Learn more about the United Way of the Midlands Foundation!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is planned giving? Is an endowment program the same as a planned giving program? Many use the term interchangeably, but they really are two separate things. Endowment is the money you invest for your organization. Many gifts that go into the fund will be an outright gift or a planned gift, such as a bequest, appreciated assets, trusts, or gift annuity to name a few.

• What is endowment? The commonly accepted meaning for endowment is a fund, which is kept in perpetuity and invested to provide interest earnings for the benefit of a charitable cause – e.g., The United Way of the Midlands. Endowment development is a process to encourage committed donors to make gifts for investment and growth. The income is used for specific purposes, which support or enhance the mission of United Way of the Midlands.
  
  

  A planned gift can:

  close the gap between real community needs and available funding;

  create new programs that require funding not always available from the annual campaign;

  allow our community to act, instead of react to challenging health and human service concerns and needs.

  A strong and healthy endowment fund will allow Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie Counties to provide a better quality of life for those in need and secure a stable future for our community’s children.

• Why is United Way involved in “endowment” and “planned giving?”
  It is important to remember that the MISSION of United Way is to increase the organized capacity for people to care for one another. The annual campaign and endowment fund gifts are METHODS of raising resources to fund emerging health and human programs and initiatives to achieve our mission. At times, annual campaign dollars are eroded by mergers, mobility and mortality of donors, downsizing of corporate employees, and any number of other means that influence the economy of our region. An endowment fund generates significant, additional revenue over the long term, above and over the annual campaign contributions, that can be used for vital community services and emerging community needs.

• Will having an endowment fund conflict with a current donor’s giving? Absolutely not. In fact, the addition of an endowment effort presented to our current donors adds credibility to the foresight of our organization. There is a positive correlation between planned giving and annual gifts. Donors often times choose to support their favorite charities in a variety of ways including an annual gift and a deferred gift. 

If you have a question, or you'd like to work with United Way to make a lasting impact on our community, please call the Foundation office at (402) 522-7902. The e-mail address is sdouglas@uwmidlands.org

or write to: 
United Way of the Midlands Foundation
1805 Harney Street
Omaha, NE 68102

NOTE: The information provided is not intended to be legal or tax advice. It is always advisable to consult with a qualified estate-planning attorney when drafting your will to ensure your wishes for your family and the United Way of the Midlands Foundation are properly documented.