Now and tomorrow, ECF invests in Evanston creatively and strategically. Our investments evolve to address our community’s most pressing challenges, seize opportunities, and act as a catalyst to bring ideas to life.
The Now Fund empowers ECF to serve the community now, and throughout the year, enabling us to make immediate grants, bring new ideas to fruition, and mobilize money, people, ideas, and talent.
The Impact Collective is a monthly giving program designed to connect a community of passionate individuals who understand that true philanthropy knows no bounds, and that even the smallest acts of giving can yield immeasurable impact.
Whether you give $5, $12, or $100, your contribution becomes a catalyst for change, creating a ripple effect that reverberates throughout our community.
Click below to learn about the many ways you can support ECF
Payable to: The Evanston Community Foundation
Memo: Fund name to which you would like to direct your gift, and the organization you are associated with, if any. Please also include your name if granting a check from an externally held donor advised fund.
Mail to: 1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 565 Evanston, IL 60201
CLICK HERE to make a gift online and pay by credit card.
Establish a Donor Advised Fund and receive an immediate tax deduction, while taking time to decide when and where to grant support to my community, in partnership with the Foundation. Please email us at development@evanstonforever.org to get started.
Use your Donor Advised Fund or Family Foundation to serve as a Grantmaking Partner to support grant proposals that are highly rated by a community-member-led grants committee. We listen to community so you can show up for community.
If you would like to find out more about our grantmaking partners program download the brochure here. If you have any questions please email us at development@evanstonforever.org
If you are 70½ years old or older, you may gift any amount up to $100,000 per year from your IRA directly to the Foundation without having to pay income taxes.
Depending on your age, this qualified charitable distribution (QCD) may also be used to satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD). Due to changes to federal law that took effect on January 1, 2023, the age at which you must begin taking RMDs differs depending on when you were born. If you reached age 72 on or before December 31, 2022, you were already required to take your RMD and must continue satisfying that requirement.
However, if you had not yet reached age 72 by December 31, 2022, you must take your first RMD from your traditional IRA by April 1 of the year after you reached age 73.
A QCD from your RMD is especially advantageous as it does not generate taxable income nor a tax deduction, all while making a difference in your community. If you have any questions, please feel free to email development@evanstonforever.org
Your gift may be matched by your employer. Check here to see if your company has a matching gift program: Employee Match Program: Charity Navigator.
Partner with us and we will publicly and proudly lift up your support throughout the year and recognize you at our events, on social media, and in our newsletters. Email to learn more or download the brochure here.
Please email development@evanstonforever.org for a document with further instructions and account information to make a wire transfer.
Make a gift of securities so you may make a difference while avoiding capital gains tax. Please email development@evanstonforever.org for a document with further instructions.
If you have named or would like to name ECF as a beneficiary of your will, trust, IRA, retirement plan, life insurance, commercial annuity, or other entity, please email us at development@evanstonforever.org so we may honor you in The Legacy Society. You can feel inspired knowing your impact will truly thrive forever. Download the brochure here.
Establish an endowed fund to uplift ECF’s mission forever and for everyone. For example, support a specific philanthropic interest or non-profit, and or honor a loved one or family. Please email us at development@evanstonforever.org to learn more about the power of endowment.