The annual outing raises funds to help cover the cost of processing donated deer, turning the generosity of local hunters and donors into nutritious meals for neighbors throughout Lenawee County. Venison is distributed through local food pantries and meal programs, helping provide a valuable source of protein to individuals and families facing food insecurity.

In 2025, local hunters donated enough venison to provide 12,651.5 pounds of lean protein, the equivalent of nearly 51,000 meals for Lenawee County neighbors. Since Hunters Helping Lenawee began in 2010, the program has connected hunters, donors, processors, and local food providers around a shared goal: helping ensure our neighbors have food on the table.

“Hunters Helping Lenawee is a wonderful example of what can happen when people throughout our community come together around a shared purpose,” said LCF Executive Vice President Paula Trentman. “Every hunter who donates a deer, every business that sponsors the outing, and every golfer who participates helps bring health, happiness, and hope to neighbors right here in Lenawee County.”

Registration is $400 per four-person team. Hole, cart, and team sponsorship opportunities are also available. Proceeds from the outing directly support Hunters Helping Lenawee and the cost of processing donated venison.

To register, become a sponsor, or learn more, contact Madison Roberts, Grants & Programs Fellow, at Madison@lenaweecf.com or 517.263.4696.

About Hunters Helping Lenawee:

Hunters Helping Lenawee, a program of the Lenawee Community Foundation, connects local hunters with opportunities to donate deer that are professionally processed and distributed through food pantries and meal programs across Lenawee County. Since 2010, the program has helped turn a local natural resource into nutritious meals for neighbors in need.

About Lenawee Community Foundation:

The Lenawee Community Foundation is a charitable organization created by and for the community. By collecting donations and investing them for lasting impact, the Foundation funds grants, scholarships, and local initiatives to address community needs, support nonprofits, and enhance the wellbeing of Lenawee County. More than just an organization, the Lenawee Community Foundation is an opportunity for individuals, families, and businesses to leverage the power of collective giving to make sure their community stays strong and supported for years to come.

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For more information, please contact: Kirsten Stiver, 517-263-4696, kirsten@lenaweecf.com

The post Hunters Helping Lenawee Golf Outing returns September 27 to help put local venison on the tables of neighbors in need appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

Understandably, most conversations and commentary about this transfer focus on the assets themselves. Who will inherit the family business? What will happen to the investment portfolio? How should the estate plan be structured? Naturally, those are important questions! But many families are beginning to ask something deeper: “What values do we want to pass along, too?”

A recent Kiplinger article exploring the Great Wealth Transfer makes the point that the strongest family legacies are built not simply by transferring assets, but by intentionally passing along values of generosity through shared charitable experiences and conversations. It encourages families to involve younger generations in philanthropy early, making giving a collaborative, multigenerational experience rather than a one-time financial transaction.

For many people, philanthropy is one of those values. If you’re among them, here’s food for thought:

—A charitable legacy isn’t simply about the gifts that are made after you’re gone. It’s also about helping your children and grandchildren understand why giving has been important throughout your life. In many ways, the conversations, traditions, and shared decisions surrounding philanthropy can become just as meaningful as the financial inheritance itself.

—Now is a great time to begin mapping out your legacy if you’ve not done so already. For starters, August is widely recognized as Make-A-Will Month, in large part because the downtime of late summer offers a perfect window to address open estate planning issues.

—According to the latest Giving USA report, charitable bequests totaled more than $62 billion in 2025, increasing nearly 20% over the previous year. Bequests were the fastest-growing source of charitable giving, underscoring how important estate gifts have become to nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve.

—A charitable bequest can be surprisingly simple. You might leave a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to your donor-advised fund, or designate another type of charitable fund at the community foundation, to continue supporting the organizations and community priorities that matter most to you.

—For example, by naming your children or other loved ones as successor advisors of your donor-advised fund at the community foundation, you’re inviting them to continue the family’s tradition of generosity by recommending grants to the organizations and causes they believe will make a difference. This opportunity is itself a meaningful inheritance!

—For individuals and couples with especially large estates, charitable planning also may reduce the federal estate tax ultimately borne by the estate, helping preserve more of the remaining assets for heirs. This consideration applies to relatively few families because the federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per individual in 2026, but when it does apply, it really matters because gifts and bequests to qualified charities generally are deductible in determining the taxable estate. Your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor can help determine whether estate tax planning is relevant to your particular circumstances.

