Business succession planning: Four questions and one word of caution
At the FM Area Foundation, we work with a wide range of individuals, families, and businesses for whom charitable giving is a priority, especially related to supporting causes in our community that improve the quality of life for everyone. In many cases, we’re helping business owners structure their personal and family philanthropy. A natural extension […]
All that and more: Your donor-advised fund may surprise you
You might initially think of a donor-advised fund as a simple charitable savings account: contribute assets, immediately receive a tax deduction, if eligible, and recommend grants to your favorite 501(c)(3) nonprofits over time. While that is certainly true, many people are surprised to learn just how flexible a donor-advised fund at the FM Area Foundation […]
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 […]
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 […]
Join Us for the Lakes Area Happy Hour
The FM Area Foundation team is excited to return to lakes country for our annual donor happy hour on July 16, 2026, at Detroit Mountain in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Thanks to generous donors like you, more than $100 million has been granted to strengthen communities across our region. Join fellow fundholders, donors, and friends for […]
Rethinking legacy: Balancing gifts to heirs with the community’s future
Next time you meet with your estate planning attorney, it may be a good idea to check in on your long-term plans and ask yourself questions you might not yet have considered. Some planners, for example, report that more and more clients are reconsidering an automatic estate distribution to heirs. Instead, their clients are evaluating […]
Charitable giving, due diligence, and how the FM Area Foundation can help
Many people want to be thoughtful in their charitable giving, but that doesn’t always make the process easy. In fact, one of the most common challenges donors face is simply feeling confident in their decisions. With so many worthy organizations, urgent needs, and compelling opportunities, it can be difficult to know where to start—or how […]