In today’s modern age, technology is making information more readily accessible and easier to disseminate. Much of this is due to the increased use of the internet. While the internet can seem overwhelming to new users, it can be just as simple as opening a book if you know where to look and what to look for. Over the past few years, the Community Foundation has worked on developing its website, at www.crcfonline.org, to provide resources free and easy for donors to access. The following are some highlights of resources CRCF’s website provides:

Scholarship and Grant Info and Applications: High school and college students can access everything they need to know about the Foundation’s scholarship process, as well as obtain the necessary application forms. Just as easily, area non-profit organizations can learn about CRCF’s four separate grant processes, as well as download the grant request forms with easy instructions already included. 

Comprehensive Planned Giving Information: For those donors wishing to research various planned giving options such as wills, charitable gift annuities and others, CRCF’s planned giving section has it all covered. Information you can find on the planned giving site includes: Donor stories that might relate with your particular interests, tax and finance news, articles on current planned giving trends, and even a place to customize your own sample illustration using any planned gift type. 

Online Credit Card Donations to CRCF Funds: In September 2006, CRCF introduced the option of online giving to the website. This new way to give is fast, easy, and very convenient for donors of the Foundation. It enables anyone with a computer and internet connection to go to CRCF’s website, click on the “Donate Now!” link, search for any CRCF fund, and make a credit card donation in any amount to that fund. This allows donors the convenience of making gifts from the comfort of their home computer.

Many Other Links and Tools: In addition to the three previous resources described, many other tools can be found on CRCF’s website. There is a section on financial info that contains annual audits completed for the Foundation for public disclosure; a section that describes the Foundation’s two awards, the John D. Hamilton Community Service Award and Axel W. Carlson Award, with listings of recipients and photos of past events; an “About Us” section that describes everything you need to know about CRCF from the Board of Directors, to members, to the Foundation’s history, and staff; a “Donor Services” page gives information on the types of funds offered by CRCF, as well as how to establish a fund. 

 

For those donors or individuals not comfortable with the internet, the CRCF staff is always available to lend an ear or hand, so please call 661-3390. Additionally, all the application forms found online can still be obtained at the Foundation office at 418 Spring Street, Jamestown. 

Even with all the online resources listed in this short article, there are still many others that were not included. The Community Foundation Board and staff encourage everyone to go to www.crcfonline.org to view all the resources available through the website and learn all you can about the Foundation. The online experience at CRCF is truly a one-stop source for everything you need to know about the Community Foundation and charitable giving.