Social Justice Fund Northwest (SJFNW), a change project, and the Center for Creative Change - how do these fit together? This winter a graduate student from Antioch University made the connection. Elise Lufkin is doing her required change project with SJFNW, working with Executive Director Bookda Gheisar to give major gifts fundraising a shot in the arm. Specifically, Elise and Bookda are working together to revitalize donor advised funds and planned giving.
The Center for Creative Change's curriculum focuses on social change, and students' capstone projects must promote social change within an organization or community. Elise chose to work with SJFNW because of its strong commitment to social change and social justice. And because of her background and interest in fundraising, she chose to work on donor advised funds and planned giving.
A donor advised fund allows a donor to establish a fund at Social Justice Fund to support progressive causes throughout the Northwest. Donor advised funds are less costly and complex to manage than private foundations, yet offer many of the same benefits. Donors advise the grantmaking committees which organizations they wish their fund to grant to, and, unless the organization is completely out of line with Social Justice Fund's mission, the grants are made.
Donors are able to draw on the experience and the exhaustive due diligence of SJFNW's grantmaking program. In addition, they are relieved of the requirements of tracking grants, verifying 501(c)(3) status and vetting organizations. Donor advised funds provide a unique opportunity for individual donors to partner with Social Justice Fund to increase the amount of money flowing to organizations working for justice.
Planned giving refers to any planned gift, though most often bequests in wills or gifts of life insurance. These gifts provide donors with the opportunity to support the cause of justice and the organizations they care about in perpetuity. Gifts can be made to the endowment or the general fund. Economists predict a $10.4 trillion wealth transfer from one generation to the next in the coming 40 years, and Social Justice Fund is poised to ensure that progressive causes in the northwest share in this. For more information about donor advised funds or planned gifts, please contact Bookda Gheisar.
Elise will be working with SJFNW until graduation this spring. And the Center for Creative Change will know a lot more about one of the Northwest's strongest change agents, Social Justice Fund Northwest.