Have you ever heard about someone creating a charitable foundation but trembled at the time, patience, or know-how required to do it yourself? Have you ever hoped to make a difference by donating money to a worthy cause but felt stymied when confronted by the vast array of charities and nonprofits out there–all of which seem reputable and in need? The Piedmont Community Foundation seeks to provide many different avenues for charitable giving by individuals like you. All of their efforts help people and organizations in the Loudoun and Fauquier areas.

Founded in 1999 by a board of directors in Middleburg, the Piedmont Community Foundation serves a unique purpose in the area. It is what Development Director Karen Krei calls the "piggy bank for the area's nonprofits." In other words, PCF acts as a clearinghouse for people wishing to donate either to a general fund, which will be allocated wherever the need is greatest, or to a specific fund of their choosing. PCF offers donors just what most of them are seeking: anonymity, an easy path through necessary red tape, and a way to build permanence into gifts.

Mrs. Krei says that, "PCF is in the phase I'd call growth. We want to get people to see what it is that we do." What they do is connect donors to the causes that donors wish to support.

Aren't nonprofit organizations happy for any donation they can get? Yes, says Mrs. Krei, but there is another side to the story that the ordinary donor may not be aware of. "Organizations are in the business of what they do–whether it be feeding the hungry or helping with land conservation. That means the smaller ones don't have the time or ability to build their own long-term savings accounts, so PCF can help. If we can get the smaller money to the larger money, we have a better chance of placing investments in all the places of need."

PCF's General Fund is not just their own operating fund, but rather the major fund that is unrestricted for foundation use. Many organizations can apply for grants directly from this fund, and PCF's Board of Directors will decide how to allocate the money. The directors are "well-armed with research" on which organizations need what every year.

Mrs. Krei says, "This is the fund to which most people would contribute when they want to help in a general nature. There is no restriction on amount contributed, nor is there a predetermined or time-restricted use, such as endowment."

The Foundation is also the manager of funds opened by individuals or organizations to channel money directly into specific designated causes. PCF's goal is to provide an easy way for people to invest in the community with informed fund management and the tax advantages associated with giving through a community foundation. Often, private foundations become too much trouble for the private citizens who run them; PCF allows private foundations to be rolled into its umbrella organization. The Foundation will then take on the responsibilities for the paperwork, the tax files, and the general management of the fund. Many people who want to see their funds go to work but don't enjoy the bureaucratic burden find this service a welcome relief.

There are several types of funds available through PCF. The Community Fund meets the emerging and changing needs of the northern Piedmont region, including Loudoun and Fauquier counties, and it distributes money to qualified non-profits.

A Designated Fund is a fund that has its income pre-designated by the donor. This allows the donor to name a specific charity which will benefit from his or her gift for the lifetime of the fund.

Donor Advised Funds allow the donor to be directly involved in the distribution of money from their fund, and recipients and amounts may vary from year to year. This kind of fund is recommended for those donors who wish to be spared the cost and administration associated with private foundations, while still being allowed control over the money in their fund.

As a donor, you can also target a need rather than a specific charity. The Foundation will make grants for you to those organizations who serve the people you want to help–the homeless, hungry, arts organizations, etc. Donors wishing to do something in the wake of the South Asian tsunami may want to use this type of fund to put money in place for disaster relief operations in our own area for the future. The important thing–and the thing that PCF does best, says Mrs. Krei–is to get the money in place before it is needed.

Piedmont Community Foundation is in the business of giving grants, not preventing them, comments Mrs. Krei. "The directors got into this business because they thought it would be fun to fund that which really needs to be funded in this area." Those directors include Tim Dimos, attorney-at-law and mayor of Middleburg; Susan-Jane Stack, chief of Special Projects and Development of Loudoun County; Joe Boling, chairman and CEO of Middleburg Bank; Steve deLong, executive vice president of Cavalier Land Development Corporation; and David Hartley, vice president of Tredegar Trust Company.

Piedmont Community Foundation encourages anyone and everyone in the Virginia Piedmont area to make a donation or to volunteer their time during upcoming community outreach drives. Their phone number is 540 687 5223, and you can find them on the web at www.piedmontcf.org.