As a full-service philanthropic partner, The East Bay Community Foundation enables professional advisors to provide powerful, rewarding philanthropic options for their clients.
Make the Most of Your Clients’ Philanthropy
Advisors benefit by gaining access to philanthropic expertise, nonprofit experience, and a strong knowledge of the East Bay. Our philanthropic advisors serve as an invaluable resource, simplifying the many avenues of giving for your clients, recommending strategies based on areas of interest, and ensuring that your clients’ dollars will have the greatest impact — whether they plan to give now or into the future.
If you work with philanthropic families or individuals, we can help you assess tax-saving options to make the most of your clients’ charitable giving.
My clients have greatly enjoyed and benefited from their involvement with EBCF by bringing families together to share family values and philanthropic activities. I’ve worked with the team at EBCF to draw up family charters that my clients can use to guide their philanthropic activities and meet their charitable goals. Seeing how EBCF has had an impact on my clients continues to be a rewarding experience.
Jim King
In addition, you will be connecting your clients with a trusted leader in the philanthropic field. We are well known for our ability to handle challenging charitable transactions and for our in-depth knowledge of charitable giving. You and your client will have access to a staff of professionals who will make sure each charitable investment provides the greatest emotional, civic, and financial benefit possible.
We are accredited for National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. With 750 community foundations nationwide, this program demonstrates our commitment to accountability, excellence, and service and is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.
Maximize Your Clients’ Giving
The East Bay Community Foundation is a public charity, so your clients will receive the maximum tax deduction allowed by law, and avoid capital gains tax. We look at each donation individually and create giving plans that maximize gifts to our community and provide tangible and intangible benefits to donors.
For example, your client may consider a Donor Advised Fund. They will receive tax benefits in the contribution year and may recommend where to grant funds.

Impact Investing with EBCF
Did you know that your client can make program-related impact investments to social enterprises using their Donor Advised Fund?
Additional Ways We Can Help
- Identify your client’s charitable giving interests and motivations.
- Match personal charitable interests with tax planning needs.
- Create and implement charitable plans that are integrated into major business, personal, and financial decisions.
- Assist with complex forms of giving including impact investing.
- Provide information about the East Bay community’s needs and the local agencies and programs that make a difference in the areas your clients care about most.
- Deliver grantmaking expertise and a range of administrative services related to charitable giving.

Professional Advisor Leadership Council
Our Professional Advisor Leadership Council consists of estate, financial, real estate, and tax-planning professionals who volunteer their time to help EBCF become a better resource for advisors and their clients.
Resources for Professional Advisors
Explore a variety of fund types to meet your clients’ interests and financial planning goals. EBCF manages all administrative and reporting requirements.
Charitable Fund Types
Give now, grant later. Our most popular fund commonly used by individuals, families, and corporations. A DAF provides your clients with immediate tax benefits and the ability to support nonprofits they care about most. DAFs are one of the most efficient, flexible and cost-effective alternatives to private or family foundations. Download the Donor Advised Fund PDF to Learn More.
A Field of Interest (FOI) Fund supports a specific area of “interest” that your client defines. Your client identifies an area of charitable interest — as broad or narrow as you choose — and we will find organizations that do the best work in the interest area and then make grants to those organizations. Download the Field of Interest Fund PDF to learn more.
A Supporting Organization (SO) is an alternative to a private foundation for philanthropically-minded individuals and families. As a supporting organization, your client’s SO would have tax-exempt status as a public charity and operate under the umbrella of EBCF with a separate identity and its own mission and board of directors. Download the Supporting Organization PDF to learn more.
Legacy funds, also called Testamentary Funds, are commonly used by individuals and families who wish to establish a philanthropic legacy. Opening a Legacy Fund ensures that your philanthropic commitment will live on in the hands of a trusted partner, whether that’s EBCF or a successor advisory that you appoint. This fund type guarantees that your intentions are fulfilled after your death. Download the Testamentary Fund PDF to learn more.
Fund Comparison At-A-Glance
This chart describes the fund minimum, governance model, investment options, naming conventions, administration fees, advisory privileges, annual distribution requirements, across fund types.
AGENCY FUND VS. DONOR ADVISED FUND VS. FIELD OF INTEREST FUND >>
This chart describes the philanthropic benefits, tax advantages, and administrative fees for three different types of charitable giving vehicles.
DONOR ADVISED FUND VS. SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION VS. PRIVATE FOUNDATION >>
Fund and Grantmaking Policies
Grants made from funds held at East Bay Community Foundation are governed by our grantmaking and fund policies. These policies ensure that the philanthropic impact of grants made by EBCF align with the values of social justice and racial justice. These policies are periodically updated. All fundholders should be familiar with these policies.
Get In Touch
For more information about the Professional Advisor Leadership Council or EBCF’s services for professional advisors, please get in touch.