Your Partner in Philanthropy
For nearly 70 years, Akron Community Foundation has worked hand-in-hand with the region's professional advisors to help their clients achieve their goals through philanthropy.
Professional Advisor Council
This diverse group of tax, estate and financial planning experts brings perspective to our work. From CPAs to attorneys to wealth managers, the members of our Professional Advisor Council are adept at using philanthropy to strategically meet their clients' financial and charitable goals.
Managing Director & Private Client Services Practice Leader
CBIZ MHM, LLC
Founder and Principal
Adams, Gut & Associates
Charles Schwab
Clearstead
Stark & Knoll Co.
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
Partner, Tax
Cohen & Company
Clark Guilliam Bertsch Wealth Management
CM Wealth Advisors
Roetzel & Andress
Singerman, Mills, Desberg & Kauntz Co.
Key Private Bank
David J. Simmons & Associates
Broadleaf Partners
PNC Institutional Asset Management
Fifth Third Private Bank
Impel Wealth Management
Ishee Investment Consultants
Key Private Bank
W3 Global Accounting
W3 Wealth Management
Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston Ltd.
Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs
Paradigm Equity Strategies
Huntington Private Bank
Baird
Meaden & Moore
CAPTRUST
Fairway Wealth Management
Bernstein Private Wealth Management
CLA Akron
Palumbo & Sweet
Ownership Advisors Inc.
Auxin Group Wealth Management
Tucker Ellis LLP
Wells Trecaso Financial Group
Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs
Fidelity Investments
Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co.
Managing Member
Zeleznik & Associates LLC
Young Professional Advisor Council
Jared Hoffman, Broadleaf Partners
Taylor Papiernik, Fairway Wealth Management
How We Help
Are your clients selling a business? Managing an inheritance? Building an estate plan?
Our experienced staff works with advisors to create giving strategies that are meaningful, tax-wise and effective for clients from all walks of life. We are the charitable arm of your professional team, supporting you and your clients through every step of the giving process while you retain complete control of your client relationships.
What We Offer
- Customized, tax-smart giving solutions to meet your clients' needs
- Ability to accept a wide range of gifts, including more complex gifts like closely held stock
- In-depth knowledge of the region's issues and nonprofits
- Charitable fund options that offer tax benefits today while preserving your clients' legacies forever
- The Center for Family Philanthropy, a dedicated charitable resource for philanthropic families
How We Compare
Private Foundations
If your client is considering establishing a private foundation, a donor-advised fund may be a simpler, less expensive solution. Donor-advised funds offer many of the same benefits as a private foundation, but with none of the administrative hassles or payout requirements. We minimize the paperwork, allowing your client to focus on the joy of giving and creating a lasting legacy in the community.
Commercial Funds
Starting a donor-advised fund at Akron Community Foundation is just as easy as starting a fund at Vanguard or Fidelity. And unlike the large national organizations, the community foundation is based right in the heart of Akron. We're experts on local issues and nonprofits, and we offer personal grantmaking assistance that commercial funds cannot match. We also offer a broader range of charitable options, including permanent endowments that honor a family's legacy.
Outside Investment Managers
We recognize the importance of longstanding relationships between clients and their investment managers. That's why we offer opportunities for qualified investment managers to continue to manage the charitable assets of their clients.
This partnership reassures donors that their assets will continue to be managed by professionals they know and trust, while also rewarding advisors for maximizing the fund's grantmaking potential.
Options for Your Nonprofit Clients
We help nonprofits sustain their charitable missions forever through endowment funds held right here at Akron Community Foundation. The advantages include:
- Permanent Funding: A permanent source of funding for the agency's mission that is not dependent on market performance or annual appeals
- Proven Growth: Access to the foundation's prorated investment fees and superior long-term returns
- More Giving Options: The ability to accept complex gifts that can be difficult for nonprofits to process
- No Administration: No burdens of gift processing, tax acknowledgments or financial reporting