Endowments

Section Highlights

Benefits

DRAA is a vehicle through which individuals, families or companies can make current and planned gifts to benefit the performing and visual arts in central Contra Costa County, both today and for years to come.

DRAA recognizes many different levels and categories of giving.

Benefits of Giving

Endowment Recognition Levels
Builders of Excellence Endowment Society
Annual Giving Recognition
Presidential Societies
Legacy Society

Benefits of Giving

Uniqueness – You can create your own, unique charitable fund. Through DRAA, an individual, family or company can create funds tailored to meet their specific interests.

Permanence – Your gift will permanently benefit the community. Gifts can last forever because DRAA invests the charitable capital to ensure resources for the future. If the intended purpose of your fund becomes impossible to fulfill, DRAA, through its variance power, has the legal authority to redirect the fund to the most closely related use.

Maximum Tax Benefits – Contributions will ease your tax burden. As a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, DRAA can offer you the highest level of tax benefits for charitable giving. You may contribute cash, publicly traded and closely held stock, mutual funds, real estate, insurance policies, and other types of assets and receive the maximum tax benefit allowed under federal law.

Simplicity – Through DRAA you can support a variety of performing and visual arts organizations. One gift to DRAA can support a range of performing and visual arts organizations or programs, or just one, depending on your desires. DRAA will take care of all administrative functions of your fund, including financial reporting, grant making, and asset management.

Family Charitable Legacy – You may involve your family in giving. We will assist you and your family in developing a multigenerational program of charitable giving. You may also designate members of your family to serve as successor advisors to your fund. In this way, your children and grandchildren may preserve family values across generations through your legacy of giving.

Security – All contributions are professionally managed. DRAA Endowment funds are invested in a balanced portfolio that produces funds for grant making while providing for asset growth and security of principal. A volunteer Governing Committee of experienced community leaders oversees the Endowment management, spending policies and use of funds. Annual reporting through an independent audit and filing of tax returns and public disclosure of grant activities ensures continued use of funds in the public interest.

Local Impact – Your gift can make a difference. The DRAA Endowment can help you to target your gift toward performing and visual arts organizations that have the most pressing needs and promising opportunities. Our staff can help you identify the organizations and/or programs that may interest you.

Flexibility – You may direct your gift where it is most needed. You may specify the purpose of your gift to reflect your interests and provide support to any performing or visual arts organization or program in the community. In addition, through the DRAA Endowment, assets of many different kinds, including appreciated property, may be converted into charitable uses.

Recognition – Gifts will be made in your fund's name. You may choose any name you wish for your fund, your own or that of your family, a friend, or an organization. Grants made from your fund will always be awarded in the name of the fund, a lasting symbol of your caring. If you desire anonymity, DRAA will protect your identity.

Investment in the Future — Your gift to DRAA ensures a secure future for the performing and visual arts organizations in our community.

DRAA Endowment Recognition Levels

DRAA recognizes many different levels and offers categories and benefits at many levels. The categories for giving include:

Builders of Excellence Endowment Society
Annual Giving Recognition
Presidential Societies
Legacy Society

