August is Make-A-Will Month: What legacy will you leave?
August is Make-A-Will Month, making it the perfect time to think about more than just your financial plans. It’s an opportunity to consider the legacy you want to leave for your family, your community and the causes that matter most to you. For many people, creating a will is about ensuring loved ones are cared […]
Checking in on your charitable plan
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon You’ve certainly heard that well-known quote. But have you thought about it in the context of your charitable giving? It’s common to create a charitable giving plan during a particular season of life. Perhaps you established a donor-advised fund after […]
Closer to home: Steps to move your donor-advised fund to the community foundation
At the FM Area Foundation, we work with a wide range of donors who want to support favorite charities and causes they care about. Sometimes we meet with individuals and families who have already begun their charitable giving journey by establishing a donor-advised fund at a national charitable sponsor or commercial provider. Over time, many […]
Charitable Funds Established in 2025
In 2025, we were pleased to welcome 36 new funds established by philanthropic individuals, families and businesses throughout our community. Charitable funds established in 2025: 650 Second Avenue Legacy Fund All American North Trail* Berg Legacy Fund Bethesda Lutheran Church Foundation Fund BIO Girls Permanent Endowment Fund Brittany Brandt Donor Advised Fund Darren and Andrea […]
A Legacy That Continues to Inspire
Timothy J. Beaton believed philanthropy had the power to transform communities. As Executive Director of the FM Area Foundation from 2010 to 2020, Tim inspired donors, community leaders and partners to think beyond today’s needs and invest in a stronger future for the Fargo-Moorhead region. Under Tim’s leadership, the Foundation experienced extraordinary growth, increasing from […]
Foundation Awards Grants to Local Organizations
The FM Area Foundation has awarded $711,905 in community grants to 101 nonprofit organizations serving Cass County, N.D., and Clay County, Minn. Through its annual competitive grant program, the Foundation connects charitable resources with community needs by investing in local nonprofits that are creating lasting impact throughout the region. Nonprofit organizations apply for funding, and […]
FM Area Foundation Helps Bring America 250 Mural to Downtown Fargo
The FM Area Foundation was honored to attend the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the new America 250 Mural on the VFW building in downtown Fargo. Created in recognition of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, the mural serves as a lasting tribute to our nation, the veterans who have served it, and the values that […]
Good news keeps coming: Retirement plans and charitable giving
You’ve no doubt noticed that Qualified Charitable Distributions (“QCDs”) continue to gain traction as one of the most practical and effective charitable planning tools for clients over age 70 ½. By allowing eligible clients to transfer funds directly from an IRA to a qualified charity without recognizing the distribution as taxable income, QCDs can help […]
Getting creative: Unusual noncash assets can make great gifts to charity
If you’re like many advisors, you may have discovered that often charitable giving conversations begin (and end!) with cash or appreciated stock. And of course, you are well aware that appreciated stock is an excellent choice for your clients to fund a donor-advised or other type of fund at the FM Area Foundation because it […]
FM Area Foundation Invites Community to Celebrate $100 Million in Grants Awarded
The FM Area Foundation is inviting community members, nonprofit partners, donors and professional advisors to join a special Summer Celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 11, as the Foundation marks a significant milestone: more than $100 million in grants awarded to charitable causes throughout Cass and Clay counties. For more than 65 years, the FM Area Foundation […]