FOUNDATION NEWS

Happy 2023! This year is a very special year for the Community Foundation. Twenty-five years ago, a very caring individual, the late Carol Thompson, gathered a group of committed community members to promote the idea of establishing a community foundation for Anne Arundel County. Carol had a desire to make a long-term difference in our community by creating a permanent charitable foundation that could be used to provide a better quality of life for everyone in Anne Arundel County. As a result, the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) was founded in 1998 and we look forward to celebrating our 25th anniversary throughout the entire year.

Some of you have been with us since our humble beginnings and many of you have joined us along the way. Regardless, we wouldn’t be here without you and will be forever grateful for your support.

As we reflect on the year gone by, we thank our five retiring Board of Trustee members for championing CFAAC for a combined 28 years of service—Mary Grace Folwell, Carl Gutschick, John Magnolia, David Mitchell, and Paul Serini—and welcome four amazing new members who bring a wealth of talents to our board.

Mary Grace has been on the Community Foundation Board since 2017, serving as Board Chair from 2020-2022. Mary Grace has contributed so much to our board, serving also as a past Board Secretary and past Chair of Governance & Nominating Committee. She will be greatly missed. We can’t thank you enough, Mary Grace.

Carl joined our board in 2016 and has provided us with invaluable advice and support through the years. As the past Board Treasurer and Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee, he has been a reliable and helpful member, and we are thankful for his expertise. Thank you, Carl, for your service through the years.

In 2020, John joined our board and has made a difference by offering advice and generous support. He was a member of our Executive Committee and Fund Development & Communications Committee and always contributed his helpful advice when needed. Thank you so much, John.

David joined the CFAAC board in 2017 and has graciously supported us through those years. David was on our Governance & Nominating Committee and served as chair of our Audit Committee. We are grateful for his service, expertise, and support. Thank you, David.

Paul joined our board in 2017 and served as past Chair of the Fund Development & Communications Committee from 2018 to 2021. We are thankful for his significant contributions and his commitment throughout the years. Thank you, Paul.

We are indebted to all our former Trustees for stewarding CFAAC and guiding our success. But, of course, as former board members, they will always remain part of the CFAAC story as they have helped strategically shape our organization with care over many years.

This month, we welcome four new board members. Each of them brings diverse experience to strengthen our organization. Their unique backgrounds and expertise will be great assets to our board. Please join me in welcoming Daniel “Dan” Mathias, P.E.; Edward “Ed” Evans; Kate Belden Schoff; and Naeemah Stagg. You can read more about them in this newsletter.

Happy New Year to all and thank you for your support. We can’t wait to celebrate 25 years with you!

Mary Spencer
President & CEO

CFAAC Welcomes New Board Members

Edward “Ed” Evans
Director of DEI, Cordish Gaming Group (Maryland LIVE! Casino Hotel)

Ed Evans joined the Cordish Gaming Group, Maryland LIVE! Casino Hotel, (LIVE!) team nearly a decade ago as Director of Culinary Operations and later transitioned his focus to leading the charge on Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Woman-owned MBE, and other minority vendor relationships along with legislative and regulatory priorities. Ed now is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at LIVE! and leads the development and implementation of proactive DEI initiatives at Cordish Gaming Group.  
Read his full bio here.

Daniel (Dan) Mathias
Co-Founder, Absolute Fire Protection, Inc.

For more than 30 years, Dan Mathias has made it a priority to give back to the community and remains committed to serving and supporting local charitable organizations within Anne Arundel County. Dan graduated from Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) and went on to The University of Maryland, earning his B.S. Degree in Fire Protection Engineering. In 1989, he co-founded Absolute Fire Protection, Inc., a full service fire sprinkler company, and in 2015, was a founding partner of Absolute Systems Engineering, LLC., a full service electrical contracting company. Read his full bio here.

Kate Belden Schoff
Senior Financial Advisor Managing Director-Investments, Wells Fargo Advisors

Kate Belden Schoff, is a Senior Financial Advisor and Managing Director-Investments for Wells Fargo Advisors with more than 30 years of experience in financial services helping individuals and families develop strategies to reach their financial goals. Kate was formerly Vice President for SunTrust Investment Services in Annapolis and Investment Manager & Vice President at People’s Securities in Connecticut for 10 years before relocating to Maryland. She holds a B.A. in History with a minor in Business from Skidmore College. 
Read her full bio here.

