Warming up your family’s holidays with philanthropy

The holiday season is often a time of celebration and reflection. Families gather over festive meals and share carefully selected gifts with one another. As a famous carol goes, “the snow is snowing, and the wind it is blowing, but I can weather the storm. What do I care how much it may storm? I’ve got my love to keep me warm.” For many CICF fund holders, this feeling of warmth and sharing naturally carries over into their philanthropy through end of year grants.

Would you like to make a difference in the lives of others this holiday season? Here are a few simple ideas for ways you can enhance your philanthropy to help make someone else’s holidays a bit warmer.

  • Review CICF Connect, CICF’s redesigned donor portal, for funding opportunities in your interest areas. Fully fund an expansion of the local bike riding program or join other fund holders in supporting high-quality pre-kindergarten scholarships for students living in poverty. CICF Connect boasts multiple options for each interest area in Central Indiana. Not seeing something that fits with your philanthropic goals? Reach out to your philanthropic advisor for support in finding an organization and/or project that does.
  • Make a grant to your favorite not-for-profit.
  • Make a gift into your fund or open a companion fund. Donations can be made through cash, check, credit card, privately-held or closely-held stock, and more. Contact your EffectivePhilanthropy@cicf.org for assistance.
  • Volunteer, either as an individual or a family. Many not-for-profits need extra sets of hands around the holidays. Visit your favorite not-for-profit’s website.
  • Discuss your philanthropic intentions with family while gathered during the holidays. Not sure how to start this conversation or what to talk about? We have several resources available to assist with this, including ways to explore your values and interests and prompts to share stories with your family.
    • We even have a Legacy Plan Workbook which helps document your stories, life lessons, passions and values to serve as a roadmap for future philanthropy and ensure future generations understand your charitable intentions.

From all of us at CICF, we wish you a happy holiday season!


CICF is open on Dec. 31, but we highly encourage you to make a gift into your fund in advance of that date.

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