Resources for RCCF fund advisors and
​Professional Financial & Investment Advisors

At the Rock County Community Foundation we work hard to help our advisors with resources that make partnering with RCCF seamless.
If you are the advisor of a partner fund or are working with a donor as their financial or investment advisor this page offers the resources you need.
  • IMPORTANT FORMS FOR RCCF FUND ADVISORS
  • PLANNED GIVING
  • FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS
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These form can be returned either via email to [email protected]  or by downloading, printing and sending to:
Rock County Community Foundation
102 E Main
PO Box 623
Luverne, MN 56156 ​

Expense Reimbursement Form

This form should be used to reimburse personal expenses to a person. 
RCCF Expense Reimbursement Form
File Size: 87 kb
File Type: xlsx
Download File

Request for Funds Form

This form should be used to request program funds for the organization making the request. 
RCCF Request for Funds
File Size: 39 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Designated Support Payment

This form should be used when a payment/bill needs to be paid to a business.
Designated Support Form
File Size: 38 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Deposit form

This form should be filled out when delivering money to the foundation that has been collected from a fundraiser or campaign.
RCCF Deposit Form
File Size: 41 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Begin your legacy with us

To help you get started on your plans and legacy, you can use FreeWill, an online tool that guides you through the process of creating your will or trust. It’s easy to use, accessible online and can be completed in 20 minutes.

Beneficiary Designations

Let us know about a gift in your will or trust
It can often be difficult to plan and make sure that your gifts are used in line with your wishes if they are left unknown. But more importantly, we want to say thank you for considering our work as a part of your legacy.

​We know that life circumstances can change and you may need to alter or reconsider your gift in the future. That’s all right — reporting your gift today does not obligate you now nor in the future.

Your Client and Philanthropic Planning

The Rock County Community Foundation offers a wide range of planned giving/deferred gift options such as bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities and charitable lead trusts. We will work with financial advisors to garner the best tax advantages and financial security while carrying on the donors legacy of giving. The Rock County Community Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization that offers 7 types of Funds.

FUND TYPES

​The Rock County Community Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization that provides support -- primarily for the needs of the geographic community or region where it is based -- from funds that it maintains and administers on behalf of multiple donors. Community foundations are a creative and flexible means for community-based philanthropy. The role of the Rock County Community Foundation is to assist donors in structuring their gifts so both the donor and the community benefit from their charitable generosity.
UNRESTRICTED FUND
Established to provide support for general, unspecified charitable purposes, at the discretion of the Rock County Community Foundation. It ensures there are funds today for needs that may occur tomorrow. We use these funds to address current community needs and invest in local non-profit organizations to create lasting change.
DESIGNATED FUND
Established to provide support for a specific organization you care about. You choose the program to benefit from your generous gift and we will invest and distribute the income from the fund in the form of grants.
DONOR ADVISED FUND
Liken to a charitable saving account, allows for the most flexibility for donor and foundation. Donor participates directly in the grant making process by making recommendations for grants to specific organizations from the fund. If you have a range of interests you may find that a donor advised fund is ideal for fulfilling your charitable wishes.
Scholarship fund
Through a Scholarship Fund, you create a legacy of helping individuals achieve their potential by supporting their educational goals. You have the ability to establish a scholarship fund to benefit students of a particular school, geographic region, educational discipline, gender or other designation.
FIELD OF INTEREST
Donors with a passion for a particular area of concern or support (children's services, the environment, or improving access to health care for the poor, for example) may focus their giving by setting up this type of fund. Established for a broader purpose, the Rock County Community Foundation then makes grants to meet current needs in the general specified field.
AGENCY FUND
Through an Agency Fund, a nonprofit organization has the opportunity to create a fund that generates investment income, year after year, which can be granted back to the agency, or reinvested in the fund to grow over time at the discretion of the governing board.
Bedrock Circle Fund
Through a gift to our Bedrock Circle Fund, you are supporting the foundational work of the Rock County Community Foundation. The resources from this fund help to enhance our ablity to serve donors and the community for the long term.

Still have questions?

