Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore

Let’s Keep the Lower Shore Warm this Winter

2011-12-20T14:37:00.003-05:00

As cold weather settles into our area once again, it is time for us to think of our neighbors who are less fortunate. Again, many local families and senior citizens will face difficult choices this winter. They may have to choose between purchasing food, vital medications or keeping warm.

If you or someone you know is having trouble keeping up with energy bills, the Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) offers assistance to income-eligible households. Information on the program can be found by calling 1-800-352-1446 or by checking with the Local Home Energy Programs Office for your county (see the Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs website www.dhr.state.md.us/ohep).

Unfortunately, due to Congressional budget delays and cuts at other levels of government, program funding will be substantially lower this year than in the past. It will fall to local not-for-profit organizations and churches to make up the difference for many local families.

To help provide assistance with heating bills, you may donate to the Help Your Neighbor Fund at the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. One-hundred percent of the funds collected are distributed to local grassroots organizations for energy, prescription or food assistance. Another option is to seek out one of the many organizations throughout the area that provide direct assistance to families in need. Our area is blessed with organizations that have a long track record of getting assistance to those in need in a highly efficient and effective way. Whichever option you choose, you will be making a difference for our neighbors in need.

I can’t think of a better way to express the true spirit of Christmas.

Happy Holidays to All,

Spicer Bell
President - Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore

Free Non-profit Webinars for January 2012

2011-12-20T10:15:00.000-05:00

24+ free non-profit webinars scheduled for January. Topics include: events; recruiting with LinkedIn; proposal writing; leadership engagement; fundraising planning; social media marketing and lots more.

Read More Here

IRS Extends Filing Deadlines

2011-12-19T13:35:00.000-05:00

Tax-exempt organizations with January and February filing due dates will have until March 30, 2012, to file their annual returns, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

The IRS is granting this extension of time to file because the part of the e-file system that processes electronically filed returns of tax-exempt organizations will be off-line during January and February.

The agency stressed that the rest of the e-file system will continue to operate normally and urged all individuals and businesses to choose the accuracy, speed and convenience of electronic filing.

In general, the extension applies to tax-exempt organizations whose normal filing deadline is either Jan. 17 or Feb. 15, 2012. Ordinarily, these deadlines would apply to organizations with a fiscal year that ended on Aug. 31 or Sept. 30, 2011, respectively.

The extension also applies to organizations that already obtained an initial three-month filing extension and now have an extended filing deadline that falls on Jan. 17 or Feb. 15, 2012. The majority of tax-exempt organizations will be unaffected by this extension because they operate on a calendar-year basis and have a May 15 filing deadline.

The extension applies to affected organizations filing Forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, or 1120-POL. Form 990-N filers will not be affected. No form needs to be filed to get the March 30 extension.

To avoid receiving a late filing penalty notice, a reasonable cause statement should be attached to the tax return. If organizations receive late-filing penalty notices, they should contact the IRS so that these penalties can be abated. The IRS encouraged these organizations to consider either e-filing early -- before the end of December -- or waiting until March to file electronically.

Reprinted from The NonProfit Times

IRA Charitable Rollover

2011-12-01T08:52:00.004-05:00

A tax-free, charitable opportunity…

There is a tax-free charitable giving opportunity some local residents may not want to miss. While the fate of the IRA charitable rollover law remains uncertain for 2012, this year it continues to offer people aged 70 1/2 and older a special, tax-free opportunity to make a significant charitable gift.

How does the IRA charitable rollover work?

If you are at least 70 1/2 and required to take a minimum distribution from your IRA, you can transfer up to $100,000 of your IRA assets directly to a public charity. The transferred assets will not be recognized as income, so they will be free from federal income taxes today and estate taxes in the future. If you and your spouse both are subject to required minimum distributions, you can achieve the charitable gift of a lifetime by transferring up to $100,000 each.

