Larry and Carol Trautner were unacquainted with the Escondido Community Foundation, an affiliate of San Diego Foundation, until they purchased a Lake Hodges-area home from a couple actively involved with the nonprofit. When Foundation mailings continued to arrive for the previous owner, Larry and Carol’s curiosity was piqued.
“As we learned more, we said, ‘This looks like something we should do,’ so we got involved and haven’t regretted it since,” Larry explained.
Getting involved is an understatement. For most of the past 14 years, Larry has served on the organization’s Board of Directors and is a member of the Special Projects Committee. Carol is a longtime member of the Grants Committee.
Why such dedication? “The Foundation is a very responsible organization that is helping so many nonprofits here in Escondido that are doing some really amazing things,” says Carol.
“What we like about the Foundation is we’re not dumping a whole lot of money into one organization that may not be around in a few years,” added Larry. “With a community foundation, you’re able to help a number of local organizations that can really use the funding instead of sending dollars to an agency hired by a nonprofit back East.”
Qualified Charitable Distributions
Among the strategies Larry and Carol have embraced is the Qualified Charitable Distribution, or QCD, that allows individuals to lower their tax bill by donating required minimum distributions from their Individual Retirement Account directly to a qualified charity. Required distributions can push a person’s adjusted gross income into a higher tax bracket, but QCDs allow a taxpayer over the age of 70½ to donate up to $108,000 directly from a taxable IRA to a 501(c)(3) charity. QCDs are especially appealing for those who don’t need the required minimum distributions and want to avoid increased tax liabilities.
For Larry and Carol, the QCD option is a perfect fit.
“We see the needs in the community now, so why not donate this money now rather than waiting until later?” says Larry. “QCDs offer a vehicle for making that happen. It’s really a huge tax advantage while you’re doing something worthwhile for the community.”
Added Carol: “If people were to look closely at how this all works, they’d see they might be able to do this, too.”
Their most recent gift is intended to further support the Escondido Community Foundation’s grantmaking.
A Lifetime Partnership
Escondido Community Foundation is a membership-based organization affiliated with San Diego Foundation. Members’ annual fees evenly split between funding for upcoming grantmaking cycles and building an endowment for the community. Donations come through cash contributions, donor advised funds, QCDs, and other investment vehicles. The Foundation’s Grant Committee selects six to eight projects to fund annually, distributing up to $250,000 per year.
“All of the money stays in Escondido and the Foundation follows up to make sure the funds are being spent on the project proposed,” says Carol.
Project Hero, a mentoring program for at-risk youth, was a recent recipient. Larry was so impressed with the program that he volunteered as a mentor for a local high school student.
“Getting involved like that opens your eyes to see some of the struggles people are dealing with just to make ends meet,” he says.
Teamwork
The Trautners grew up in the small town of Menominee on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, about 50 miles north of Green Bay. They started dating as juniors in high school – he was the football team captain; she was a cheerleader. He would earn an engineering degree from the University of Michigan; she would earn a degree in education from Eastern Michigan University. They married during college. When Larry began a 36-year career with Bechtel, the couple moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Carol taught for several years. Over time, they volunteered with school PTAs and became involved with the United Way, but philanthropy was not a primary focus.
Their volunteer work continued after they retired and moved to San Diego County. In addition to their generous donations to Escondido Community Foundation, both volunteer with Interfaith Community Services, Compact, A Step Beyond, San Pasqual Academy, Adopt a Block, Rotary Club of Escondido and Love Esco.
Give Today
Photo Credit: Mark Skovorodko via Wikimedia Commons
Much of their attention with the Escondido Community Foundation and SDF’s QCD program reflects the focus areas of SDF’s Fifty & Forward campaign: education, children and families, and the environment.
“One of the reasons we’re sitting here talking to you about all this today is to encourage others to do the same,” Larry says. “The need is out there and so many people have the opportunity to help. We’re not rich, but we’re rich enough to do what we want to do in life while also helping the community.”
It is a community they have grown fond of.
“It’s very close knit, people are involved and they really do care about each other,” says Larry.
You, too, can show how much you care by making an impact through San Diego Foundation and affiliates like Escondido Community Foundation and others in Carlsbad, Oceanside, Rancho Bernardo, Ramona and Chula Vista. SDF has ample resources pertaining to QCDs. Or learn more about the Fifty & Forward campaign.
