The Case for Planned Giving on Feb. 27

Like the rest of us, securing their financial future is a major concern to island non-profits. Endow Orcas is a plan, put forward by the Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF), to assist non-profits in establishing a “legacy” of sustainability for their organizations.

Joe Cohen of the OICF explained Endow Orcas to the island nonprofits and general public in his talk, “The Case for Planned Giving” on Friday February 27^th at the Eastsound Fire Hall.

The presentation was planned to help clarify for all participants the critical importance of “securing the financial future of your organization through Planning Giving and Endowment,” said Hilary Canty, Executive Director of OICF.

In advance of the public meeting on Feb. 27, representatives of boards of many Orcas non-profits met on Thursday, Feb. 26 to discuss the progress that has been made in the last year, goal-setting and strategies, and various organizations’ Legacy Plans.

Martha Farish, co-presenter (with Diane Berreth) of the Thursday event, said that through the community outreach for planned giving, “we are preparing a class of people who are able to lead.”

Canty said that now is the “optimal time to reassess assumptions; what’s true today may not be true tomorrow.”

Cohen emphasized “Endow Orcas is helping community non-profits secure their financial future through planned giving.” The concepts of Endow Orcas, including income and estate tax strategies, was presented by Cohen in his talk on Feb. 27.

The Community Foundation is an Orcas-based public foundation, with all donations specifically directed to benefit the charitable needs of Orcas Island. OICF comes open-handed to the Orcas Island community, with no intention of competing with existing fund-raising efforts by other groups.

It does not conduct traditional public fund-raising events, but instead builds endowment through individual bequests, memorials, and donations from a variety of sources. According to the OICF website, “We strive to create an atmosphere where everyone — old groups, new programs, small organizations and big ones — is comfortable approaching OICF. Our hope is to come together in the spirit of building a strong financial base which will enhance the long-term health, stability and diversity of our island community.”

“Despite the current economic challenges now is the time for leadership in the non profit world – serving and informing donors as to how planned giving tools may benefit their communities. Nothing could be more timely or appropriate,” says Canty.

For more information about The Orcas Island Community Foundation, call 376-6423 or go to www.oicf.us