MCF's Blog

Meet Jeneen Hartley

January 14, 2025

We are excited to announce Jeenen Hartley as MCF's new Vice President of Community Impact.

Get to know Jeneen and her role at MCF.

Getting to Know Lex Page

December 6, 2024

We are happy to welcome Lex Page as our new Donor Engagement Coordinator.

Get to know more about Lex and his role at MCF

The Essential Work of Being Curious: My Leadership Greater Madison Experience

Andy Davey | November 21, 2024

Andy Davey recounts his experience and lessons learned as a participant in Leadership Greater Madison's 30th cohort.

See the insights he gained

Vel Phillips Sculpture Unveiled

November 6, 2024

In July, the sculpture of Velvalea "Vel" Phillips was unveiled at the Wisconsin State Capitol Grounds. The sculpture is the first of an African American placed at the Capitol and the first of an African American woman outside of a capitol building in the U.S.

Discover more about the legacy of Vel Phillips and how the sculpture came to be.

Watching Past Grants Flourish

August 28, 2024

MCF’s grantmaking focuses on investing in projects that will help the Madison community thrive. The nonprofit organizations that receive these grants work diligently to ensure their new initiatives flourish and uplift the community.

See 3 examples of flourishing past grants

Earning Trust by Honoring Donor Intent

July 9, 2024

When donors make gifts or establish funds with MCF, they trust that those gifts or funds will be used for their intended purposes. Upholding this trust and honoring donor intent is central to MCF’s values and mission.

Discover how we uphold donor intent

Forging Connections Through the Goodman Nonprofit Center

June 18, 2024

MCF is tapping into the vast knowledge of community members and other community foundations as we take steps towards opening the Goodman Nonprofit Center in 2025.

Read more about the connections we are forming

Saying Goodbye to Tom Linfield

June 14, 2024

On June 14, Madison Community Foundation said goodbye to Tom Linfield. Tom is leaving MCF to lead the Madison Children's Museum as their new President and CEO. While we're sad to see Tom leave, we're excited about his new venture.

Say Goodbye

A Community Foundation Perspective on Donor Advised Fund Reform

Bob Sorge | May 29, 2024

New proposed regulations of donor advised funds fail to take into consideration important differences between commercial gift fund providers and community foundations. MCF President and CEO Bob Sorge shares a community foundation perspective on these proposed new rules.

Discover why community foundations oppose this reform.

Growing Impact

April 22, 2024

Over the years, MCF has supported dozens of organizations and their green programs and projects. Join us as we celebrate this Earth Day by highlighting some of these environmental efforts.

Explore past environmental grants.

What is National Accreditation? And Why Does it Matter?

March 22, 2024

When flipping through MCF publications, you may have noticed a white and blue seal that reads “Accredited Community Foundation.” MCF has received national accreditation from the Council on Foundations for 22 years. But what is national accreditation and why does it matter?

Learn more about the accreditation process

Give Now, or Give Later?

February 22, 2024

When it comes to maximizing the impact of your giving, you don't have to choose between giving during your lifetime or through your will or estate plan. MCF can help you combine the joy of giving today with the satisfaction of leaving a legacy.

Explore blended giving.

Things I Learned in 2023

by Tom Linfield | January 26, 2024

Tom shares some interesting things he learned about Madison from reading the Community Impact grant proposals.

Discover what Tom learned.

Getting to Know Nick Pjevach

January 3, 2024

Meet MCF's new Donor Database Manager, Nick Pjevach. Nick is a great new addition to the MCF team as he is passionate about data organization and Madison area noprofits.

Learn more about Nick.

Meet Kate Moser

November 22, 2023

Get to know one of MCF's newest staff members, Kate Moser. Kate is our new Accounting Director and is excited to be joining the nonprofit world.

Learn more about Kate.

Celebrating Philanthropy in Greater Madison

November 15, 2023

On November 9, AFP Madison recognized some of the inspiring people who are working to help others in our community at its National Philanthropy Day celebration. MCF was proud to be the presenting sponsor of this event, which celebrated those working to enhance the common good with their philanthropy.

Meet this year's honorees.

10 Helpful Tips for Year-End Giving

November 6, 2023

It is hard to believe, but 2023 is quickly drawing to a close! As you prepare for your year-end giving, here are 10 things to keep in mind.

See all 10 tips here.

Getting to Know Beth Hedges

September 29, 2023

The MCF team is once again growing as we welcome our new Accountant, Beth Hedges. Beth recently returned to the Midwest and is excited to expand her knowledge of nonprofit accounting her at MCF.

Learn more about Beth.

MCF's Grantmaking Due Diligence Policy

August 16, 2023

To ensure that all grantmaking done by funds at MCF is in keeping with our values, we have adopted a Grantmaking Due Diligence Policy. This policy further clarifies and defines how MCF and its Board of Governors evaluates organizations before approving grants or distributions to them.

Discover how we're ensuring values-aligned grantmaking at MCF.

Helping Build Thriving Neighborhoods

by Becki Fiegel | June 22, 2023

Madison Community Foundation believes that the most effective way to bring meaningful, lasting change is by supporting ecosystems, which creates momentum in a way that discrete individual grants may not.

