For many donors, that uncertainty also raises a question about charitable giving: should I slow down, stop or continue?

There is no single right answer, and the San Antonio Area Foundation will never suggest that you give beyond what feels sustainable. At the same time, many donors discover that the choice is not simply “give as usual” or “stop entirely.” Often, the best approach is to adjust your plan in a way that preserves generosity while matching your current reality.

Please reach out to our team at the Area Foundation to evaluate strategies that are the best fit for you. For example: 

• For many people, pacing is a practical strategy. In other words, instead of making one large gift, you might spread gifts across the year or across multiple years.
• Adjusting how much you give is always an option. Some donors shift from larger one-time gifts to steady recurring gifts because it feels easier to manage. Other donors do the opposite: they make an early-year gift when they feel confident and then reassess later. 
• Some donors choose to continue supporting a core group of organizations while reducing the number of additional gifts they make.
• Other donors focus on supporting immediate and urgent needs identified by the Area Foundation and then returning to broader giving later.

For people who have established a fund at the Area Foundation, flexibility is often one of the biggest benefits. If you use a donor-advised fund (DAF), you can contribute when it makes sense for your situation, then recommend grants over time. If you prefer a more defined approach, other types of funds may provide the structure you want while still allowing you to respond to changing community needs.

Uncertainty can also be a moment to revisit why you give. Many donors find that charitable giving is one of the most grounding parts of their lives when things feel unsettled. Giving can be a way to stay connected to the community, reinforce values and help stabilize organizations that serve people who are struggling. For that reason, some donors choose to continue giving even if they adjust the pace or the focus.

The Area Foundation is here to help you think through these choices without pressure. We can help you evaluate options that fit your goals, connect you with information about community needs and support you in building a plan that feels both meaningful and sustainable.

If you are feeling uncertain, don’t hesitate to reach out – our Development and Donor Services team will be glad to hear from you. Often, a brief conversation can clarify what generosity can look like in this season — and help you feel confident about your next step.

The post Charitable Giving During Uncertain Times appeared first on San Antonio Area Foundation.

• Remember that 2025 is a pivotal year for charitable planning. With more stringent charitable deduction limitations taking effect in 2026 under new tax laws, this year may offer a favorable tax environment for your giving depending on your personal situation. Talk with your tax advisor as soon as possible.
• Work with your advisors to evaluate the benefits of “bunching” multiple years of charitable gifts into 2025. By front-loading contributions — especially into your donor-advised fund (DAF) at the Area Foundation — you may be able to exceed the standard deduction this year and maximize your tax benefits.

• Use your DAF to simplify year-end giving. You can make one tax-deductible contribution now, receive the deduction in 2025 and recommend grants to nonprofits over time – even throughout 2026 and beyond.
• Give appreciated stock instead of cash. Donating long-term appreciated securities to your fund at the Area Foundation may eliminate capital gains tax and in turn increase your charitable impact. Talk with your advisors so that these gifts can be processed well before the end of the year.
• Explore giving from your IRA if you’re 70½ or older. A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) can reduce taxable income and, if applicable, satisfy required minimum distributions — to the tune of $108,000 per taxpayer in 2025. IRS rules allow you to make QCDs to a wide variety of funds at the Area Foundation (but not to your DAF).
• Check to see whether you’ve met your charitable goals for 2025 – don’t wait until the end of the year to review your plan. Our team can help you think through options for this year and begin to coordinate more complex gifts for next year.
• Support the community overall by making gifts to the Area Foundation’s special funds or operations. It has been a tough year for many people in our community, and our team can help you support families in crisis both now and in the future. 
• Review your beneficiary designations. Naming your DAF or another Area Foundation fund as a beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement account can create meaningful future gifts while reducing the tax burden on heirs.

• Avoid last-minute surprises. Gifts of complex assets — such as real estate or closely-held stock — require additional steps and a lot of lead time, so contact the Area Foundation early if you’re considering these options. Even if it is too late to complete these gifts in 2025, start working with us on options for 2026 gifts.
• Above all, lean on us! Our Development and Donor Services team is here to help you explore the most tax-efficient ways to meet your charitable goals, whether you’re planning year-end gifts, updating a legacy plan or thinking ahead to the changes coming in 2026.

It is our honor to work with you! Thank you for the opportunity. We look forward to supporting your charitable goals for the remainder of this year and for many years to come.

The post Countdown To 2026: 10 Tips For Charitable Giving  appeared first on San Antonio Area Foundation.

The Area Foundation is awarding 98 local nonprofits $3 million annually for its latest three-year funding cycle (2023-2025) – making in total a $9 million investment in the community. Grants are disbursed to nonprofits working in the Area Foundation’s four main impact areas – Cultural Vibrancy, Successful Aging, Youth Success and Livable and Resilient Communities.

Serving as our region’s most trusted and impactful philanthropic leader, the Area Foundation has embarked on a new five-year strategic plan that includes a new mission and vision reflecting the organization’s shift toward increasing diversity and equity in its grantmaking.

“We’re making an unprecedented effort on our end to help those most in need in our community,” explained Stephanie LaFroscia, the Area Foundation’s Director of Grants and Community Engagement. “We’re proud to support nonprofits whose programs help people in our city to succeed in life regardless of their zip code.”

That effort includes intentional decision-making such as offering more grant opportunities to small nonprofits serving San Antonio’s lowest-income areas. From the 2023-2025 grantee pool, 26 percent are first-time recipients and 84 percent work in one of the city’s 17 zip codes with the highest poverty rates. Nearly one-third have annual budgets lower than $250,000, deepening the Area Foundation’s reach in the community by serving nonprofits of all sizes.

One of those grantees is Fuerza Unida, founded and managed by former workers left unemployed when a Levi Strauss factory closed in 1990 on San Antonio’s South Side. “We’re extremely grateful,” said Petra Mata, Fuerza Unida’s Executive Director. “Without this funding, things would still be as hard as they were before – this has helped us not just economically but also psychologically, giving us a badly-needed mental boost.”

The Area Foundation’s grantmaking team does not actually select grant recipients – they make recommendations to Community Advisory Committees, made up of community volunteers who make the final selections.

The post SA Area Foundation Invests $9 Million In Our Community appeared first on San Antonio Area Foundation.