Why Give?

The gifts you give will keep giving year after year.
We accept your gift and invest it through a thoroughly researched investment team. The earnings gained from your gift will be granted to non-profit organizations of your interests and according to your design.

We administer the management of your gift.
Even after our overhead costs and costs of investment management, 98.5% of your gift's earnings will be used for its charitable purposes. Compare this with other popular organizations that spend 85% or less, of your charitable money for its intended purposes.

You are not only helping your community in a monetary way through your local community foundation, but you are building a sense of community.
As a donor, you are allowing grants to be made to non-profit organizations with your gift earnings that do things such as help children have new clothes or beautify the park. Yet, you are giving more than material items. The organizations and people who receive the physical benefit of your grants know that people in their own community care about them. Through this exchange both you and they will be more invested in their community in an emotional and physical way. You are creating caring, concerned, invested citizens that will enable the physical community to have an inner sense of community. A sense that each person matters, people are not forgotten, a sense of community pride. This sense of community pride fosters even more giving, a friendly community atmosphere and enhances everyone's quality of life.

We have an extremely competent and diverse Board, Staff and Committee structure.
Board Members: Scott Berline, Steve Custer, John Fredericks (Treasurer), Brian Gill (Vice-President), Jane Gwinn, Andy Klepfer, Jill Sizemore (President), Gwen Strough (Secretary), Martha Stoudt, Barbara White. Staff members: Lisa Floyd (Executive Director) and Barbara Switzer (Program Director). Community volunteers are the lifeline of our Grants and Scholarships Committees.

Local Accountability: The all-volunteer board is responsible for the governance of the Foundation, including fiscal stewardship.

Local Knowledge of the Community: All staff, board, and committee members are local members of your community. Since we live in the community we have an 'insiders' view of the challenges that face your community. We also have relationships with area non-profits and organizations. Knowing about your community, its needs, its people and non-profits, make us a valuable resource for you as a donor.

We have been nationally recognized for our high standards.

*The South Madison Community Foundation is being recognized for having organizational and financial practices that are in accordance with the National Standards for U. S. Community Foundations. The Council on Foundations and leaders of the community foundation field created the National Standards to aid community foundations in establishing legal, ethical and effective operational practices that would show the foundations' transparency and financial responsibility in light of the increased public scrutiny of foundation practices. In addition, National Standards were developed to distinguish community foundations from other philanthropic vehicles, build the capacity of community foundations to carry out their missions, and assist the field with self-regulation in a manner viewed positively by the Internal Revenue Service.

The National Standards seal, pictured here, was developed for community foundations to signify that they have been confirmed in compliance with National Standards. Professional advisors and prospective donors will recognize the seal as an indication of the integrity and demonstrated excellence of the compliant foundation. "Adopting and adhering to high standards is the best way we can demonstrate our ongoing commitment to maintaining the trust of our donors and the entire community," said Lisa Floyd, Executive Director of South Madison Community Foundation. "We are committed to reaffirming the honesty and integrity that are a hallmark of our foundation."

In order to achieve Confirmation of Compliance with the National Standards, community foundations must undergo an extensive review of their organizational and financial policies and procedures. The review is performed by trained, experienced community foundation practitioners.

In 2006, of the nearly 700 community foundations in the United States, around 150 community foundations have been found in compliance with National Standards.