| "I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” - Ralph Abernathy |
The Portsmouth Community Foundation is a non-profit, community corporation created by and for the people of Portsmouth and surrounding communities. Since 1965, people that share a common concern for improving life for all in our community have built a legacy by giving through The Portsmouth Community Foundation. The Portsmouth Community Foundation has helped numerous donors make their philanthropic giving meaningful.
Individuals, families, businesses, and organizations can create permanent charitable funds that help our region meet the challenges of changing times. The Foundation invests and administers these funds. We then use the distributions to award grants to humanitarian, educational, health, and cultural organizations in this remarkable region we call home.
ONE: PERSONALIZED SERVICE We make giving easy, flexible and effective, accepting a wide variety of gifts and providing donors the greatest flexibility. You can contribute cash, stocks, property, and bequests. You may establish an Unrestricted, Field of Interest, Designated, or Donor Advised Fund in your name or in the name of a loved one. Your gift will gain maximum tax advantage.
TWO: LOCAL EXPERTISE Our professional staff has an in-depth understanding of the issues, opportunities, and resources that shape our community. They monitor all areas of community need-including human services, education, the environment, health care, the arts, and economic development. We can help you learn about local agencies and programs that make a difference in areas you can about most.
THREE: LEADERSHIP We invest in the long term and bring people and organizations together, convening diverse voices to address local issues and opportunities. Our business is building community.
We are growing to meet the needs of our community...
A community foundation is a tax-exempt public charity that enables people like you to establish charitable funds. Funds are pooled with our other funds and managed professionally. Fund assets will grow over time. Donors and their family and colleagues are encouraged to continue giving to the fund to help it grow even more. Grants are awarded from funds to support local non-profit organizations, in accordance with a fund's interests.
Like all community foundations, we are overseen by a volunteer board of leading citizens and run by professionals with expertise in knowing our community's needs. We go beyond simply making grants that advance charitable activities; we also identify current and emerging issues, stimulate resources to address those needs and help the Portsmouth region prepare for the future.
It's for these reasons that community foundations represent one of the fastest growing areas of philanthropy. When charitably minded people like you seek suitable ways to give, we can help you make a difference.
WE SHARE YOUR INTERESTS - We are here to help you become connected to the issues you care about most. Your charitable interests and priorities are important to us because committed, caring citizens are so important to the Portsmouth community's well-being.
WE CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE - By setting up a fund, you have the ideal opportunity to create a legacy for you, for your family, and for our area.
WE ARE FLEXIBLE - We respond to the needs of donors and those to whom we provide support. Our flexibility is essential as new opportunities arise and our environment constantly changes.
WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY - When you choose to invest in the future of our community, you want to work with someone who knows the territory. The broad cross section of leaders who guide our work lends valuable insight that will help your charitable giving achieve maximum results.
WE HELP YOU ACHIEVE SUPERIOR TAX BENEFITS - Since the IRS considers us a public charity, contributions are eligible for the highest available tax deductions. In most cases, these tax benefits outweigh using your assets to establish your own private foundation.
WE MAKE SETUP AND ADMINISTRATION EASY - Establishing a fund can be done in less time than it takes to open a bank account. We take care of all the administrative and grant-making activities, eliminating the need for you to set up a separate institution, formulate policies, file innumerable forms and monitor the status of grant recipients. We save you precious time and money.
The Portsmouth Community Foundation meets National Standards for operational quality, donor service and accountability in the community foundation sector. 
The National Standards Seal indicates official confirmation from the Council on Foundations that we have met the most rigorous standards in philanthropy. It affirms our commitment to financial security, transparency and accountability. It says our grant making includes an open, competitive process designed to address the changing needs of our community. The National Standards Seal also confirms our history of honoring donors’ wishes—to support the arts, cultivate gardens, save endangered species, cure illness, expand literacy, feed children—and support countless other important causes.
The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations Program was established in 2000 in cooperation with the Council on Foundations. National Standards guide community foundations in establishing legal, ethical and effective operational practices that serve as blueprints for internal development and benchmarks for external assessment. The 43 National Standards require The Portsmouth Hometown Community Foundation to document its policies in donor services, investment management, grant making and administration. To receive confirmation of National Standards compliance, The Portsmouth Hometown Community Foundation submitted its organizational and financial policies and procedures to a rigorous peer review.
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Become a Donor |
About Network for Good
Network for Good is the Internet's leading charitable resource, an e-philanthropy site where individuals can donate, volunteer and get involved with the issues they care about. The organization's goal is to connect people to charities via the Internet, using the virtual world to deliver real resources to nonprofits and communities.
Founded in 2001 by the AOL Time Warner Foundation and AOL, Inc.; the Cisco Foundation and Cisco Systems, Inc.; and Yahoo! Inc., Network for Good is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in San Francisco, California.
In addition to connecting the public with opportunities to give, Network for Good works to advance nonprofit adoption of the Internet as a tool for fundraising, volunteer recruitment and community engagement. It represents a groundbreaking partnership with leading technology and media companies and more than 20 nonprofit foundations and associations who share the desire to foster the informed use of the Internet for civic participation and philanthropy.
The Portsmouth Community Foundation IRS Form 990 (tax return) is available at www.guidestar.org and is available upon request.
The Portsmouth Community Foundation Audited Financial Statements are available from The State Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218
This page provides information about the kinds of funds we offer and the kinds of gifts we accept.
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Board and Staff |
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Take a look at the community leaders dedicated to enhancing life in Portsmouth and its surrounding communities.
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CFC and United Way |
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The Portsmouth Community Foundation is an approved CFC charity. If you want to give through United Way, the CVC, or CCC, The Portsmouth Community Foundation can be a "write-in". Visit this page to find out how.
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Contact Us |
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More than 70% of Americans die without having made a Last Will and Testament. Please consider leaving something to your favorite charity or your favorite cause. We can help you design your charitable giving plan and ensure that it will become a reality and legacy of giving long after you are gone.
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Council of Professional Advisors |
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This page contains a list of legal, tax, financial, and investment professionals that support philanthropy in Portsmouth.
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First Citizen program |
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Annually we recognize someone in our comunity that has been a model citizen. All persons previously named First Citizen select the new First Citizen. Select the First Citizen button for more information.
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For the Media |
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This page has information available for the media, including the role of a community foundation, types of funds, etc.
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Grants |
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This page is available for nonprofits wanting to apply for a grant. It also contains a list of recently approved grants, and it contains information for nonprofits regarding planned giving.
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Ending Homelessnes |
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To find out more about homelessness in Portsmouth, visit this page and download a brief summary of the issues.
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Internet Links |
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Links such as GuideStar (the database of charities in the country), Council on Foundations (a nonprofit serving foundations in the country), Southeastern Council of Foundations (a regional association of 14 foundtions in the southeastern), and more.
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Pokey Smokey II |
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Help us bring back one of Portsmouth's best icons. It will take the community to make this happen. Don't wait. We are sooooo close.
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Professional Advisers |
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This page is for legal, tax, financial, and investment advisors. There is lots of information about how we can help you help your clients when crafting their estate and charitable giving plans.
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Foundation Publications |
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Go to this page to access our archive of our newsletters and our annual report to the community.
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Recommended Reading |
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When we find a "good read" we like to share it with our donors. Visit this page for good books and movies that may help you with your charitable giving plan.
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Scholarships |
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The Portsmouth Community Foundation administers 13 scholarships funds for various universities and various fields of study.
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