Builders of Excellence Endowment Society
The Builders of Excellence Endowment Society was established to honor those individuals creating an endowment of at least $10,000 and corporate endowments of $25,000 or more. The primary focus is to build an endowment that will provide long-term financial resources for sustaining and enhancing the performing and visual arts in central Contra Costa County.
Annual Giving Recognition
DRAA is grateful to those who annually participate in providing support to the performing and visual arts through their philanthropic support. Recognition is extended to donors whose gifts to DRAA, including matching gifts from employers, total $1,000 or more during DRAA’s fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).
Gift	Level	Benefits
$1 - $1,000	Friend	Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine*
$1,000 - $2,499	Builder’s Circle	Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine*
$2,500 - $4,999	President’s Circle	Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine*
$5,000 - $9,999	Chairman’s Circle	Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine*
$10,000 - $24,999	Gold Circle	Recognition on donor wall in the lobby of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts Listed once annually in the Annual Donor Report which is included in ArtsLine* Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine*
$25,000 - $49,999	Pillar Society	Recognition on donor wall in the lobby of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts Listed once annually in the Annual Donor Report which is included in ArtsLine* Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine*
$50,000 - $99,999	Signature Society	Recognition on donor wall in the lobby of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts Listed once annually in the Annual Donor Report which is included in ArtsLine* Recognition and biography in DRAA’s newsletter, ArtsLine* Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine*
$100,000 and above	Encore Society	Recognition on donor wall in the lobby of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts Recognition and biography in DRAA’s newsletter, *ArtsLine Listed once annually in the Annual Donor Report which is included in ArtsLine Receive DRAA’s quarterly newsletter ArtsLine
Presidential Societies
The Presidential Societies recognize donors who have achieved a cumulative record of outright gifts and pledges to DRAA programs. (Under certain circumstances, deferred gifts qualify for recognition in the Presidential Societies.)
Gift	Level
$15,000	President’s Club
$50,000	Chairman’s Club
$100,000	Leadership Club
$500,000	Heritage Society
$1,000,000	Founders Society
Legacy Society
The Legacy Society recognizes those who have demonstrated their joy of giving to the performing and visual arts through a will, trust, or other type of deferred gift (e.g., retirement plans and life insurance policies). Endowed funds are never spent, so each gift designated for endowment by you provides permanent financial support. We want to recognize people while they are living for gifts to the DRAA that are usually effective after their lifetimes. When you name DRAA as the beneficiary of your deferred gift, you express a certain joy about the arts. We recognize and honor that joy by making you a member of the Legacy Society.
What Does it Mean to Be a Member of the Legacy Society?
DRAA seeks to recognize and honor all donors both in a personal way and in a public way. When you join the DRAA Legacy Society, you become a partner in determining the future of the performing and visual in central Contra Costa County. You select the DRAA Endowment Fund program to benefit from your future gift. The size of your gift or bequest is not a factor in membership
Benefits of Legacy Society Membership
Individuals who have included a gift to DRAA in their estate plan and have informed DRAA (PDF) of their commitment are honored as members of The Legacy Society. Recognition levels for the Legacy Society include: Patron of the Arts - $25,000 Recognition on donor wall in the lobby of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts as "Patron" Lifetime membership Free admission to all special events Legacy Society pin Listed once annually in the Annual Donor Report which is included in ArtsLine Benefactor of the Arts - $50,000 Recognition on donor wall in the lobby of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts as"Benefactor" Lifetime membership Free admission to all special events Recognition and biography in DRAA’s newsletter, ArtsLine Legacy Society pin Listed once annually in the Annual Donor Report which is included in ArtsLine Founder of the Arts - $100,000 Recognition on donor wall in the lobby of the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts as "Founder" Recognition Reception Lifetime membership Free admission to all special events Recognition and biography in DRAA’s newsletter, ArtsLine Recognition on framed certificate as ”Founder” Legacy Society pin Listed once annually in the Annual Donor Report which is included in ArtsLine
How Do I Become a Member?
You are eligible for membership if you have provided for a future gift to DRAA through your will, trust, life insurance policy, retirement plan or similar arrangement, whatever the size of your gift. All gifts to DRAA are held in strict confidence. Those who have made such a commitment and have notified DRAA (PDF) of their intentions will be invited to become a member of Legacy Society. DRAA will not, however, publish names or publicly recognize these gifts without the prior written permission of the donor. If you are including the DRAA in your will, please designate the Diablo Regional Arts Association as the beneficiary with the following language: “. . . to the Diablo Regional Arts Association, for…” The information you provide to us is treated as strictly confidential.
For More Information
If you would like more information on how you can make a gift to the DRAA or how to notify us of plans you may already have in place, please call us at 925.932.1731 or email info@draa.org.