Creating the Future
of the Black Hills!
Giving Wisely Makes a World of Difference
There are so many charitable requests to consider that it can be difficult to decide which charities to support. That is why we have started www.giveblackhills.org. This website can be your resource for information about charities in the Black Hills area of South Dakota: who they are, what they do and what kind of impact they have.
As you review the profiles on this site, you may want to make your own checklist of qualities that make a charity a good value for your philanthropic contribution. Here are some suggestions for giving wisely that you can keep in mind:
Know the charities you give to. When you read their newsletters, attend their events, and know the staff, you know your gift makes a difference. You can volunteer if that suits your interests. By being actively engaged with a charity you will understand who receives services and who benefits from the programs they offer. Black Hills Area Community Foundation can provide information about charities that are doing good work that has an impact in our area.
Give to charities that improve your life. You may not realize how much you or your family members benefit from sports, arts, healthcare or educational groups that are actually IRS designated 501(c)(3) charities. They are all around us in our community, providing the programs and services that improve our quality of life. They need your support in order to grow, thrive and reach out to everyone in our community. You can measure your return not only by how much enjoyment you get from participating in their programs, but also by how much they impact the people they serve - day in and day out.
Giving locally strengthens our area's economy. Nonprofit organizations are businesses. They range from university and hospitals to homeless shelters and child care. Some employ hundreds of people, some just one or are run by volunteers. As businesses, they buy supplies, pay employment taxes and often are important customers for local for-profit businesses. Your contribution thus circulates around the community having an impact in many ways.
Consider the personal impact of your gift. You may never know all the people who are positively affected by your contribution, but you will learn about some of them. They are the success stories reported in the media, they are your neighbor's friends, a couple at church, and a schoolmate of your child. The care they receive and the programs they experience from local nonprofit organizations are often life changing. Consider this to be the "compounding effect" of your gift. Your measure of impact should be the number of people in our community times the number of people they affect in the world.
Let experts advise you. Your financial advisor, accountant, attorney or banker can help you identify the most taxwise way to give. Black Hills Area Community Foundation is available to consult with regarding issues and causes in our community.
Keep it simple. If you have many charities that you care about, you may want to consider establishing a donor advised fund at Black Hills Area Community Foundation. Through a donor advised fund you will have the ease of making one gift that can benefit any number of charities. Contact www.bhacf.org about establishing a donor advised fund that can be your charitable investment for current and future giving.
Truly, today's investment in a charity is tomorrow's phenomenal return. It is one way to get the most from your dollar. Call the Black Hills Area Community Foundation at 605.718.0112 for more information on the benefits of charitable giving or visit www.bhacf.org.