—Even when estate taxes are not a concern, a charitable bequest can still become one of the most meaningful gifts you make. You may, of course, provide for family members while also supporting the causes and organizations that have mattered throughout your life.

Estate plans are designed to transfer wealth. A charitable legacy has the power to transfer something even more lasting. The Lenawee Community Foundation would be honored to work with you and your estate planning advisors to arrange charitable bequests, establish a donor-advised or other charitable fund, and build a legacy your family can continue long into the future.

The post A “big” inheritance may not be all financial appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

To be considered, projects must:

1. Demonstrate community value and build youth assets.
2. Provide evidence of active youth participation, youth volunteerism, and partnerships with the Lenawee Community Foundation and its programs.
3. Acknowledge that submission does not guarantee funding.
4. Be written by or in collaboration with youth.

Preference will be given to projects that benefit communities across Lenawee County and commit to raising matching dollars.

Lenawee YOUTH Council members will review grant applications for eligibility and will make recommendations to the Lenawee Community Foundation Board of Directors.

Applications are due by Oct. 1, 2026, and recipients will be notified by Dec. 1, 2026. All grant applications must be submitted electronically. To apply, visit https://goapply2.akoyago.com/lenaweecf. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation before submitting a request.

The Lenawee YOUTH Council is open to all youth ages 12–21 in Lenawee County, offering leadership development, community service opportunities, and a voice in shaping the future of their community.

For questions or assistance, please contact Madison Roberts at 517.263.4696 or email madison@lenaweecf.com.

About Lenawee Community Foundation:

The Lenawee Community Foundation is a charitable organization created by and for the community. By collecting donations and investing them for lasting impact, the Foundation funds grants, scholarships, and local initiatives to address community needs, support nonprofits, and enhance the wellbeing of Lenawee County. More than just an organization, the Lenawee Community Foundation is an opportunity for individuals, families, and businesses to leverage the power of collective giving to make sure their community stays strong and supported for years to come.

### For more information, please contact: Kirsten Stiver, 517-263-4696,

The post Lenawee YOUTH Council will begin accepting 2026 grant applications Tuesday, Sept. 1 appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

Whether financial or personal, major milestone moments often bring a sense of accomplishment. They can also bring something else: an opportunity to pause and reflect—and be smart about the next big move. For many people, that’s when the questions start changing. At some point along the way, instead of asking themselves, “What’s my next big thing?” they shift to “What matters most?” and “What kind of impact do I want to leave behind?” That’s one reason so many charitable conversations begin after a significant financial event, which is why significant financial events often lead to high-profile philanthropy announcements, as recently occurred in connection with the sale of the Seattle Seahawks.

Many people in this situation find they have the time and flexibility to think more intentionally about the causes, organizations, and communities that have shaped their lives—especially now that they have the financial resources to act on their intentions. Some want to express gratitude for opportunities they’ve received. Others hope to create opportunities for future generations or honor family members. Still others simply want to make sure the success they’ve enjoyed continues benefiting others for years to come.

As you look ahead in your life and anticipate big milestones, consider taking steps early so that you’re prepared to implement a philanthropy plan. For example, here are a few things you can do even years before a significant liquidity event:

—Consider establishing a donor-advised fund at the Lenawee Community Foundation so you can get familiar with the mechanics and the resources available at the community foundation. You’ll be able to set aside charitable dollars while taking the time to thoughtfully consider which organizations you would like to support over the months and years ahead, especially following a financial transaction.

—In addition to your donor-advised fund, you might also want to establish one or more designated funds to provide lasting support for the specific organizations you care about. These funds can provide support during your lifetime or receive an estate gift under your will or trust. 

—Some people also establish a field-of-interest fund at the Lenawee Community Foundation as part of their charitable giving “portfolio” to address particular community needs, as well as unrestricted funds that allow the Lenawee Community Foundation to respond to the area’s greatest opportunities for generations to come.

Remember, in the case of private business interests, from a capital gains perspective, you may be far better off establishing charitable arrangements well before a transaction is underway. Please consult your tax advisors and the Lenawee Community Foundation team as you think about an exit plan for your closely held business. Of course, if you’ve recently experienced a liquidity event and haven’t yet established a charitable plan, it is not too late!  

