Donations provide opportunities for you to give a lasting gift to Southern Alberta. Named or anonymous gifts provide the base funds upon which community programs thrive. Whether you establish your own fund or support one of the Foundation’s existing funds, you join people who have one thing in common, the desire to make a difference in their community forever.
Your gift continues to give year after year because your donation is invested as a permanent endowment fund and managed by a knowledgeable team of community leaders, staff, and professional investment advisors. Starting a fund or making a donation often results in significant tax benefits for the donor. Foundation staff will work with you, your lawyer, accountant, life insurance agent or financial planner to find the approach that works best for you. Inquiries are held in strict confidence and without obligation. If you would like to discuss donation options, please contact Charlotte Caton, Development Officer or Neil Manning, Executive Director at (403) 328-5297 or by email.
Charitable Giving Choices
Whether you establish your own fund or support an existing fund, you join others who have one thing in common: the desire to make a difference in their community …forever.
You gift continues to give year after year because your donation is invested as a permanent endowment fund and managed by a knowledgeable team of community leaders, staff, and professional investment advisors.
Starting a fund or making a donation often results in significant tax benefits for the donor. Foundation staff will work with you, your lawyer, accountant, life insurance agent or financial planner to find the approach that works best for you. Inquiries are held in strict confidence and without obligation. For more information, please call (403) 328-5297 or email
Establish a Fund
Donors who wish to establish a fund with the Lethbridge Community Foundation may choose any of these options. The minimum donation required to start a fund is $1,000.
Named Fund Within the Community Fund
This unrestricted fund is applied to the community’s most pressing needs.
Field of Interest Fund
The donor designates a charitable field of interest (such as education, arts, health, youth) and income is distributed within the area at the discretion of the Foundation Board. This fund can also be specified for use within a defined geographical area.
Donor Directed Fund
The donor specifies the recipient organizations at the time the donation is made to the Foundation.
Designated Fund
The donor reserves the privilege of designating the organizations that receive grants.
Memorial Tributes
The donor remembers a loved one by making a donation in his or her name with the Lethbridge Community Foundation.
Emerging Fund
An Emerging Fund gives donors several years to build a $10,000 (or larger) fund. Over ten years donors make an annual contribution of $1,000 or more to their Emerging Fund. When their commitment is complete, donors designate recipients of the income generated by the fund.
Managed Fund
As a public service, the Lethbridge Community Foundation accepts, administers, and manages funds of other charitable organizations. These funds are not endowed with the Foundation and each fund requires a special management agreement.
Other Options
Donors may wish to support the work of the Foundation through charitable
contributions to the following funds:
Community Caring Fund
Income from this fund is disbursed to support charitable organizations throughout Southern Alberta, meeting needs in several areas: historical and educational; social need and health; culture, recreation and environmental.
Administrative Endowment Fund
This fund supports the Foundation’s operations and programs, helping to minimize operating costs.
Existing Open Funds
Virtually all established Designated and Field of Interest funds welcome and accept additional gifts.
Transfer Other Assets
Trustees of an existing private foundation or charitable trust may find it practical and economical to transfer the assets into a named fund with the Lethbridge Community Foundation. Doing so ensures that the intent, purpose, and identity of the fund are preserved. Family members and trustees are welcome to participate as fund advisors.
Corporate Giving
A business may choose to use the Foundation as a vehicle for its community giving program. The Foundation will assist in identifying needs in keeping with the corporate strategy. Over time the fund will grow, ensuring that charitable distributions can be made regardless of periodic profit variations.
Discover the Joy of Giving
We often hear that it is better to give than to receive, and research indicates that people who know the joy of giving live longer, on average. In addition, all gifts to the Lethbridge Community foundation generate a tax benefit. You can give in a number of ways:
- Make an outright gift of cash
- Donate property
- Provide a bequest in your will
- Purchase or transfer a life insurance policy with the Foundation as beneficiary
- Set up a planned gift, such as a charitable remainder trust.
