​Jim Fletcher, chair of LBCF’s Investment Committee, commented, “Investment markets were strong throughout the year, however post-election fixed income sold off sharply as equities continued to gain. On the equity front, performance was dominated by domestic investments, with small caps rising over 20% and the S&P 500, a large cap domestic index, gaining 11.5%. On the fixed income side, high yield bonds gained 14.4% while our international holdings gained only 0.6% as the dollar strengthened in the latter part of the year. . We hold a mix of domestic and international equity and fixed income index funds. This gives us extremely broad diversification at a very low cost.”
 
The Laguna Beach Community Foundation pro bono Investment Committee has over 100 years of combined professional wealth advisory experience. By opening a Donor Advised Fund or a Nonprofit Charitable Fund with the Laguna Beach Community Foundation, you have access to these services at a minimal fee that directly goes back to supporting the services offered at the Community Foundation.
 
The Laguna Beach Community Foundation strengthens the community by encouraging philanthropy. LBCF provides expertise and resources to assist local charities, connect donor passions with non-profit needs, and work with local professional advisors to assist their clients in giving now and beyond their lifetimes with a legacy gift.
 
For more information, contact Laguna Beach Community Foundation at 949-715-8223, or mailto: [email protected]

Did you know donors give approximately 50% of their donations to nonprofits in the fourth quarter of the year? Laguna Beach Community Foundation is here to support you in effectively managing your end-of-year giving. 

Here are a few tips and things to note as the end of the year approaches:

1. In 2016, if you are over 70 1/2 years of age, the TIPA law allows you to make a qualified charitable distribution from your individual IRA.  You may make up to $100,000 per taxpayer per year to LBCF. These qualified charitable distributions from your IRA are excluded from your gross income.

2. Receive a charitable deduction for gifting highly appreciated securities to LBCF and  avoid paying capital gains. Gifting stock allows you to fulfill your gifting without impacting your liquid assets or paying the capital gains tax you would incur personally if selling. 

3. Family/Private Foundations are required to distribute a portion of their fund every year. ­ Open and populate a Donor Advised Fund to meet the required annual distribution and allow yourself the ability to distribute funds at a later date to any qualified 501(c)(3).

4. Looking to reduce your taxes? Open a Donor Advised Fund. It's a flexible, easy and smart way to manage your philanthropic giving while transfering the administrative duties over to the Laguna Beach Community Foundation. 

We are here to assist you in realizing your philanthropic goals. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Laguna Beach Community Foundation by calling 949-715-8223 or via email at [email protected]. ​

In honor of National Philanthropy Day, November 15th, here is a brief background on the tradition and "The Five 'P's of Wise Giving" provided by The Association of Fundraising Professionals.

National Philanthropy Day® is a celebration of philanthropy—giving, volunteering and charitable engagement—that highlights the accomplishments, large and small, that philanthropy—and all those involved in the philanthropic process—makes to our society and our world.

National Philanthropy Day® is both an official day and a grassroots movement. Every year, since 1986 when President Ronald Reagan first proclaimed November 15th as National Philanthropy Day®, communities across the globe have celebrated by hosting events to recognize activities of donors, volunteers, foundations, leaders, corporations, and others engaged in philanthropy.
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The Five "Ps" of Wise Giving
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Wise giving is about more than just the amount you give. It’s more than just the check you write occasionally. 

Wise giving is thinking about how philanthropy and giving can be a part of your life. Thinking ahead to what you want to achieve with your giving and what’s most important. Moving from a reactive donor to a pro-active philanthropist.

Follow the five "Ps" of wise giving to get you started,

1. Passionate. Before you even think about which charities to support, spend some time identifying what causes are most important to you. Nearly every fundraising solicitation you receive will be appealing, and there are thousands of worthy organizations out there that could use your support. But you can’t give to them all. So take some time to consider issues that move you the most: The environment? Healthcare? Housing? Education? Children? A particular country? Try to get as specific as possible and identify two or three. The more passionate you are about the cause, the more likely you are to get involved beyond just giving money.

2. Proactive. You’ve identified the causes about which you’re most passionate. But don’t wait to be asked by organizations that work on those causes. Go out and find appropriate charities that can connect you to those causes. There are some great resources online for such a search, starting with Guidestar, Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau. Identify several groups you’d consider.

3. Prepare. Once you have a list of organizations, it’s time to learn more about them. You probably have a good sense of them simply by being pro-active and identifying them. But you have to be sure you’re fully prepared and have the right information. Get an overview of the organization, its mission and its programs. Financial data is also helpful; donors should look at a charity’s cost of fundraising, its overall budget and whether or not it is running a deficit. Ideally, donors should look for signs of consistent management and costs over several years. Something to consider is spending a little time volunteering at an organization. This can give you insight about the charity and how it’s managed, and help to assure you that it’s the type of organization you want to support.

4. Plan. Many donors take their time when making a purchase. Yet when it comes to giving their money away, they often do so quickly or on a whim. So once you have prepared a list of charities with which you are comfortable, spend a few minutes deciding HOW and HOW MUCH you want to give. It doesn’t have to be too detailed or have exact amount, just enough to give yourself a general idea. And don’t feel locked into it if you want to give more. Deciding on when to give is also important. Nearly half of all charitable giving occurs in the last three months of the year. But giving during the rest of the year is critical too, as some charities often struggle for funds in spring and summer.

5. Powerful. Give for the maximum impact possible, which means knowing all of your giving options. Check out The Association of Fundraising Professionals list of 25 Ways to Make Your Gift Go Further and learn about any number of ways to support your favorite charities.

​The Laguna Beach Community Foundation compiled year-to-date performance figures for assets comprising their equity and fixed income pools. Composite equity performance through September 30 totaled 9.0%. Fixed income performance totaled 6.4%. A blended portfolio of 60% equity and 40% fixed income, which is used for discretionary accounts, gained 8.1%. Performance is calculated gross of fees and assumes monthly rebalancing to target weights and does not reflect cash holdings.
 
Jim Fletcher, chair of LBCF's investment committee commented: "It has been a very strong year so far which has been fantastic for our donors and non-profit partners. We hold a straightforward mix of domestic and international equity and fixed income index funds which gives us extremely broad diversification at a very low cost. In the equity pool, our developing markets investment was the top performer over nine months, up over 17%. On the fixed income side, our high yield bond investment led the way, up 12%, helped to a large extent by a stabilization of oil prices and a relatively healthy economy."
 
The Laguna Beach Community Foundation pro bono Investment Committee has over 100 years of combined professional wealth advisory experience. By opening a Donor Advised Fund or a Nonprofit Charitable Fund with the Laguna Beach Community Foundation, you have access to these services at a minimal fee that goes directly back to supporting the services offered at the Community Foundation.
 
For nonprofit executives and board members interested in learning more about the importance of investing, please view our white paper on Prudent Investing for Nonprofits by clicking here.

Location:
The Art Hotel
1404 N. Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Date/Time Information:
Thursday October 6, 2016
4:30-7:30pm

Contact Information:
949-494-6464