Professional Advisors

The Community Foundation for Calderdale is the ideal vehicle for people who are looking to put something back into the communities in which they have lived and worked. Unlike other charities, we have the flexibility to support a wide range of causes from children to the elderly, from the arts to the environment. Uniquely, we look to match the interests of our supporters with the needs of the community, and to offer donors a say in how their gift is used.

If you have a client who may be interested in giving to the foundation please contact the Foundations' Chief Executive Officer, Steve Duncan or telephone 01422 349700, to find out how we can help.

The Community Foundation for Calderdale can accept gifts in many ways including cash, shares and legacies. Giving through charities helps to minimise your clients tax bills and maximise charitable giving. The Community Foundation for Calderdale offers you and your clients the following service:

1. Easy and quick, with no expensive legal procedures to go through and our administration charges are very low, normally just 2% per annum.
2. Professional management of our investments, that have consistently outperformed the market.
3. Advice on the most tax efficient ways to give.
4. A guarantee that their gift will be used locally and in accordance with their wishes.
5. Proven expertise in grant-making, with an excellent track record and an in-depth knowledge of local needs. As such we can target gifts very accurately.
6. Regular updates on the work of the Community Foundation for Calderdale and our grant making programmes. We can also arrange for supporters to visit some of the projects they have helped.
7. An opportunity, through our endowment fund, to make a gift that will benefit the community forever.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some of the questions we are asked most frequently by professional advisors about charitable giving.

If I am preparing a will for a client who has no particular charitable interests and no need for tax breaks, is there any point in mentioning the Foundation?
Yes, it is almost always appropriate to include the Foundation as the beneficiary of last resort in every will you prepare, in case of the prior death of all those your client really cares about.

If my client does wish to leave a legacy to the Foundation, is it necessary for the will to specify their exact charitable intentions?
No, the will need only specify that the gift is to be made to the Foundation. We can work directly with your client or through you, to develop a written agreement detailing the charitable intent in as much detail as necessary.

What if clients set up a fund to help a certain issue, and then change their mind?
Sometimes the client will become disaffected by a charity or want to add a new one. A simple call to the Foundation is all that is required to amend the agreement and this can be done as often as necessary.

What if my client wants to make a gift to several charitable organisations?
By establishing an endowment fund at the Foundation, your client can specify how the annual earnings are to be divided.

Don't we need to specify a particular organisation?
No, one of the benefits of giving to the Foundation is its ability to identify and respond to needs in the area for the benefit of the community in general.

What if my client wants to set up an endowment fund for a cause, which may change, or an organisation that may not last forever?
The agreement will allow the Foundation to exercise a variance power. For example, if a cure were found for cancer, any fund designated to that cause would be redirected so as to meet a then-current but related need. This ensures that your client's fund will remain as relevant fifty or one hundred years from now as it is today.

My client would like to give something back to the Foundation, but doesn't really have enough money to set up an endowment fund. Is there any point in giving to the Foundation?
There is a range of different ways to give to the Foundation, depending on an individual's financial situation, and setting up an endowment fund is only one of these. A supporter can maximise the power of a smaller contribution by making a gift to the general endowment fund or setting up a Legacy Enhancement Plan.

Can my clients be recognised for their gift during their lifetime?
Yes. While we respect the desire of some people for anonymity, we are always pleased when our supporters allow us to mention their gift in our annual report and other publications. Many people ask us also to inform the charities they have designated to receive the earnings. Others prefer that this be kept confidential in case they decide to make changes later. We are happy to comply in either case.