SPONSORED
By Mary K. Rutherford – President & CEO – Montana Community Foundation
In Montana, fields stretch wide and community runs deep. We all hope to do well enough on the farm, at the bank, or wherever our career takes us, to leave a little something behind. Of course, we want our families set up for success, but wouldn’t it be nice if we could also do something for our communities that gave us so much.
Our local communities helped us build our business and stepped up when times were tough. It was here that we celebrated together at the annual festivals or when the local basketball team had a great season.
Don’t we all want that community to do more than survive the next 10, 20, or 50 years? Don’t we want it to grow and thrive to be even better than the place we remember?
Imagine creating a scholarship for local kids to attend college or a trade school, or supporting your local theatre so that the plays you loved can continue for another generation. Alternatively, consider helping to build or maintain a trail system for people to walk and stay healthy.
Each of us can leave a legacy in our communities, and you don’t have to be a millionaire to do it.
At the Montana Community Foundation, we are starting an effort called Strive for Five. We hope that each of us can leave just 5% of our assets or estate, allowing us to make a meaningful and lasting impact, ensuring that our children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors flourish for generations to come.
Wouldn’t it feel good to invest in the community that invested in you? If we leave 5, our communities can thrive.
In 2022, we completed a study on the resources for the future of Montana, which revealed a significant opportunity: an estimated $37 billion is expected to transition between generations by 2030. This presents us with a chance to gather and plant the seeds that will help our communities thrive.
By setting aside just 5% of this—around $1.85 billion—we could create lasting endowments that generate $83 million annually for our charitable organizations, schools, and local initiatives.
This isn’t just about the wealthy. It’s about every one of us who has worked hard for their family and their community. This is about farmers, ranchers, local business owners, and community leaders. By keeping these dollars local, we can ensure a brighter tomorrow for everyone.
Think about the places you love in your community or even the things you wish it had. Together, we can ensure those places have the resources to grow.
There are many ways to ensure you join in this effort to strive to leave five.
- Leave a gift in your will.
- Create a donor-advised fund giving you tax benefits and support causes you care about.
- Leave a gift of agricultural commodities, which is a tax-smart option instead of giving cash.
- Donate property and receive tax benefits.
- Create a charitable gift annuity and provide lifetime income.
Together, we can lay the foundations of a prosperous future, leaving a legacy that truly nourishes our communities for generations to come.
Mary Rutherford
President & CEO
Montana Community Foundation
