“Building a better future for Pinellas by partnering donors who care with causes that matter”

This is the mission of the Pinellas Community Foundation, a public foundation built by individuals, families and businesses that care about community. These groups donate their time and resources to make Pinellas County a better place to live – now and in the future.

Under a Trust Agreement, executed by all the financial institutions in Pinellas County with trust powers, a Board of Governors was formed whose purpose is to guide the Foundation.  Each Board member is selected for his or her knowledge of the educational, cultural, civic, moral and other charitable needs of the Pinellas County community.

In addition to setting policy for the foundation, the Board of Governors reviews requests for grants from not-for-profit organizations in Pinellas County and determines the organizations which will receive grants. The Foundation awards two types of grants: unrestricted grants, which may be used for operating expenses, and competitive grants, which must be used for projects of a durable nature.

The Foundation has been granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service as a public foundation under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Gifts made to the Foundation qualify under present law for exemption from taxation under the federal estate and gift laws and likewise qualify for deduction against income tax. At the end of the calendar year 2009, the Foundation has assets of over $64,000,000, and during that same year distributed over $1.9 million to non-profit agencies.

The financial records of the Foundation are audited annually under the strictest standards as established for charitable organizations. The Board of Governors and the staff of the Foundation are proud of the fact that the Foundation operates with an annual administrative expense which is well below the national average for similar organizations.

In 1969, the financial institutions in Pinellas County with trust powers shared in the vision of a philanthropic organization that could help meet the needs of the Pinellas community. The organization would be set up to give people of any means the opportunity to accomplish their philanthropy within a flexible framework. The charitable funds they created would be permanently secure. The organization’s governing body, the Board of Governors, would oversee the selection of charitable beneficiaries.

This was the beginning of the Pinellas Community Foundation. In 2009, ten banks and trust companies are signatories to the “Trust Agreement” which created the Foundation. Representatives of these financial institutions constitute the Trustees’ Committee and each institution is authorized to receive funds in trust for the Pinellas Community Foundation. Listed below are financial institutions and their representatives who can assist your clients in designing and implementing charitable giving plans that will benefit the Pinellas County community.

For more information regarding Foundation Trustees, please contact the Pinellas Community Foundation and we will be happy to assist you.