See how MCF has helped contribute to two thriving neighborhoods in our community.

Diving Deep: Site Visits Give MCF Staff Insight

by Julia Carabelli | June 7, 2023

MCF staff regularly schedule site visit days to help deepen our knowledge of Dane County nonprofits, how they operate, and the people they serve. Recently, MCF staff had the pleasure of touring the Art + Literature Laboratory, The Bodgery and the Pinney Library.

Read more about our day of site visits

Using Your Retirement Plan to Fund Your Legacy Giving

June 1, 2023

If your estate plan includes charitable giving goals, using your traditional IRA or qualified retirement plan to fund those gifts can be a tax-smart strategy.

Explore whether this strategy might work for you.

Using a Qualified Charitable Distribution From Your Retirement Account

May 10, 2023

If you've reached retirement age and have accumulated more in your retirement accounts than you need to cover your expenses, a QCD may allow you to support one or more nonprofits while also reducing your taxable income.

Discover one way to use your excess retirement savings to fund your giving.

Meet MCF's New Board Chair, Christine Rew Barden

March 15, 2023

At the February Board of Governors meeting, MCF welcomed Christine Rew Barden as the new Chair.

Get to know Christine, and why she considers MCF a valuable community resource.

A Fund for Women Celebrates 30 Years

by Sarah White, AFFW Advisory Committee Secretary | March 1, 2023

Started in 1993 as a way to encourage philanthropy by and for women in Dane County, A Fund for Women has grown from $100,000 to nearly $4 million today.

Learn more about A Fund for Women over the years

The Big Share Day of Giving

by Becki Fiegel | February 13, 2023

Hosted by Community Shares of Wisconsin and sponsored by MCF, the Big Share is a day-long fundraising event that gives the community an opportunity to unite in support of area nonprofits. MCF fundholders can use their donor-advised funds to support any of the participating nonprofit organizations.

Learn more about The Big Share

Pause and Reflect

by Bob Sorge | January 18, 2023

MCF President and CEO Bob Sorge takes a moment to reflect on the past year and what we've been able to accomplish together with you, as the community's foundation.

Read Bob's reflection

Get to Know Julia Carabelli

January 11, 2023

In December, we welcomed Julia Carabelli as our Digital Content Specialist. New to the Madison area, Julia is excited to become acquainted with and enrich our community.

Get to know more about Julia.

Feathers in Our "CAPs"

by Anna Burish | December 20, 2022

To deepen their understanding of philanthropy and its role in financial and estate planning, MCF hosted a study group of local advisors working to earn their Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) credential. Anna Burish, an MCF Board member and a financial advisor with The Burish Group – UBS Financial Services Inc. shares what being part of that group meant to her.

Learn more about the CAP program.

Collecting Seeds for the Future

November 28, 2022

In late October, a group of MCF staff members spent an afternoon helping to protect those lakes and the watershed by volunteering with Clean Lakes Alliance and Dane County Parks. Our mission: to collect native prairie plant seeds.

Discover the connection between prairies and clean lakes.

10 Things to Remember About Year-End Giving

November 2, 2022

As 2022 draws to a close, many people are starting to think about the types of charitable gifts they would like to make before year-end. To help you prepare, we've put together 10 tips to keep in mind.

Learn ways to make your year-end giving most effective.

Spotlight on Field of Interest Grants

October 6, 2022

MCF stewards more than 50 Field of Interest funds and awards nearly $1 million in grants each year. Field of Interest funds allow donors and fundholders to support a broach area of interest and rely on MCF's expertise to select the projects to support each year.

Learn about some of the grants we've made so far this year.

Celebrating Legacy Giving at MCF

by David Koehler | September 29, 2022

Earlier this month, we gathered to celebrate our Legacy Society members; people who plan to support the community and the causes they care about through their estates. This year, we enjoyed brunch and program at MyArts.

See what makes this event so special, and enjoy the videos we shared.

Rising Rates Make Charitable Gift Annuities Even More Attractive

July 20, 2022

Rising interest rates may make a charitable gift annuity (CGA) an even more attractive option for your charitable giving. If you've been considering a CGA, now may be a good time to move ahead. 

Learn more about CGAs and the new rates.

MCF's Strategic Asset Allocation Dampens Volatility

By Carmen Jeschke | July 14, 2022

While today's stock market volatility, high inflation, surging gas prices and ongoing uncertainty are unsettling for investors, MCF maintains its long-term focus and uses a strategic asset allocation strategy to protect the portfolio's returns.

Learn how MCF's strategic asset allocation dampens volatility.

How MCF's Spending Policy Helps Stabilize Distributions

By Carmen Jeschke | June 8, 2022

MCF uses several tools to minimize the impact of market instability, inflation and recession on the distributions from the endowment funds held here. Our total return spending policy is one of those tools.

Learn how MCF's spending policy helps.

Getting to Know Camille Zanoni

By Becki Fiegel | May 4, 2022

Nonprofit leaders in Madison have a bounty of knowledge locked in their heads. But how does Camille joined MCF last week as Director of Donor & Giving Partner Engagement. She will be working with individuals, nonprofits and our giving partners as part of the donor engagement team.