HOW SHOULD I TALK TO MY CLIENTS ABOUT CHARITABLE GIVING?
Some advisors are reluctant to begin a charitable giving conversation with their client, concerned about making value judgments, especially if the client has not expressed charitable intentions. In reality, identifying your client's  philanthropic interests is a wonderful way to deepen the client's trust and strengthen your relationship. This is also an opportunity to develop your relationship with future heirs. To determine your clients’ motivation for and knowledge of philanthropic giving, you might start with these questions.
  1. What has been the most satisfying charitable gift you have ever made? Why?
  2. Have you volunteered anywhere? Which volunteer experience has been the most rewarding?
  3. Of your core values, which would you like to express through your giving?
  4. When you think of the challenges facing our community, what are your greatest concerns? Are any of these the focus of your current or future giving?
  5. What have you learned about your giving? Would you do anything differently if you could?
  6. What role has philanthropy played in your family? Is it what you would like it to be…or would you like to change it? Are your children and grandchildren aware of your philanthropy?
  7. What would you like to accomplish with your giving? Do you think this is possible?
HOW DO I KNOW IF GIVING THROUGH THE Rock County COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS RIGHT FOR MY CLIENTS?
Here are sevens questions to answer:
  1. Do I have clients who care deeply about their local community?
  2. Do my clients give to more than one charitable cause? 
  3. Are my clients interested in creating a personal or family legacy in their community? 
  4. Are they considering the creation of a private foundation, but are concerned about cost and administrative complexity? 
  5. Would they like to stay personally involved in the use of their gift dollars? 
  6. Do they want to receive the maximum tax benefit for their charitable contributions under federal law? 
  7. Do they place a priority on sound financial management of their contributions?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your clients may benefit from knowing more about the Rock County Community Foundation. We’d be happy to help you make an introduction.
WHAT ARE THE TAX BENEFITS FOR MY CLIENTS IF THEY GIVE THROUGH THE Rock county COMMUNITY FOUNDATION?
The Rock County Community Foundation offers the maximum charitable tax advantages available by law. Because of the Community Foundation’s nature, it is not subject to the taxes and regulations affecting private foundations, and it has greater flexibility on matters such as minimum payout.
WHEN DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO SUGGEST A CHARITABLE GIFT
Philanthropy is a very special decision. As a professional advisor, you can help clients realize their charitable objectives by listening for charitable giving opportunities, explaining options, and suggesting solutions. Significant giving opportunities often arise when clients are making major business, personal and financial decisions. Our staff can work with you and your client to recommend the best charitable solution.
HOW CAN I RECOMMEND A NONPROFIT GIFT WITHOUT RECOMMENDING A SPECIFIC NONPROFIT
Professional advisors are often faced with a delicate dilemma: you want to discuss the many benefits of charitable giving with your clients, but you want to avoid recommending specific charitable causes or organizations. Fortunately, the Rock County Community Foundation is a simple solution. A community foundation is a single, trusted vehicle your clients can use to address the issues they care about most while gaining maximum tax benefit under state and federal law. We offer a variety of giving options—including the ability to set up a charitable fund in your client’s name. It’s just one way we can help you help your clients achieve their charitable goals.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM GIFT REQUIRED TO START A FUND
The minimum for establishing a fund with the Rock County Community Foundation is $5,000.
WHAT TYPE OF ASSETS CAN MY CLIENT USE TO START A FUND?
The Rock County Community Foundation has the ability to accept a range of assets including:
  • Cash
  • Stocks and bonds
  • Real estate
  • Personal property, such as jewelry and artwork
  • Life insurance policies
  • IRA assets
CAN MY CLIENT NAME A SUCCESSOR TO THE FUND?
​Yes, your client can name a successor or successors to the fund. If they do not name a successor, or after the successor’s death, the Rock County Community Foundation will continue to use the funds in accordance with your client’s wishes.
HOW DO THE Rock County COMMUNITY FOUNDATION’S COSTS COMPARE WITH THOSE OF COMMERCIAL GIFT FUNDS AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS?
​The Foundation’s fees are highly competitive with commercial gift funds, but even more importantly, the Rock County Community Foundation offers your clients unique value that can come from our staff’s knowledge of the community and expertise in the philanthropic field. 

Opening a fund at the Rock County Community  Foundation is considerably less expensive than starting a private foundation, since we handle all administrative details, including filing annual tax returns, performing due diligence on grants and all details associated with processing and tracking grants. There are also no setup fees.
CAN CHARITABLE FUNDS ESTABLISHED AT THE Rock County COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BENEFIT AREAS OUTSIDE ROCK COUNTY?
​Our role is to help donors create funds that carry out their charitable goals, be that in Luverne or elsewhere. Community Foundation donors have the ability to recommend grants to organizations around the world.
HOW CAN MY CLIENT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR A FAVORITE CHARITY THROUGH THE Rock County COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Your client has two great options for supporting their favorite charity—a Donor Advised Fund or a Designated Fund. A Donor Advised Fund gives individuals, families or businesses the opportunity to participate in grantmaking by recommending nonprofits and programs to receive grants. As with a supporting organization, a Community Foundation Donor Advisor can take advantage of information about local needs and opportunities--and even include his/her family or business in recommending grants. It is a simple, personal and highly effective way to give. 
​
A Designated Fund provides funding for a specific nonprofit organization or purpose. 

In both instances, the Rock County Community Foundation handles all of the administration, record keeping, and financial statements for the funds.