Donor Advised Funds are enormously popular charitable giving vehicles—known for their ease and flexibility. Through a Donor Advised Fund, individuals can make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants from the fund over time. Many donors have established Donor Advised Funds at The Columbus Foundation to streamline their giving and maximize their impact.

Director of Capacity Building & Community Knowledge Danielle Tong shares how support for the comprehensive well-being of nonprofits through capacity building helps them go further faster—and why investing in things you can't always see is critical to ensuring the ongoing health of our community's social sector.

In this issue of Charitable Insights, Hilary Stone, MBA, CAP®, Senior Advisor for Donor Services, shares a bit more about The Columbus Foundation’s work and addresses some of the most common misperceptions about who, where, and how we serve.

Our Governing Committee consists of nine volunteers dedicated to stewardship for The Columbus Foundation and its charitable activities. These civic leaders, chosen for their knowledge of the community’s needs, were appointed to seven-year terms. Over the past seven decades, more than 40 community leaders have served as members of the Foundation’s Governing Committee.

In response to a marked increase in need and potential decrease in shelter capacity for those experiencing housing instability in central Ohio, the Governing Committee of The Columbus Foundation approved a special emergency grant of $2 million from its reserves to Community Shelter Board (CSB).

The Big Table®, a day of community-building through conversation, will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

Join the Center for HumanKindness for daily opportunities to engage with kindness in our lives and our community from November 13 – 17, 2025.  

The 2025 Columbus’ True Originals honorees represent giants in their respective areas that bring honor to our community.