For a young girl, the best day ever might start with a shovel, work gloves, and a first paycheck—realizing her work matters and she can contribute to her neighborhood. Through Groundwork Erie, a nonprofit founded in 2021 focused on environmental justice and urban...

Retirement assets are becoming an increasingly important part of charitable planning. Americans hold more than $50 trillion in retirement accounts—nearly $20 trillion of which are held in IRAs. Meanwhile, the Great Wealth Transfer is underway, with more than $120...

Along Route 20 in North East, across from a McDonald's that most drivers pass without a second glance, sits Phillips Cemetery, a burial ground that's spent years slowly disappearing under overgrown trees and brush. Some of its grave markers have broken. Others have...

A conversation at the grocery store. A longtime neighbor thinking about a gift in their will. A nonprofit with a good idea and nowhere obvious to turn. Community philanthropy often starts in ordinary places, with people who know their hometown and care about what...

The Erie Community Foundation team is happy to keep an eye out for what’s trending in the field of charitable planning, especially developments that impact your work with your charitable clients and how those clients tap into tools and resources at The Erie Community...

In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution supporting the designation of National Estate Planning Awareness Week, observed each October. You’ve likely heard of this, and you may know that October 19 through 25 is the week in 2026. Chances are,...

It’s October! You are well aware of the calendar, of course, and so are your clients. You’ve also likely already begun reminding clients about year-end tax deadlines and important loose ends to tie up before 2027 hits. Remember, though, that memories are short, and...

As year-end approaches, many clients will look to their professional advisors for help with financial, tax and charitable decisions. A good place to begin is with a simple question: “Are there people, organizations or causes you would like to support?”   That...

Grief has the power to change a person's life forever.  For some, it becomes something they carry quietly. For others, it becomes the beginning of a mission to ensure that the person they lost continues to make a difference in the lives of others.  That is the story...

Growing older doesn't mean the simple joys of life become any less important.  A walk through a garden. Lunch with friends on a sunny afternoon. Listening to live music outdoors or watching grandchildren play nearby. These everyday moments have the power to lift...