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore offers a number of options to achieve your charitable objectives through an IRA charitable rollover:

You can establish or add to a designated fund benefiting one or more nonprofits of your choice.
You can establish or add to a field of interest fund in support of a particular area of interest in the Lower Shore area, such as the arts, education, or the environment.
Through a transfer to the Lower Shore Fund for Community Needs, you can help the Foundation address the most critical unmet needs in our area.

Please keep in mind that at present, only IRA withdrawals qualify for this special charitable treatment. The withdrawals cannot come from any other type of retirement plan, nor do they qualify for any additional charitable deduction. Although expanding the charitable IRA rollover has been discussed in Congress, it currently does not apply to other charitable alternatives such as donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and private foundations.

To learn more about this and other charitable giving strategies, contact the Community Foundation at 410-742-9911.

Spicer Bell
President
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore

National Community Foundation Week

2011-11-14T10:48:00.001-05:00

These are difficult times for many in our community. Unemployment remains high, paychecks don’t go very far, and every day it seems another public service is being curtailed in the interest of budget cuts. That’s why the kinds of innovative investments being made by philanthropy—particularly community foundations—have never been more important on the Lower Shore.

National Community Foundation Week 2011, November 12 thru 18, spotlights the vital role of more than 700 community foundations nationwide in supporting essential services such as health care clinics, food banks, domestic violence shelters, libraries, and volunteer fire departments. In 2010, these foundations granted an estimated $4 billion to a variety of nonprofit activities in the arts, education, health and human services, the environment, and disaster relief. Though they could never replace the role of government-funded services, community foundations can help nonprofit organizations and others by using their private resources for the public good.

Community foundations’ financial independence allows them to take risks, sometimes achieving extraordinary results and affecting change. As a part of our 2011 Homelessness Community Initiative, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore made grants to local community outreach groups, food banks and homeless shelters. Those grants helped to provide utility and prescription assistance to those in need, provide food for thousands of local citizens, provide a day facility for the homeless, reconnect homeless individuals with employment and provide shelter for homeless families.

Community foundations know that the investments they make today will help people for many years to come. By marshaling the financial resources of individuals, families, and businesses, we can address unemployment, stagnant economic growth, hunger, and poverty issues. By strategically working with others, community foundations equip communities to more effectively deal with such future challenges.

To find out more about how you can become a part of this important philanthropic movement, contact the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore at 410-742-9911 or through our website www.cfes.org.

Spicer Bell
President
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore

ShoreCAN Marks Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 with Volunteer Event

2011-08-11T10:16:00.003-04:00

The Community Foundation and ShoreCAN Volunteer Center is observing the tenth anniversary of 9/11 by hosting a Just In Case Emergency Kit Event on Saturday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. at the MAC Senior Center building, 909 Progress Circle Drive in Salisbury.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, thousands of volunteers responded to the needs of their neighbors and provided emergency relief and funding necessary to rebuild those communities. This event is a tribute to those generous efforts. Citizens of all ages can volunteer alongside others while assembling emergency disaster kits designed for older adults and their caregivers.

In partnership with Meals on Wheels, the emergency kits will be distributed to 425 seniors living at home in our local community the week of 9/11.

Volunteer opportunities ranging from creating care cards, emergency kit assembly and packaging will be available. We invite you to bring your family, your friends or your service organization to contribute your time to this special effort.

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please call Heather Towers, Assistant Program Officer, Community Foundation ShoreCAN at 410-742-9911. ShoreCAN is also accepting financial contributions to support kit materials for this project.

Strike Out Hunger Food Barrels

2011-05-10T10:06:00.000-04:00

The Maryland Food Bank came yesterday to pickup TWO barrels full of donated food for our Strike Out Hunger campaign. There's plenty of time for you to still donate - all the way up to the Shorebirds All-Star game in June. Stop by our offices today.