Whether you’ve already experienced a significant financial event—or expect one in the future—we’d love to talk. The Lenawee Community Foundation can help you explore charitable options that reflect your values, support the causes you care about, and create a legacy that extends far beyond a single moment of success.

The post From success to significance: Opportunities after a major financial milestone appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

Because QCDs are so useful, our team is keeping an eye on pending legislation that might expand the ways your clients can use them. Specifically, Congress continues to consider two bipartisan charitable giving bills: the Charity Parity Act (S. 2204/H.R. 4495), which would permit QCDs directly from employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k)s, in addition to traditional IRAs, and the IRA Charitable Rollover Facilitation and Enhancement Act (S. 3975), which would extend QCD eligibility to donor-advised funds. Neither proposal has advanced beyond committee, but both are still active and could expand charitable giving options for your clients if enacted.

We’ll continue to keep you informed as these proposals develop.

The post A quick note about pending legislation appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

The Clinton Area Fund of Lenawee County was established in 2008, when the Lenawee Community Foundation issued a challenge to communities across the county. If a community raised $5,000, the Foundation would match it with $5,000 to begin a designated fund for that city or village. A charter group of Clinton citizens met that challenge, and the Clinton Area Fund of the Lenawee Community Foundation was established.

Since its beginning, the funds have been invested, donations have been added, and the fund’s interest has been used to financially support projects within the Clinton community. A few of those projects include the Clinton Veteran’s Memorial Park, repaving the basketball courts, and new welcome signs as you come into town. Last year, the Clinton Area Fund awarded grants to the Clinton Township Public Library, CCS Earth Club, Clinton Wrestling Club Corp, Little Mews Rescue, St. John’s Church, and more. 

Grant requests will be accepted through September 25, 2026, and the total amount awarded will not exceed $5,000. All grants that are given will be to not-for-profit organizations serving the Clinton zip code, such as schools, parks and recreation, social programs, and the village. Funding is not guaranteed. Some applicants may receive partial or no amount of their original request. All applications must be received by September 25, 2026.

Grant awards will be considered for projects that meet the following requirements: 

1. The project must demonstrate community value

2. The submission of a request is not a guarantee for funding

3. No school projects

4. Help advertise the Clinton Area Fund

All grants will be reviewed and recommended by the Clinton Area Fund Committee and approved by the Lenawee Community Foundation Board of Directors. 

Applications are due by Sep. 25, 2026, and recipients will be notified by November. All grant applications must be submitted electronically. To apply, visit https://goapply2.akoyago.com/lenaweecf.

For questions or assistance, please contact Madison Roberts at 517.263.4696 or email madison@lenaweecf.com.

About the Lenawee Community Foundation:

The Lenawee Community Foundation is a charitable organization created by and for the community. By collecting donations and investing them for lasting impact, the Foundation funds grants, scholarships, and local initiatives to address community needs, support nonprofits, and enhance the wellbeing of Lenawee County. More than just an organization, the Lenawee Community Foundation is an opportunity for individuals, families, and businesses to leverage the power of collective giving to make sure their community stays strong and supported for years to come.

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For more information, please contact: Kirsten Stiver, 517-263-4696, kirsten@lenaweecf.com.

The post The Clinton Area Fund accepting 2026 grant applications beginning Tuesday, August 25 appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

In particular, a technique called “bunching” is important to consider as you get a jump on your year-end charitable giving plans.

Even just a few years ago, not many people had heard of “bunching.” That’s because the standard deduction (which itself has an interesting history) under the Internal Revenue Code’s income tax rules was much lower than it is now. Many donors easily met the criteria to itemize deductions—including their charitable contributions—on their income tax returns. That changed after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 significantly increased the standard deduction starting in 2018.

Further changes to the charitable deduction rules under 2025’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased the complexity of charitable deduction thresholds because the new law, effective for 2026, imposes a 0.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) floor for itemized charitable deductions and, for taxpayers in the highest tax bracket, a 35% cap on the tax benefit of those deductions. All of this means that thoughtful charitable planning is more important than ever.

What you need to know is that “bunching” charitable gifts may be useful to you, and it’s something you ought to discuss with your tax and financial advisors as soon as you can. The essence of bunching is that, rather than making similar-sized charitable donations every year, you would combine two or more years of charitable gifts up front into a single tax year. The reason this is useful is because by concentrating gifts into one year, you may be able to accumulate enough deductions to make itemizing more beneficial than claiming the standard deduction and achieve a greater tax benefit than you would by making smaller annual gifts and taking the standard deduction.

