There are many ways to donate to the Main Street Community Foundation and support worthwhile charitable organizations in our service area of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott, Connecticut.

A donor can support the foundation’s ongoing work with an unrestricted gift of any amount. Or, you may find an organization you want to give to, or range of issues you care about, in one of our permanent endowments. Donations to these funds are held in perpetuity—which means the principal is never spent—only the interest income. This provides funding for that nonprofit, or charitable purpose, forever.

You may also choose to donate securely online using a credit card.

Or, print out a donation form and mail it with your check to:

Main Street Community Foundation
P.O. Box 2702
Bristol, CT 06011-2702
Be sure to include the fund name, or your area of interest, on the check’s memo line.

Contributions of any size are welcome. Every gift provides greater stability for the foundation and a specific organization, cause or scholarship.
 

Tribute Gifts

Individuals or groups often make tribute contributions to the Main Street Community Foundation in memory or in honor of a relative, friend or colleague.
A memorial tribute recognizes a person who has passed away. An in-honor tribute commemorates a special event, such as a birthday, baptism, confirmation, bar/bat mitzvah, marriage, anniversary, retirement or other special occasion.

The foundation sends a letter to the bereaved or the honoree on the donor's behalf. The amount of the donation is not disclosed.

To make a memorial or tribute gift, donate online or print out the donation form and mail it with your check to the foundation.

A gift of cash or a check is the most common form of a donation, but securities, life insurance policy dividends, bank account interest or other assets may also be used.

If you are considering donating a non-cash asset, or are considering setting a memorial as a permanent endowment, please contact us prior to making the donation.
 

Matching Gifts

Many employers will match charitable gifts and/or volunteer hours donated by their employees. This can help your gift go further. Check with your human resources department and obtain the proper forms. If the foundation needs to submit paperwork on your behalf, send the forms along with your donation.
 

Bequests

Some donors prefer to give a significant charitable gift upon their deaths—after their loved ones have been cared for. One way to fund a future gift to the foundation is through a bequest in your will.

A gift in your will is a statement to others about your belief in our mission and desire to give back to the community. Bequests are deductible for federal estate tax purposes.

If you have a will, adding an amendment (codicil) to it can ensure that the foundation is included.

Here’s the appropriate language to give your attorney to ensure your desires are fulfilled:

“I give, devise and bequeath ____% (percentage), OR all the rest, residue, and remainder, OR $_____ (sum of money), of my estate to the Main Street Community Foundation, located in Bristol, Connecticut, USA."

If you do not have a will, or it’s out of date, consider taking the time and steps to create or amend it. This ensures that the people and causes you care about are remembered when you are gone. It also avoids the time and trouble your heirs will experience when probating your estate.
 

Types of Bequests

• Percentage
  This equals a fixed percentage of the value of your estate at the time of your death. The percentage remains fixed, what the foundation receives will be based on the value of all your assets upon your death.
• Residuary
  This directs that the foundation receives all or a portion of the balance of your estate after all necessary costs and monetary bequests have been met. A residuary bequest is a gift of whatever remains in your probate estate. It can combine real, personal and mixed assets. If you have more than one residuary beneficiary, the residuary total must equal 100 percent, such as, “I give and bequeath one half of my estate to the Main Street Community Foundation, and one half to (named beneficiary)”.
• Monetary
  Your beneficiaries receive a fixed dollar amount that will not fluctuate if your estate increases in value after you have signed your will. A pecuniary bequest will not be reduced, assuming your executor has sufficient other assets to pay other expenses, debts, and taxes.