Note From the President

2011-05-06T12:06:00.000-04:00

The recent CBS 60 Minutes report regarding controversy over Three Cups of Tea author Greg Mortenson and his charity has some donors asking questions about the charities they support. Unfortunately, knowing how your donated dollars are being used is not always easy to determine and understand. I offer several suggestions.

First, don’t get carried away with celebrity driven fundraising. Having a big name associated with a cause does not mean that the charity is well-run. In addition, those celebrity driven campaigns often spend a lot of money on advertising and fundraising and then take our donations far away from local needs.

Second, take the time to do your research and get to know the charities you are supporting. If it is a local group and you have the time, volunteer with the group to get a first-hand understanding of their mission and how they are organized. You can also check out charities by using internet based organizations, such as GuideStar or Charity Navigator. Donors who have donor-advised funds through the Community Foundation benefit from our extensive experience with a large number of local charities and can access our capacity to assist them with research.

Third, when in doubt, keep your charitable giving local. Our area has a wide range of well-run charitable organizations that are responding to critical needs in an efficient and effective way. They provide local jobs, support the local economy, and address the needs of our neighbors. They have developed an extensive network of volunteers who address a wide range of community needs.

Never has there been a time when we have more neighbors in need. In times like this, our area has always risen to the challenge. Let’s not let a controversy far from home distract us from the true mission of our charitable giving.

Sincerely,

Spicer Bell

21+ Free Non-Profit Webinars for May 2011

2011-04-25T13:10:00.000-04:00

Here is a list of free webinars for non-profits for the month of May. This month, there are 21+ free webinars on topics such as: social CRM; optimizing land pages, grantseeking; online fundraising; writing volunteer job descriptions and much more. Have a good look through the round-up of webinars to see what might interest you or others in your organization.

Let's help reactivate the Help Your Neighbor Fund

2011-04-01T10:35:00.003-04:00

Last year, while waiting for her new employer's health insurance to become active, a local woman suffered a heart attack.She found herself unable to work, with medical bills piling up and household expenses mounting.Facing utility disconnection, she reached out to the Seton Center in Princess Anne, whichwas able to provide emergency assistance -- made possible by the Help Your Neighbor Fund. She had never before had to ask for help, but was grateful for the Help Your Neighbor Fund -- and donors like you.

Since 2008, the Help Your Neighbor Fund at the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore has helped change thousands of people's lives in similar ways, simply by providing emergency pharmaceutical, food and utility assistance through local charities.

Grants have been awarded to small local nonprofit organizations with a proven capacity to assure that Help Your Neighbor financial assistance gets to those who need it the most in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

Unfortunately, this special fund is running low. We are asking for the community's help.Your donation will keep this fund alive, so it can continue providing emergency assistance to families and individuals adversely impacted by the economy and already overwhelmed assistance programs.

Consider the impact your support can have.Help us reactivate the Help Your Neighbor Fund. Send a tax-deductible donation to the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, 1324 Belmont Ave., Suite 401, Salisbury, Md. 21801, or donate online at www.cfes.org.

We are your Community Foundation, connecting people who care with causes that matter, for more than 26 years.

April 1

2011-03-29T08:23:00.002-04:00

Coming Soon....

Note from the President

2011-03-17T14:45:00.000-04:00

A true friend of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore has passed away.We are all saddened by the loss of former board member and chairwoman Virginia Layfield.

In addition to her amazing health care career, Layfield strongly believed in and supported the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.She began her term at the Community Foundation in January 1993.Known for her unwavering commitment and gracious leadership, she served 12 years on the Community Foundation Board, during which she served three years as chairwoman -- from 1999-2001.

She was the recipient of the Chairman's Award for 1995, as well as the Frank H. Morris Humanitarian Award in 1998.

It was during her tenure as board chairwoman that the foundation began the ambitious Perdue-Kresge Endowment Challenge.During her final year as chair, Phase 1 of the Kresge Challenge was completed, which added $2 million to the Foundation's Community Needs Endowment.

