News for Professional Advisors

Recent research from the DAF Research Collaborative highlights how charitable planning conversations continue becoming more integrated into broader wealth, tax and legacy planning discussions.

At the same time, the study reinforces an important reality: advisors are not necessarily expected to serve as experts on every nonprofit, community initiative or charitable opportunity themselves.

Individually managed funds

That collaborative dynamic is one reason Individually Managed Funds (IMFs) continue to resonate with many advisors and their clients.

At the Community Foundation, our IMF program helps support the charitable side of planning while the advisor continues leading the broader client relationship.

We are simply another resource at the table when charitable conversations become more complex or more intentional.

Advisor can manage assets

That may involve discussing charitable strategies around a business sale, helping facilitate gifts of complex assets, supporting family philanthropy conversations or helping clients think through long-term community impact and legacy goals.

And importantly, partnering with the Community Foundation does not necessarily mean assets leave the advisor relationship.

Through the Individually Managed Funds program, many advisors are able to continue managing charitable assets while the Foundation provides administration, grantmaking support and philanthropic guidance. 

Collaborative approach

For clients, that can create a more seamless experience. For advisors, it helps keep charitable planning integrated within the broader relationship they’ve already built over time.

We think that collaborative approach works best.

The advisor continues guiding the broader financial strategy, while we help add charitable expertise, local perspective and philanthropic support where helpful. 

Together, it creates a more complete experience for clients who want their giving to be both thoughtful and well-structured.