Naeemah Staggs
Senior Training Specialist, University of Maryland School of Social Work

Naeemah Staggs, MHS, has almost 20 years of experience in child welfare and her expertise lies in foster care, behavioral health, and working with LGBTQ youth. In addition to being a Senior Training Specialist at the University of Maryland, Naeemah is also a National Trainer and Certified Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor, a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist, a Standards for Excellence Institute licensed consultant and author. 
Read her full bio here.
 

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Community Leadership Circle Annual Campaign

With your support, we have done amazing things together — including ensuring that families have basic necessities, strengthening nonprofits through grants, and making sure the community is well-informed through CFAAC programs. With your help, we can continue to aid those nonprofits who, in turn, serve our most vulnerable. We can continue to ask questions, seek other perspectives, cultivate relationships, and create opportunities for our donors to help meet the needs of our community. And, together, we can continue to make decisions that benefit and include everyone in our county, enhancing the quality of life for all Anne Arundel County citizens.

Your support matters and we are grateful to you for considering a gift. Make your gift securely online at www.cfaac.org or by calling 410.280.1102.

CFAAC Welcomes New Funds

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County is happy to welcome the following to our family of funds:

• OBXtek Charitable Foundation: A Corporate Advised Fund established to support the philanthropic interests of the fund advisor(s).

• Lily Openshaw AAWGT Lifetime Membership Fund: An Endowed Fund established to support Anne Arundel Women Giving Together and its mission to support grantmaking activities that are devoted to improving the lives, health, education, and well-being of women, their children, and families.

• Ellen D. Shiery AAWGT Lifetime Membership Fund: An Endowed Fund established to support Anne Arundel Women Giving Together and its mission to support grantmaking activities that are devoted to improving the lives, health, education, and well-being of women, their children, and families.

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STRENGTHENING NONPROFITS

Community Events

What’s New with AAWGT?

Wednesday, January 11, 2023
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Via Zoom

Join Anne Arundel Women Giving Together (AAWGT) members, guests, and the Anne Arundel County community to get caught up on what AAWGT accomplished during 2022 and to hear about plans for 2023. Leaders of the Grants, Education, Membership, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committees will share how they are building on 2022 accomplishments to chart a course for 2023 and beyond. There will be plenty of time for questions and input.

To register, please click here. Follow the registration questions all the way to CONFIRM. Your confirmation should arrive within seconds. If you have any questions about registering, please contact events@givingtogether.org for assistance. The Zoom link to the program will be sent the day before the event.

Community Grants

AAWGT 2023 Grants Application is Open

Anne Arundel Women Giving Together is pleased to issue a Call for 2023 Grant Proposals. Applications will be accepted through February 10, 2023 (11:59 pm).

AAWGT grants are awarded to support work that improves the quality of life for women and families in Anne Arundel County. Nonprofit organizations who share this vision are encouraged to think creatively and submit proposals outlining how they might address issues that are keeping women and families from thriving. Grant requests may range from $5,000 to $25,000.

Applying organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, registered with the Maryland Secretary of State, and in Good Standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. All grant dollars awarded must be used to benefit Anne Arundel County residents. 

AAWGT encourages potential applicants to attend one of two Informational Workshops on Zoom, Thursday, January 12 at 9:30 am or 1:30 pm. These workshops will provide an overview of this year’s focus, address basic organizational requirements, and answer questions of applying organizations. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. For the morning session, register HERE -- for the afternoon session, register HERE.

Additional information about applying for an AAWGT grant is accessible through the Grants menu at www.givingtogether.org. Learn more about the 2023 AAWGT Grant Application.

Grant Applications are Open for Parole Rotary Foundation

The Parole Rotary Foundation, Inc. is accepting grant applications through January 27, 2023, for nonprofit organizations serving Anne Arundel County. The pandemic has exacerbated many problems faced by the youth in our community. The Parole Rotary Foundation Grants Program seeks to address issues of food security and academic achievement by funding projects that serve the needs of children and families in the areas of education, health, and the arts. Grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded for service work, capacity building, and distribution of goods that directly benefit children.

