strategic investments and community leadership, The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region helps people support the causes they care about, now and for generations to come. For more information, contact the foundation at 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA  24541, or call 434-793-0884 or visit www.cfdrr.org.

The Community Foundations National Standards Board is a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations that administers and advances National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations by ensuring the integrity of the accreditation process and building the value of compliance. Visit www.cfstandards.org for more information about the program and organization.