George Shaw became a believer almost 30 years ago.
In the early 1980s, he and his fellow trustees at a Boston-based charitable trust had to find a way to replace the trust’s resources when it came to an end. After completing their research, the trustees decided to support the long-term growth of New England community foundations, including the fledgling Maine Community Foundation. Starting in 1983, they made a series of grants to the community foundation, for grantmaking and as a challenge to build its permanent endowment.
George recognized the value of community foundations as a resource to meet changing needs over time. Inspired by this realization, he and his wife, Anna, established a donor-advised fund with the Boston Foundation. As a lawyer, he also urged his clients to consider community foundations as partners for planning their charitable giving.
After moving to Newcastle, George and Anna transferred their fund to the Maine Community Foundation. They use it for personal giving. “We have been especially pleased with the initiative to support Maine Farmland Trust’s Buy/Protect/Sell program,” says George, “and appreciate receiving proposals for hospice programs, which is a special interest of Anna’s.”
As they think about the future, the Shaws want to be sure that a significant portion of their charitable dollars remains in Maine. A member of its Board of Directors, George has urged the Maine Community Foundation to encourage its donors to consider leaving funds to a permanent endowment as part of their legacy to Maine. “Anna and I are confident the foundation will be able to address future issues meaningfully,” he says -- an important endorsement from someone who has been championing community foundations for a long time.