Why Choose MCF?
 | Vilas Park Zoo entrance
Madison, WI |
We're experienced. The staff and board of the Madison Community Foundation have served the residents of Dane County and beyond for more than 67 years.
The charitable funds we manage for over 900 individual, family, non profit and corporate fundholders make up total assets of more than $115 million. Each year, MCF distributes more than $10 million in grant distributions to impact the lives of thousands of people and hundreds of charitable causes, close to home and far away.
Giving made easy. Philanthropy is important work, but it doesn't need to be hard work. Some people create a private family foundation to pursue their philanthropic goals. But for many others, a donor advised fund at the Madison Community Foundation is an efficient and effective way to give. A donor advised fund provides the best features of a private family foundation without the legal and administrative burdens.
We know philanthropy. We are experts when it comes to charities, charitable giving, and engaging family, friends, and communities in your charitable efforts. We can help create the best giving plan and vehicle based on your charitable goals, giving level and time available for philanthropy.
Personalized services. The staff of the Madison Community Foundation provide personalized donor services including research on an organization or issue area, ideas for how to involve your family in your charitable work, individual meetings to discuss your philanthropic goals, special donor events, charity site visits and more. Funds may be created and charitable distributions made that protect the anonymity of donors. We welcome any question you may have on how to achieve your philanthropic goals.
A wide variety of gifts accepted. Do you want to establish your fund with real estate or closely held stock? Most commercial gift funds and smaller charities cannot accept or manage complicated gifts, while MCF has done so for many years. A complete list of contribution options is described in
What to Give Now.
More to charity, less upkeep. Our charitable giving options provide maximum tax benefits at a very low cost. A donor advised fund is far less expensive to create and operate than a private family foundation, and it offers greater tax benefits. Compare a donor advised fund to a
private foundation.
We're financially sound. Our assets are invested by two outstanding financial management firms. Our Investment Committee meets quarterly to review the investment performance and current allocations, hear presentations from the investment managers, and make strategic decisions regarding allocation targets. Our
Investment Snapshot provides current information on portfolio asset allocations and investment returns.
We know Madison and Dane County. We are based in Madison and we know local charities and the funding opportunities in our neighborhoods and surrounding communities. We have been working in Dane County for over 66 years. Whether your passion lies in the arts, education, youth, community development, the environment, affordable housing, or one of our many other areas of expertise, we use our knowledge of the charity world to connect you to programs that address the topics you care about - close to home, around the country, and throughout the world.
We have local oversight by community leaders. The foundation's
Board of Governors provides stewardship for all its funds. Serving without compensation, the directors approve grant distributions, guide and review
investment performance and over see the foundation's operations.
We're here forever. As a steward of endowment funds that will go on in perpetuity, we understand the nature of a permanent legacy. We work with donors to create funds designed to last forever. And if someday the need for the fund no longer exists, our
Board of Governors will locate the nearest possible use for the charitable resources.
To learn more, contact Office Coordinator,
Darcy Kobinsky at (608) 232-1763.