As a generous donor to the foundation, Layfield established two endowed funds -- the Virginia B. Layfield Endowment Fund to benefit Peninsula Regional Medical Center and the Virginia B. Layfield Lower Shore Fund for Community Needs.

Her funds will continue to carry on her good works for generations to come.

Layfield's commitment to the Community Foundation is just another example of her love for this community.She may no longer be in our presence, but her memory will continue to inspire all of us whose lives she touched.She leaves behind a true legacy of caring.

Sincerely,

Spicer Bell

Free Non-profit Webinars for March 2011

2011-03-01T09:52:00.002-05:00

There are over 24 webinars on topics such as: building capacity with Boomer volunteers; social media metrics and benchmarking; project management for non-profits; and numerous leadership and fundraising sessions. So be sure to look through the list to see what might interest you or others in your organization.

Wild Apricot Blog

Global Youth Service Day

2011-03-01T08:51:00.000-05:00

Global Youth Service Day is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in your local community. ShoreCAN welcomes youth of all ages and their families to join us at the project sites below. Each project site and team will have a dedicated Volunteer Leader who is responsible for refreshments and prizes. All volunteers involved with this service event will receive a ShoreCAN T-shirt. Also, one youth volunteer (18 and under) at each of the four youth project sites will win a $15 ITunes gift card. For more information please visit www.cfes.org/gysd

The Power of the Purse

2011-02-11T09:20:00.001-05:00

31 Free Non-Profit Webinars for February 2011

2011-01-24T13:19:00.001-05:00

The Wild Apricot Blog has 31 free non-profit webinars already scheduled for the month of February. There is a wide range of webinar topics, there's bound to be something of interest to you or other folks in your organization.

TAXES: Requirements loosened for small charities

2011-01-13T15:21:00.003-05:00

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that small tax-exempt organizations may be able to shift to a simpler form in filing their 2010 reports.

The IRS today issued guidance that will allow more tax-exempt organizations to file the e-Postcard rather than the Form 990-EZ or the standard Form 990.

For tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2010, most tax-exempt organizations whose gross annual receipts are normally $50,000 or less can file the e-Postcard.

The threshold was previously set at $25,000 or less.

Annual Electronic Filing Requirement for Small Exempt Organizations — Form 990-N (e-Postcard)

(source)

New law creates charitable opportunity

2011-01-10T07:56:00.000-05:00

On Dec. 17, new legislation was passed extending the IRA charitable rollover until Dec. 31. As a result, people aged 70 1/2 and older have a special tax-free opportunity to make the charitable gift of a lifetime.

How the IRA charitable rollover works: If you are at least 70 1/2, the new law allows you to transfer up to $100,000 of your IRA assets for each of 2010 and 2011 directly to a qualified public charity, such as the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.

Since the assets you transfer will not be recognized as income, they will not trigger federal income taxes today or estate tax in the future.

If you are married, you and your spouse can each transfer up to $100,000 per year.

At the Community Foundation, you have a number of options for your IRA charitable rollover:

Through a transfer to our Lower Shore Fund for Community Needs, you can help the foundation address the most critical unmet needs in our community.
You can establish or add to a field of interest fund in support of a particular area of interest, such as the arts, education, or the environment.
You can establish or add to a designated fund for one or more nonprofits of your choice.

Please keep in mind you only have until Jan. 31 to make your IRA charitable rollover for 2010.

For 2011, however, you have until Dec. 31 to accomplish your transfer. Only IRA withdrawals qualify for IRA charitable rollover treatment.

They cannot come from any other type of retirement plan -- nor do they qualify for any additional charitable deduction. IRA charitable rollovers cannot be made to donor advised funds, charitable gift annuities, or charitable remainder trusts, nor do they apply to private foundations and supporting organizations.

To learn more about this and other charitable giving strategies, contact your favorite charity or the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore at 410-742-9911.