A donor-advised fund at the Lenawee Community Foundation makes bunching especially attractive. For example, you can contribute several years’ worth of charitable gifts to your donor-advised fund this year, generally be eligible to claim an income tax deduction for the current year, subject to applicable limitations, and then recommend grants to your favorite nonprofits over several future years. This allows your favorite organizations to continue receiving steady support while simultaneously maximizing your own tax benefits. 

Remember, too, that your donor-advised fund at the Lenawee Community Foundation accepts appreciated securities, which may provide additional tax advantages in the right circumstances. That’s because you may be able to avoid capital gains tax on the highly appreciated stock you contribute to your donor-advised fund.

The takeaway here is that now is the time to begin conversations with your tax and financial advisors about bunching and about your charitable plans in general. Please loop in the Lenawee Community Foundation team! We are honored to serve as a sounding board as you carry out your charitable wishes. The Lenawee Community Foundation is your home for charitable giving, and we always welcome a conversation!

The post Early birds, “bunching,” and planning for year-end appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

Four recent articles reinforce a common point: the most effective charitable planning rarely happens in response to a single tax event. Instead, it grows out of ongoing conversations about a client’s values, family, financial goals, and legacy.

How to Turn Wealthy Clients’ Charitable Giving Into a Cohesive Plan

–Kiplinger

This article encourages advisors to move beyond treating charitable gifts as one-off transactions and instead help clients develop a coordinated philanthropic strategy across tax planning, estate planning, wealth transfer, and family dynamics.

When Clients Ask About Their Tax Bill, the Answer Might Be Philanthropy
–Advisor Perspectives

The focus of this article is that major tax events—such as business sales, retirement plan distributions, or highly appreciated assets—often create ideal opportunities to discuss charitable giving. Even though the transactional elements might spark a conversation, substantive charitable planning goes far beyond a single transaction and is most effective when it becomes part of a broader financial planning conversation.

Purpose-Driven Wealth Starts with Asking the Right “Why”
–InvestmentNews

This article outlines why technical expertise is important, but meaningful planning begins by understanding what clients hope to accomplish with their wealth. Advisors who ask deeper questions about values, purpose, and legacy can naturally open the door to conversations about intentional charitable planning and stronger long-term client relationships.

The High-Net-Worth Want Philanthropy Guidance

–Financial Advisor Magazine

The article reports that high-net-worth clients increasingly expect their financial advisors to provide philanthropic guidance as part of comprehensive wealth planning. This creates a meaningful opportunity for advisors who proactively include charitable giving in conversations with their clients.

Taken together, these articles reveal a clear pattern: Clients don’t simply want to save taxes—they want their wealth to reflect what matters most to them. Our team can be a resource as you explore those goals with your clients and bring charitable planning into the conversation early. We welcome the opportunity to work alongside you and your clients.

The post Moving from charitable transactions to charitable strategy appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

A popular strategy that deserves special attention in year-end planning is “bunching” charitable contributions. The bunching concept became widely discussed when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 substantially increased the standard deduction for calculating income tax. According to important historical data, this change caused many taxpayers who previously itemized deductions to begin claiming the standard deduction instead because their annual charitable gifts and other deductible expenses were no longer sufficient to exceed the standard deduction threshold.

Since the beginning of 2026, charitable planning has become even more nuanced. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act added a new limitation under Internal Revenue Code Section 170 requiring that itemized charitable deductions must generally exceed 0.5% of adjusted gross income before a deduction is available. In addition, Section 68 now effectively limits the tax benefit of itemized deductions for taxpayers in the highest marginal income tax bracket to 35%. These two new provisions are sometimes called the “floor” and the “cap.” Although in many cases charitable giving remains highly tax-efficient, these changes make proactive planning increasingly important.

So, what is “bunching”? And why is it so useful under current tax law? Here’s how it works:

—Rather than making charitable gifts in roughly equal amounts each year, a client may benefit from consolidating two or more years of planned charitable contributions up front into a single tax year.

—By concentrating, or “bunching,” donations into one year, the client may be better positioned to itemize deductions in that year while claiming the standard deduction in subsequent years, potentially producing greater cumulative tax savings over time.

