Dear Friends,
I’ve always appreciated the dual meaning of the word “talent.” In the Bible, a talent is a unit of monetary value. Today, it refers to our gifts and skills. Both meanings apply when it comes to giving. And, you can give either form of talent to benefit the common good.
But how you give your talents matters. In one parable — the Parable of the Talents — Jesus tells us to do more than guard and protect our talents. He instructs us to invest them so we can return them to God — with interest. Whether they’re dollars or skills, Jesus wants us to use our talents, and He wants us to use them wisely.
At the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF), we call this “smart philanthropy.”
There are ways to give that benefit your favorite charities, as well as you and your family. There are ways to give that maximize or even grow your gift. There are ways to give that help teach the value of generosity to your children. And, there are ways to give that allow you the time you may need to prayerfully discern where you’d like your gifts to go.
In this newsletter, we highlight various forms of “smart philanthropy” we witness every day. You’ll read about the strategic use of a grant to provide an arts education to students in Northern Minnesota while also sustaining the school’s enrollment. You’ll learn how one couple uses a donor advised fund for tax efficiency and as a mechanism to teach their children about God’s immense generosity. You’ll also meet some of the “smart” minds lending their leadership talents to CCF’s Executive Committee.
Whatever your philanthropic goals may be, CCF is happy to help you find the “smartest” way to live and lead generously in faith.
We remain grateful for your continued support of our mission.
Sincerely,
Anne Cullen Miller, MBA
President