IRA Charitable Rollover Reinstated for 2010-2011

2010-12-21T13:31:00.008-05:00

The IRA Charitable Rollover and other critical giving incentives have been reinstated through 2011. On December 17, 2010 the President signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. Contributions for the 2010 tax year can be made retroactively through January 2011. .

The IRA Rollover was first enacted in 2006 as part of the Pension Protection Act. The provision allows individuals aged 70½ and older to donate up to $100,000 from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to public charities without having to count the distributions as taxable income.

Since the provision was first enacted, Americans have made millions of dollars of new contributions to nonprofits -- such as social service programs, religious organizations, arts and cultural institutions, schools, and health care providers -- that benefit people every day.

If you have any questions, please contact the Community Foundation or your Financial Advisor.

Note from the President

2010-12-13T07:53:00.000-05:00

The other morning I woke up from a restful sleep in my warm bed and as I reached over to turn off the alarm I did so looking forward to a hot shower and nutritious breakfast. That is the way I begin most days and I took it for granted until later that day when I participated in a meeting of the Community Foundation’s Community Initiative Committee with representatives of local homeless shelters. That meeting reminded me of how fortunate I am.

For many of us, the homeless are invisible. We either do not encounter the homeless in our social circles or choose not to see the homeless as we go about our daily lives. Yet, for many families, just one major medical bill, one lay-off or an unexpected financial crisis, can send them scrambling for assistance or into the street.

Later that day I visited the Christian Shelter to commemorate their 30^thAnniversary. They are just one of several local organizations that provide support, respite and in many cases a second chance to get lives back together and on the road to regained confidence, permanent housing, and employment. Their board and staff shared some of their success in helping others turn their lives around. They also shared their frustration that there are many who they must turn away due to a lack of space and resources.

When someone is homeless, it affects us all. Their family and our community experience lost productivity, public assistance programs are stretched and they lose hope in the future.

For the last several years, the Community Foundation’s “Help Your Neighbor” Fund has supported nonprofit and faith-based organizations that reach out to vulnerable families with assistance to keep them from becoming homeless and provide prescription and food assistance if they are homeless.

During this holiday season, remember the homeless and reach out to the organizations that make a difference in their lives. If you would like more information on the Community Foundation’s “Help Your Neighbor” Fund and organizations supporting the homeless, please call 410-742-9911 or visit our website at www.cfes.org.

On behalf of the Community Foundation family, I wish you, your families and friends a joyous holiday season.

Sincerely,

Spicer Bell

20+ Free Nonprofit Webinars in December

2010-11-29T14:51:00.000-05:00

Busy as this season is for nonprofit folks, with year-end fundraising campaigns on the professional side and family events on the personal side, there’s no better time to sneak in a bit of professional development to get you ready for a bright New Year!

December’s schedule is lighter on scheduled webinars than most months of the year, but you’re still sure to find something here to help you “do more with less”:

Holiday Food Drive

2010-11-18T10:47:00.001-05:00

From November 1st through December 17th the ShoreCAN Volunteer Center and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore are sponsoring a food drive.

More individuals and families than ever are looking for food assistance to survive. They need our help this holiday season.

All donations will be divided between the Maryland Food Bank and the Christian Shelter in Wicomico County. Deliveries will be made during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Items that are especially needed in our community: Toilet paper, paper towels, bleach, cooking oil, children's drinks or juices, powdered drink mixes, sandwich bags, pine sol cleaners, peanut butter, canned foods including meats, vegetables, fruit, and soups; dried foods, oatmeal, pasta, toothpaste, bar soap, deodorant, diapers, and dry box baby food.

For more information contact Heather Towers at 410-742-9911 or shorecan@cfes.org.

2010 Annual Appeal

2010-11-16T15:39:00.000-05:00

Donate online now at www.cfes.org

Women Give More to Charity

2010-10-29T12:36:00.000-04:00

A new study called “Women Give 2010: New Research about Women and Giving” says women are more generous charitable givers than men.

