MEMORIAL GIFTS

Honor your loved one with a memorial endowment fund.

 

DONATE IN MEMORIAM | HONOR A LOVED ONE

When a loved one passes away, many families and friends wish to create a lasting legacy in honor of his or her life. Making the decision of which charity or charities should receive donations can be daunting during this time of loss. A memorial endowment fund at the Black Hills Area Community Foundation gives you time to consider how best to represent your loved one’s passions and interests.

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What is a memorial endowment?

An endowment fund is subject to a requirement that the principal be maintained intact and invested to create a source of income for an organization. When you create a memorial endowment, you are establishing a permanent fund to accept gifts made in your loved one's memory. The annual payout from that fund will then support a nonprofit or cause of your choice forever.

How does it work?

When the endowment reaches a balance of $10,000, you and/or your family may direct the annual (up to) 5% payout to community causes or tax-exempt nonprofits. Examples include places of worship, public libraries, schools, human services organizations and fine arts organizations. You many also designate a special community interest area for your endowment, such as services for disadvantaged youth, the visual arts or transportation for seniors.

Will I know who made gifts in memory of my loved one?

Yes. The Black Hills Area Community Foundation can provide a list of names and addresses of individuals and families who have made a gift to the memorial endowment. The Community Foundation also acknowledges gifts by sending a thank you to the donor on your behalf. All gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by the law. You may choose to also send a separate personal thank you for the gifts or provide a personal thank you for the Black Hills Area Community Foundation to enclose with its mailing.

How do I establish a memorial fund?

1. Contact the BHACF Staff at 605-718-0112 or by email at info@bhacf.org to talk with someone about establishing a memorial endowment.

2. Think about and select the name of your endowment. The endowment name can be used to direct gifts in the loved one’s obituary, i.e., “Please direct memorials to the Jane Smith Memorial Endowment at the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, 803 St. Joseph St., Rapid City, SD 57701.”

3. Name a family representative or representatives who will decide how the annual endowment payout is to be directed.

Other ways to remember your loved one

If your loved one was passionate about a local cause or nonprofit organization, you could also invite friends and family to contribute to a specific nonprofit’s endowment fund. Gifts to a nonprofit endowment build a lasting source of income to sustain an organization’s good work forever. Visit our Give Page to explore more nonprofit endowment funds that can accept your gifts online, as well as by cash or check.  


 

A Meaningful Way to Remember or Honor Someone Special

The Black Hills Area Community Foundation gratefully accepts and treats each individual honor or memorial gift with attention. An honorary gift is usually made to honor people who are still living.
A memorial gift is a thoughtful tribute to the memory of someone who has passed away and is a wonderful gift to dedicate to the family.

When an honor or memorial gift is received by the Foundation, a special card is sent to the person identified by the donor.
The amount of the contribution is never revealed. The donor also received an acknowledgement.

Learn about our different opportunities to give. Your donations help to improve life in the Black Hills.
We invest in people and solutions that positively impact the Black Hills area.
Meet our people. Like you we love the Black Hills and that is why we work for the BHACF and serve on its board.
Learn the many ways we support our local nonprofits.
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