To apply for a grant, visit the Grants page on parole-rotary.org to download the Parole Rotary Foundation 2023 Grant Application Guidelines. Read more on our website.

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NEWS FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS 

CFAAC Professional Advisor Recognition Society 

Focus on: Christine Hubbard, Law Offices of Christine W. Hubbard, LLC

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County launched its Professional Advisors Recognition Society at the 2022 Celebration of Philanthropy, naming six inductees to its inaugural class—Christine Hubbard is one of the first members to receive this honor.

Whenever there is a need for help, Christine Hubbard is there. She cares deeply about her community, stepping up to volunteer, lending a hand, or offering advice. She has been an integral part of the Community Foundation’s efforts to encourage philanthropy in Anne Arundel County.

“I have worked closely with the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County for many years as a professional advisor, in partnership with the Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council, and in connection with implementing my estate planning clients’ gifting plans,” said Christine, who has been a practicing attorney for more than 30 years and founder of the Law Offices of Christine W. Hubbard, LLC. “The Community Foundation’s extraordinary staff has consistently demonstrated a high level of excellence and remarkable talent for helping people find joy in giving. They help people find and explore their passions for helping others, by preserving the environment, furthering education, and the arts, or helping animals, then teaching them how to confidently give during life or at death to fulfill their passions. I am truly proud of my friendship with the Community Foundation.”

Christine not only believes that the Community Foundation can guide her clients in giving but also sees it as partnership and an added service for her clients.

Read More about Christine W. Hubbard

Join the Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council

The Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council (AAEPC) offers an annual membership. Benefits include:

• Listing in the Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council Member Directory to be made available online at www.aaestateplanning.org/members/directory

• Complimentary admission to all regular AAEPC programs

• Discounts to special AAEPC programs

• Invitations to members-only networking events

• NAEPC-brokered discounts and special pricing for marketing, media, software and subscriptions

• Peer learning network for willing members to share information and informal technical advice with their AAEPC member colleagues

In addition to memberships, AAEPC offers sponsorship opportunities for the Council and its programs.

AAEPC Membership & Sponsorship Details

Celebrating the New Legacy IRA and a Boost for QCDs

Congress passed the much-anticipated, $1.65 trillion-dollar omnibus spending bill known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (“CAA”) on December 23, 2022, followed by President Biden signing the Act into law on December 29, 2022. At more than 4,000 pages, the Act includes a wide range of provisions that impact multiple sectors.

Of particular interest to attorneys, accountants, and wealth managers who advise philanthropists are the provisions starting midway through the bill. The bipartisan legislation often referred to as “SECURE 2.0” is included in the CAA legislation. As background, SECURE 2.0’s provisions build on the original SECURE Act of 2019 (SECURE stands for Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement). SECURE 2.0 includes the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) enhancements that have been in the works for many months. Check out our blog for three key provisions affecting philanthropists in the new law.

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It Just Keeps Getting Better: Why Charitable Gift Annuities are Having a Moment

Charitable gift annuities (CGAs) are becoming more attractive to philanthropists, making this planned giving vehicle a good fit for your clients who like the idea of an up-front tax deduction, a steady lifetime income stream, and a remainder gift to charity.

If you are not already doing so, now is a good time to consider talking with clients about CGAs. A CGA, like any other annuity, is a contract. Your client agrees to make an irrevocable transfer of cash or assets to a charitable organization. In return, the charitable organization agrees to pay the client (or a designated beneficiary such as a spouse) a fixed payment for life. Your client is eligible for an immediate income tax deduction for the present value of the future amount passing to charity. Check out our blog for a few reasons CGAs are increasing in popularity. 

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Valuable Conversations: Why it's Smart to Talk with Your Clients About Charitable Giving

January is a good time to start helping your clients plan for their annual giving. With the year-end flurry of donations still fresh in many clients' minds, you may discover that clients will welcome your suggestion to make 2023 the year to get organized early, particularly as economic headwinds make planning especially important. 

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