Evidence clearly shows that married couples give more and are more likely to give than singles, in large part because married people tend to be more connected socially, which is linked to philanthropic giving. But it’s hard to separate out a wife’s giving from a husband’s. So for this study, Debra J. Mesch, Ph.D., Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, looked at only male and female households which included never marrieds, divorced/separated, and widows/widowers.

What she found was very interesting: In each of the five different income groups analyzed, female-headed households are more likely to give to charity than male-headed households. In every income group except for one, women give more than men.

We now have the proof that all women, even those at the lower end of the pay scale, are actively supporting nonprofit causes and giving more money than their male counterparts.

(source)

24+ Free Webinars for Nonprofits: October 2010

2010-10-01T11:07:00.000-04:00

October 2010 is notable for the variety of topics in the free nonprofit webinars on schedule – both recurring events and special one-time opportunities for professional development.

Find a listing here

IRS Widget Reminds Small Charities of Key Paperwork Deadline

2010-09-29T13:15:00.001-04:00

The Internal Revenue Service has released an online widget that charities, donors, and volunteers can place on their Web or social-networking sites "to help spread the word about the one-time filing relief for small organizations at risk of losing their tax-exempt status."

The IRS announced in July that small groups in danger of losing their exemptions because they have failed to file required informational tax returns (called Forms 990-N or e-Postcards) can preserve their charitable status by filing returns by October 15, 2010.

The new widget directs charities to click on the IRS Web site to obtain key information.
"When local charities lose, everybody loses: Protect your favorite charity's tax-exempt status," the widget says in part. "Many do not know of this law, or that they are at risk."

Instructions are provided on how to post the widgets. An example can be found below:

source

IRA gift still may be great charitable choice in 2010

2010-09-13T14:08:00.001-04:00

We’re still waiting, along with many charitable individuals over 70 1/2 years old, for national legislation to continue the option of giving IRA assets to charity.

This rollover option is an attractive one for people who don’t need to use their required IRA payout as part of their budget, but want to avoid paying tax by using the distribution for charity. This is a win-win for the charity and the older individual, who has been able to donate a maximum of $100,000 a year according to the legislation which expired in 2009.

Many experts believe this provision will win approval again before the end of 2010, but everyone is hoping for sooner rather than later for maximum benefit in year-end tax planning. It may make for a busy few weeks in late December, as your Community Foundation and other charities work to help donors make the direct transfer that is necessary to avoid unintended tax consequences.

Stay tuned and check out the recent Wall Street Journal article on the subject.

source

How to Incorporate Philanthropy Into Your Business

2010-09-02T09:36:00.000-04:00

Are you waiting to give back to your community after your business is more securely established? While that is an important factor to consider, donating time and resources can be an essential part of a sustainable business strategy, as a recent article in Inc. suggests.

Is Your Nonprofit at Risk of Losing Its 501(c)(3) Status?

2010-08-31T15:21:00.001-04:00

Some nonprofits in Maryland are at risk of losing nonprofit status due to failure to file tax forms for three consecutive years, even those with revenues of $25,000 or less. The deadline to file has passed but the IRS is offering a one-time special filing relief program that will allow nonprofits to preserve their tax-exempt status if they file returns by October 15, 2010.

Click here for the IRS list of nonprofit organizations at risk. For more information, visit the IRS website.

Welcome to our updated website!

2010-08-26T13:18:00.000-04:00

We love our modernized website, and hope you will too! Many new features were added to make our site more dynamic, including this blog. We are thankful to John Gehrig and his staff at D3Corp for the design work.

We hope you'll find our website a place to support the endowment of a local charity, learn more about creating a fund with the foundation, or follow local and national news in philanthropy and nonprofit management. Our calendar is a place to find upcoming trainings and events sponsored by the Community Foundation and our partners. Check out our video portal with channels of videos ranging from our ShoreCAN volunteer center to our annual meetings.

Let us know what you think!