Menu

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation was established in 1985 to further initiatives that improve the quality of life in Ohio’s agricultural communities. The foundation supports special projects that focus on agricultural education, environmental and economic issues.

As the foundation has grown and developed, it is now possible to contribute to it through new giving programs, according to Bob Vance, OFBF vice president of corporate affairs. He said the donor giving programs offer flexibility and variety. "As donors combine their financial contributions with other donors, they can generate greater effectiveness than one person alone can achieve," he said.

As the oldest program within the foundation, the Annual Giving Program seeks to match the immediate needs of givers with identified charitable projects. Annual gifts quite frequently are given to the foundation for nonspecific projects in the future. The foundation commonly receives both yearly gifts and one-time only gifts as part of the Annual Giving Program.

Vance said the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history will occur within the next decade. The foundation has always been able to accept cash gifts, but with the new Planned Giving Program donors can now give real estate, stocks, annuities or other assets as well as name the foundation as a will or endowment recipient.

The foundation can accommodate cash asset donations in the endowment fund, which will be professionally managed by the Columbus Foundation.

With the creation of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation Alliance, donors become members at different levels of recognition. Donors sustaining a continued level of donations are further recognized for the number of years of membership.

Foundation Alliance individual members are recognized in six categories and legal entities such as associations, corporations and partnerships are recognized in four categories beginning at the gold member level:

• Bronze member - $100 to $499 annual investment
• Silver member - $500 to $999 annual investment
• Gold member - $1,000 to $2,499 annual investment
• Platinum member - $2,500 - $4,900
• Diamond member - $5,000 +
• Lifetime membership - $25,000 or more of cumulative giving

Vance said contributions may be made in person, by electronic wire or by mail. "Donors retain the satisfaction of giving while we take care of all the paperwork and ongoing management," he said. Because the OFB Foundation is a public charity rather than a private foundation, all donations qualify for the maximum available deduction for charitable contributions. For more information, or to make a contribution, contact Rachel Rittinger at Ohio Farm Bureau, 614-246-8904.