THE ACORN SOCIETY

The Stateline Community Foundation offers donors a practical new way to “plant” their own personal, family or business endowment through the Acorn Society. The Acorn Society is tailored to those who want their giving to continue as far into the future as can be imagined, supporting the organizations or fields of interest they value.

The plan is systematic, yet flexible, with a goal of growing into a $10,000 “tree” (your named fund) by donors contributing at least $1,000 per year into their personal, charitable accounts. Payments can be scheduled annually, semi-annually, quarterly or monthly. The funds are invested by the Foundation with interest and dividends reinvested until the donor’s fund reaches $10,000.

To help each fund grow as quickly as possible, the Foundation waives its fees until the $10,000 goal is attained. The donors’ contributed principal will never be spent, as their gifts will come from a portion of their earnings. In this way, contributions in their names will continue forever.

As an Acorn investor, you have several options:

• Involve more than one generation in making the contributions
• Teach philanthropy by creating a fund for your child or grandchild
• Honor someone important in your life by naming a fund in his or her honor.
• Establish an account that would reach $10,000 on a special date, such as a birthday or wedding anniversary
• Build an endowment designated for a specific agency
• Use appreciated securities to make your gifts, and avoid capital-gains tax

The benefits of endowed giving funds:

• Personal participation in charitable giving
• Permanent and perpetual giving opportunities
• Experienced fund and grant management
• Maximum tax advantages

How Each Acorn Grows:

• Year One - A $1,000 acorn is planted.
• Year Two - The seedling is watered with interest and an additional $1,000 gift.
• Years Three through Seven - The young tree receives regular feedings of interest and $1,000 annual gifts. The Stateline Community Foundation contributes, too, because fees are withheld to help the fund grow.
• Around Year Eight - The original acorn has become a sturdy $10,000 tree. It joins other component funds in the Stateline Community Foundation “forest.”