Support the Church in Northeast Ohio and make a difference with your gift. 
Enrich lives in Northeast Ohio through spiritual, educational, and charitable support. 
We help foster faith-based stewardship in the community for the spiritual, educational and charitable needs of all. Are you considering a year-end gift to care for the poor, help a child receive a Catholic education, provide support to a seminarian or support your parish? The Catholic Community Foundation is here to help you accomplish your charitable giving objectives and support the Catholic causes you care about most.
Giving options include:
- Gift of cash. Giving cash is easy and the most popular way to make a charitable gift. We can accept gifts via mail (postmarked by 12/31/2026) or an online gift though the year-end. New in 2026, those who do not itemize may be eligible for a charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly for qualifying cash gifts. As individual circumstances vary, you may wish to consult your tax advisor about how this applies to you.
- Gift of long-term appreciated securities. Gifts of long-term appreciated securities (i.e., securities you have held for longer than one year) can provide significant tax benefits. By transferring your long-term appreciated securities directly from your brokerage or custody account to the Catholic Community Foundation, you generally can avoid recognizing capital gain on the appreciation. If you itemize deductions and otherwise qualify, you may be eligible for a charitable income tax deduction based on the fair market value of the securities, subject to applicable adjusted gross income limitations. Even if you don't itemize, donating appreciated securities directly to charity can allow you to avoid recognizing capital gain on the appreciation. Please consult your tax advisor regarding your individual circumstances. Find our stock transfer instructions here.
- IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution. If you have attained age 70 ½ and you have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you may distribute up to $111,000 tax free from your IRA to a qualifying charity. This distribution satisfies your required minimum distribution and may reduce your taxable income, even without itemizing. Gifts must be made directly from the IRA to the charity. As an added bonus, using a QCD to fulfill required minimum distributions may lower your adjusted gross income, potentially reducing taxes on Social Security income and Medicare surtaxes. Learn more about Qualified Charitable Distributions here.
- Establishing a Donor Advised Fund. Perhaps you are facing a significant taxable event, such as the sale of a business or a highly appreciated asset. Or your advisor may be recommending that you "bunch" several years of charitable giving into a single year so you can itemize deductions and claim a larger charitable tax deduction now, while supporting your favorite charities over time. A Donor Advised Fund established with the Catholic Community Foundation can help you accomplish both goals. You may be eligible for an immediate charitable income tax deduction in the year you make your contribution, while recommending grants to Catholic and other qualified charitable organizations over several years. In addition, you can have the added assurance that the fund's underlying investments are managed in a manner consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Learn more about Donor Advised Funds here.
- Gifts that Provide Income. Are you looking to increase your income and have the potential to help Catholic Charities or another diocesan ministry in the future? Making a gift of cash or a low-yielding, appreciated asset to establish a Charitable Gift Annuity with the Catholic Community Foundation can provide you with a fixed income stream for life, with the possibility for current tax benefits. And now, you can fund your gift using your IRA assets. If you are 70 1/2 and older, you can make a one-time election of up to $55,000 to fund a gift annuity. While your gift does not qualify for an income tax deduction, it does escape income tax liability on the transfer and count toward all or part of your required minimum distribution. Learn more about Charitable Gift Annuities here.
- Angel Scholarship Fund. Ohio's tax credit program gives you the opportunity to turn your taxes into tuition for Catholic school students (up to $750 for individual and $1,500 for married couples filing jointly). Learn more about the Angel Scholarhip Fund here.
- Employer Matching Gifts. Many employers match charitable contributions, effectively doubling or tripling your donation without additional cost to you. Check with your employer for matching programs and submit your donations for matches.
To learn more about your opportunities for Year-End Giving to Catholic Charities, Catholic Education, Priestly Formation or your parish, please contact:
Mary Lou Ozimek
216-696-6525 x4070
We encourage you to contact your professional legal and/or financial advisors to determine which gift arrangement meets your needs.