Get to know Camille here.

Unlocking the Bounty

By Andy Davey | April 14, 2022

Nonprofit leaders in Madison have a bounty of knowledge locked in their heads. But how does that knowledge get shared, and with whom? MCF recently engaged in a multi-year research project with UW-Madison Extension Dane County to explore the availability of resources needed to sustain a thriving nonprofit ecosystem in Dane County.

Andy Davey shares their findings here.

Giving to Help the People of Ukraine

By Becki Fiegel | March 7, 2022

As the humanitarian crisis unfolds in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it's natural to want to help. While MCF's grantmaking is limited to Dane County, our fundholders can make distributions from their advised funds to support causes across the globe.

Learn More About Giving to Support the People of Ukraine

MCF Is Reducing Fees - Again!

By Bob Sorge | January 27, 2022

The support our fundholders provide to MCF is an important part of our success in strengthening the community. As MCF’s Administrative Endowment has grown, it is able to support a greater share of our operational needs. This has allowed us to reduce fees for many funds.

Learn About MCF's New Fee Structure 

10 Things to Remember About Year-End Giving

By Alison Helland | November 17, 2021

It is hard to believe, but 2021 is quickly drawing to a close! At this time of year, many people start thinking about the types of charitable gifts they would like to make before year-end. As you prepare for your year-end giving, Alison shares 10 things to remember. Review Alison's Year-End Giving Tips 

Donor Advised Fund Reform: the ACE Act

By Bob Sorge | September 29, 2021

While most donor advised funds get financial resources into the community, plenty of cases exist where dollars go into such funds and don't come out. Over the last decade, many versions of legislation have been introduced to address these issues. The most recent, the Accelerating Charitable Efforts (ACE) Act, is much stronger than previous versions, and shows a clear understanding of the differences between community foundations, commercial gift funds and private foundations. Learn Why MCF Supports the ACE Act

Cliff’s Gifts Benefit SAIL and Community

by David Koehler | September 9, 2021

When Cliff Voegeli passed away in 2020, he left a permanent legacy of support for Sharing Active Independent Lives (SAIL). After volunteering with SAIL during his retirement, Cliff became passionate about the organization's work helping seniors age in place. He wanted to ensure SAIL could continue to provide support in the community for years to come. Learn How Cliff Created His Legacy

How MCF's Investment Mindset May Differ From Yours (and Why That's a Good Thing)

By Carmen Jeschke | July 22, 2021

When fundholders establish an endowment at Madison Community Foundation (MCF), they do so because they want to create a permanent legacy; they are investing for future generations. To make this happen for the nearly 1,200 funds we steward, MCF operates under significantly different investment conditions than individual investors. Learn More

Meet Caitlin Ryan, MCF's Donor Relations Manager

July 14, 2021

Caitlin Ryan joined MCF as Donor Relations Manager just in time to jump into planning the first-ever virtual Madison Gives event, and she hasn't missed a stride since. Caitlin is looking forward to working with donors and fundholders to help make their giving experiences meaningful. Learn More About Caitlin

Dane County Nonprofits Eligible for Grants

By Tom Linfield | June 28, 2021

As we slowly emerge from the rubble of the pandemic, people are walking the streets mask free, wondering if COVID really is behind us. It’s wonderful to see people out and about, old friends reconnecting, family members visiting, stores and museums reopening, and a return to normalcy emerging. The pandemic, though, has a long tail. For the 3,000 nonprofits in Dane County, 2021 may prove as challenging as 2020. Read More

A Useful Tool for Both Donors and Nonprofits

Andy Davey | May 19, 2021

The Greater Madison Nonprofit Directory serves as a single platform for information about the thousands of nonprofits in our area, including more than 3,000 501(c)3 organizations in Madison alone. It also is the most visited page on our website, and is free for anyone to use. Madison Community Foundations (MCF) hosts the Directory as one way to help encourage transparency in the nonprofit field. Read More

Environmental Impact, Part 2: Farmland Equity and Outdoor Learning

Andy Davey | March 18, 2021

This is the second installment of a new series of blog posts and reports providing more information and analysis about the impact of Madison Community Foundation's (MCF's) grantmaking in each of our five community impact focus areas: the environment, the arts, learning, community development and capacity building. Read more

Environmental Impact, Part 1: Stopping Erosion and Restoring Prairies

Andy Davey | February 24, 2021

People often ask about the impact of our grantmaking on the community. To help answer those questions, we’re embarking on a new series of blog posts and reports providing more information and analysis about the scope and impact of our grants in each of our five community impact focus areas: the environment, the arts, learning, community development and capacity building. We begin today, focusing on the environment. Read more

The Big Share Is an Easy and Fun Way to Support Nonprofits

January 22, 2021

On Tuesday, March 2, Community Shares of Wisconsin will host The Big Share, the seventh annual community giving day. The Big Share is a fun and flexible way to donate to and learn more about a range of organizations making a difference in our community. This year, 70 local nonprofits are participating, including some groups participating in their first Big Share. Read more