The first step in planning your future legacy is to identify your values and goals. FFTC can help guide you as you identify your priorities and determine your giving philosophy and ultimate vision. For instance, you may wish to:

• Create an endowment for your children to manage
• Create a competitive grant program
• Support a favorite organization
• Support a cause or geographical location
• Create a scholarship program to help students attend higher education
• Leave unrestricted funds to FFTC to address urgent and evolving needs

FFTC's Strategic Giving Guidebook offers additional tools for defining your goals, crafting a plan and evaluating nonprofits.  

Download Guide

An endowment is built to last.

Once an endowment reaches a set balance, the principal is maintained. By distributing grants from income or a carefully planned percentage, the fund will last in perpetuity, permanently supporting the community.

The Lucille Puette Giles Endowment Fund is a shining example of how one gift can go a long way, improving thousands of lives years after it was established. Created by a $35 million bequest in 1996, it has already resulted in over $50 million in grants helping children and youth, the environment, social capital and economic opportunity, and is in the position to continue this impact for years to come.

FFTC offers many tools to make your vision a reality, and you can customize a plan by dividing your gift into multiple funds to pursue different outcomes.

After providing for your family, you may wish to give a portion of your estate to an FFTC Donor Advised Fund for your children to manage. You can also give a portion to an FFTC Designated Fund that will provide grants to your favorite nonprofit. In addition, you may decide to give a portion to an FFTC Community Impact Fund to allow us to support evolving needs in our community.

Whatever your vision for the future of your community, a charitable fund at FFTC can help make it a reality. By completing the Planned Gift Document, you may name an existing FFTC fund in your estate plan or make arrangements for a fund to be established with a legacy gift upon your death.

Download Planned Gift Document

Wills or Trusts: Include specific language in your will or trust naming a fund at FFTC as the beneficiary of a testamentary gift. You can specify a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or the residue of your estate. Your estate receives a charitable deduction equal to the value of your gift.

Retirement Plan Assets: Name FFTC as the beneficiary of your retirement funds (e.g. IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) plans) to reduce or eliminate taxes completely and make a significant impact in your community. 

Life Insurance Policies: Make a gift of life insurance either by irrevocably designating FFTC as the owner and beneficiary of the policy or by designating FFTC as a beneficiary of all or a portion of its proceeds.  

Charitable Remainder Trusts: Make a future gift to a fund at FFTC while retaining income payments for yourself (and/or others) for life or a fixed number of years. You receive an immediate income tax charitable deduction in the year the gift is made or, in the case of testamentary CRTs, reduce your overall estate tax liability while benefiting the community and causes you care about in the future. 

Charitable Lead Trusts: Make a current gift of income payments to your fund at FFTC while retaining the right for the principal to be returned to you (and/or others) upon your death or after a fixed number of years. You may receive a tax deduction and/or reduce your overall estate tax liability.

Information provided is general in nature. It is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal or tax advice. Foundation For The Carolinas does not provide legal or tax advice.

The following is sample bequest language that can be used to include a planned gift to Foundation For The Carolinas in your estate plan. Always consult your attorney before executing a new will or other estate planning document.

“I give to Foundation For The Carolinas, a North Carolina non-profit corporation, the sum of _________________ Dollars and no/100 ($______________.00), in cash or in kind, [could include a stated percentage or fraction of estate instead] for the benefit of [John and Jane Smith Endowed Fund], an endowed fund to be created pursuant to that certain fund agreement executed by me [and/or my spouse] during my/our lifetime(s).”

Please contact us if you or your attorney have any questions or would like to discuss your specific planned gift.

When you complete the Planned Gift Document, you will have the opportunity to tell your story for future generations. By sharing your motivations and values, future fund advisors and grantmaking boards will be able to honor your intent more accurately. 

Download Planned Gift Document

Our staff can also help facilitate the production of legacy videos and printed materials. Contact Sara Piner at spiner@fftc.org for more information.