For many of your clients, a donor-advised fund at the Lenawee Community Foundation serves as an effective vehicle for implementing a bunching strategy. That’s because a client can make a single, larger contribution to the donor-advised fund, generally claim the charitable deduction in the year of the contribution under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(a), and then recommend grants to favorite charities now and in future years. In short, the timing of the income tax deduction is separated from the timing of charitable distributions, allowing the client’s favorite nonprofits to continue receiving consistent annual support.

As year-end approaches, many clients will naturally ask whether they should “bunch,” or accelerate, charitable gifts before December 31. Advisors who raise the bunching conversation now and coordinate early with our team can help clients evaluate whether this strategy aligns with both their philanthropic objectives and their broader financial plans while allowing plenty of time to implement the strategy thoughtfully.

Bunching is not the only technique worth considering well before year-end! Here are two additional important reminders for your client conversations:

—Remember that charitable planning opportunities are typically even more attractive when appreciated securities are involved. Under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(e)(1)(A), a client who contributes long-term appreciated publicly traded securities to a public charity, including a donor-advised or other type of fund at the Foundation, generally may deduct the property’s fair market value (subject to the applicable adjusted gross income limitations) while avoiding recognition of the built-in capital gain that otherwise would result from a sale. This is usually a much better tax outcome than giving cash.

—Note that Qualified Charitable Distributions allow IRA owners age 70 ½ or older to give directly to charity tax-free—up to the 2026 annual limit of $111,000—even before required minimum distributions begin, potentially lowering adjusted gross income and reducing taxes on Social Security benefits and Medicare premiums. For a subset of your clients, this is important in light of the charitable deduction limitations under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Our team is honored to work alongside you all year long to help structure charitable gifts in a way that advances your clients’ philanthropic goals while making the planning process as seamless as possible. We welcome the opportunity to help you and your clients get an early start on year-end charitable planning.

The post Bunching charitable gifts, year-end, and getting ahead appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.

So, what happens when one of these clients starts asking questions about what’s on their tax return? For instance:

“Wait a minute. I distinctly remember that my stock was worth $81.95 per share when the market closed on the day I transferred 100 shares to the Foundation to add to my donor-advised fund. But my tax return is showing a deduction amount less than $8,195. Is that a mistake?”

It’s a great question, and of course you know the answer! When a client contributes publicly traded securities to a fund at the Lenawee Community Foundation—or directly to another public charity—the amount of the charitable deduction is indeed based on the fair market value of the asset at the time of the gift under Internal Revenue Code Section 170 and Treasury Regulation § 1.170A-1(c). For publicly traded securities, however, “fair market value” is not ordinarily the closing price. Instead, the IRS valuation rule generally uses the average between the highest and lowest quoted selling prices on the date of the contribution. This methodology appears in Treasury Regulation § 20.2031-2(b)(1), outlining the IRS’s longstanding valuation rules.

Here’s a simple example.

Suppose a client transfers shares to a donor-advised fund at the Foundation on August 20. On that date:

• High price: $82.40
• Low price: $79.60
• Closing price: $81.95

Many clients understandably assume their deduction will be based on the $81.95 closing price. Under the applicable valuation rules, however, the value generally used is the average of the high and low prices:

($82.40 + $79.60) ÷ 2 = $81.00 per share

The difference may be relatively small in many cases. For larger gifts, or during periods of market volatility, it can become meaningful.

You may know this rule well, but many clients do not. That’s why it’s a good idea to remind a client about this rule when they’re making gifts of appreciated stock. It is also important to remember that determining the valuation date itself may involve additional analysis. The relevant date is generally the date the gift is considered complete for federal tax purposes, which may differ depending on how the securities are transferred and when control passes to the charitable organization. Because of these nuances, it’s wise to coordinate closely with our team whenever timing is critical, such as at year end.

Fortunately, our team regularly works with gifts of appreciated securities and can help facilitate a smooth transfer. Especially as the fall planning season approaches, clients often focus on maximizing charitable deductions while avoiding capital gains tax on appreciated investments. Being prepared to explain why the deduction is based on the average of the day’s high and low—not simply the closing price—can be a helpful component of client conversations.

Please reach out to our team anytime, especially when a client is getting ready to transfer stock. We will keep an eye out for it and help ensure the transfer and processing go smoothly. Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you in serving your clients!

The post Highs and lows: Reminding clients about stock gifts appeared first on Lenawee Community Foundation.