Create an Impact Today—and a Legacy for Tomorrow

There are many meaningful ways to support the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation and the community programs we serve. Whether you make a gift today or include the Foundation in your estate plans, your generosity helps enhance the quality of life for present and future generations throughout the Greater Grinnell community.

Our team welcomes the opportunity to work with you, your family, attorney, financial advisor, or tax professional to identify a giving option that reflects your charitable goals and personal circumstances.

Give Today

2. Cash or Check

Gifts may be made by check payable to:

Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation
P.O. Box 284
1510 Penrose Street
Grinnell, IA 50112

Please include the name of the fund or program you wish to support in the memo line. Gifts without a specific designation will be used where they can make the greatest difference.

3. Gifts of Appreciated Assets

Depending on the nature of the gift and applicable Foundation policies, donors may be able to contribute assets such as:

• Publicly traded securities
• Appreciated stock
• Bonds or mutual fund shares
• Real estate
• Retirement assets
• Tangible personal property
• Other approved assets

***Certain gifts may offer tax advantages when compared with selling the asset and donating the proceeds. Because each donor’s circumstances are different, please consult your attorney, financial advisor, or tax professional before completing a gift.

Planned Giving

A planned gift allows you to extend your values beyond your lifetime and create a lasting legacy of support for the community you care about. You may direct your gift to the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation generally, allowing it to be used where the need is greatest, or designate a specific Foundation program fund.

Planned gifts may be modified during your lifetime based on the terms of your estate plan. Information shared with the Foundation regarding a planned gift will be treated as confidential.

Including the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation in your will or living trust is one of the most straightforward ways to make a lasting charitable gift.

You may choose to leave:

  • A specific dollar amount
  • A percentage of your estate
  • A particular asset or property
  • The remainder of your estate after other distributions
  • A gift that takes effect only under certain circumstances

A bequest allows you to retain control of your assets during your lifetime while providing meaningful support for future generations.

Sample Bequest Language: “I give, devise, and bequeath to the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in Grinnell, Iowa, [the sum of $_____ / _____ percent of my estate / the following described property], to be used [where the need is greatest / for the following fund or program: _____].”

***This sample is provided for general informational purposes. Your attorney should review and prepare language appropriate for your individual estate plan.

You may name the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation as a beneficiary of all or a percentage of an IRA, 401(k), 403(b), pension, or other retirement account.

Beneficiary designations are generally completed through the financial institution or plan administrator holding the account and may typically be updated without revising your will. Retirement assets can carry different tax considerations than other inherited assets, making this an important option to discuss with your professional advisors.

A life insurance policy can become a charitable gift by naming the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation as a beneficiary or, when appropriate, transferring ownership of a policy to the Foundation.

Potential options may include:

  • Whole life insurance
  • Term life insurance
  • Naming the Foundation as a full or partial beneficiary
  • Designating the Foundation as an irrevocable beneficiary

The tax and financial implications will depend on the type of policy and how the gift is structured.

A charitable trust may allow you to provide for loved ones, support the Foundation, and accomplish financial or estate-planning goals.

Options may include:

  • Charitable remainder unitrust
  • Charitable remainder annuity trust
  • Charitable lead trust
  • Revocable trust arrangements

Because charitable trusts are legal and financial instruments, they should be created with assistance from qualified legal and financial professionals.

A charitable gift annuity is an arrangement through which a donor makes a charitable gift and receives fixed payments for life, subject to the terms of the agreement.

Options may include:

  • Immediate charitable gift annuity
  • Deferred charitable gift annuity

Availability and acceptance of these arrangements are subject to review, applicable laws, and Foundation policies.

Start a Conversation

Planned giving does not have to begin with a complicated financial transaction. It can begin with a simple, confidential conversation about what matters most to you. For additional information, please contact one of us:

Shannon Fitzgerald
Chief Financial Officer and Controller
Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation
Phone: 641-236-5518
Email: shannon@ahrensfamilyfoundation.org

Contact Us

Julie Gosselink
President & CEO
Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation
Phone: 641-236-5518
Email: julie@ahrensfamilyfoundation.org

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