- Transfer an existing foundation, charitable trust or endowment
- Transfer publicly traded securities
- Donate windfall gains such as those resulting from the demutualization of life insurance companies
Donor Recognition
The Foundation recognizes donors in various print and electronic publications. Should you prefer to donate anonymously, the Foundation will respect your wishes. Annually, the Foundation publishes the names of those who have donated to Community, Field of Interest, Designated Funds and Emerging Funds. Donor list
Wise Long-Term Planning
A desire to ensure the long-term survival of their programs led the Lethbridge Handicapped Riding Association to invest with the Lethbridge Community Foundation.
“Right now we have a board that’s dedicated to fundraising, but they won’t always be there and volunteer burn-out is a problem,” says Al Braden, Director of Finance and Vice-President for the Riding Association. “We need a permanent solution to funding concerns, so we’ve established a fund that will last in perpetuity with the Foundation.”
The fund is named in honour of Joanne Perlich, the first president of the Lethbridge Handicapped Riding Association. “We’ll continue to fundraise and put 10 per cent of the money into the Foundation fund to build it until it can contribute significantly to our operations. This is the best way to guarantee our organization’s future.”
Al. Braden says they did extensive research before deciding to invest with the Lethbridge Community Foundation. “It really is the best place to put our money. The Foundation’s return on investment was fantastic last year and the funds are protected. They are as safe as you can make them — as safe as Canada.”
Watching Gifts Work
“I think that donating to the Lethbridge Community Foundation is a sensible idea and, for me, the logical thing to do,” says Kathleen A. Young, who moved to Lethbridge in 1922 and has been an active volunteer throughout the years.
“I canvassed for a lot of charities and participated in many tag days,” she says. In addition, she was also active in the IODE and Red Cross, among other organizations. Mrs. Young became aware of the possibility of creating specific funds with the Foundation while consulting Tom McNab and Bob Parkyn, partners in the chartered accountant firm, Young Parkyn McNab, founded by her late husband, George A. Young.
“They explained that it was not difficult to do. I just talked to the Foundation, made a list of charities I wanted to support, and they did the rest. It really was an easy way to arrange my affairs and let me enjoy assisting these charities now, while I’m still here.”
Knows Her Gift is Used Wisely
Long-time Lethbridge resident Margaret McKay has generously donated to her community through a cash gift to the Lethbridge Community Foundation.
“I’ve supported lots of charities, including St. Michael’s, the Regional Hospital and Kidney Foundation,” says Mrs. McKay. “And I think the Lethbridge Community Foundation is a good organization to support. The Foundation gives to many different community groups and they give a lot of thought to who gets the grants.” She adds cheerily, “They will use my gift wisely and, more importantly, if they decide who most needs the grants, I don’t have to think about it.”
Remembering a Loved One
What began on the spur of the moment has become an ongoing memorial to a beloved family member and her love of music. Over 10 years ago, when Lethbridge resident Helen Johnson died, her daughter Katherine (Katie) Johnson decided that, instead of flowers, people should have the option of donating to a music scholarship in her Mom’s memory. Helen’s other six children agreed and that was the beginning of the Helen Johnson Memorial Fund, which provides a scholarship to the first place winner of the annual Young Artist Competition, sponsored by the Lethbridge Symphony Association.
“Helen was always interested in music and her grandmother taught music in China,” says brother-in-law Ralph Johnson. “All of Helen’s kids were musical, too although Katie is the only one singing professionally.” A graduate of Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, Katherine is now a professional opera singer in New York. “We placed the memorial fund with the Lethbridge Community Foundation because we have faith in their ability to manage money,” explains Ralph. “And family and friends continue to donate to the fund in Helen’s memory.”
The Lethbridge Community Foundation works with you to ensure that your gift will fulfil your reason for giving. For more details, please contact Charlotte Caton, Development Officer at 328-5297.