Mark and Christine Troudt present a $25,000 gift to Clare Fastiggi, left, lands program manager at the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, for the Dead River Community Forest. The gift was presented to the UPLC at the Community Foundation’s grants distribution event in June. (Photo courtesy of the Community Foundation of Marquette County)

MARQUETTE — The Community Foundation of Marquette County announced that Mark and Christine Troudt recently made a $25,000 gift to the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy for the Dead River Community Forest through the Mark and Christine Troudt Donor Advised Fund.

The Community Foundation administers the fund. Founded in 1988, CFMC collaborates with donors to establish charitable funds and support nonprofit organizations through a variety of grant-making efforts.

Located in Marquette, the Dead River Community Forest will permanently protect 186 acres of healthy, diverse riparian forest — including nearly 3 miles of riverfront — and provide miles of multi-use trails for the community. The forest is adjacent to UPLC’s Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve, protecting a total of 309 acres of forested land on the edge of greater Marquette.

“The Troudts are an excellent example of how you can support the things you care about and positively impact the future of our community through the Community Foundation,” UPLC Executive Director Andrea Denham said in a statement. “The Troudts’ generous gift through their donor advised fund at the Community Foundation brought UPLC several strides closer to completing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make recreational access to a natural paradise, the Dead River Community Forest, a permanent part of our community.”

Regarding their gift, Mark Troudt said in a statement, “We love the outdoors — flora, fauna, everything. The more pristine, the better.”

He called the gift a good opportunity to preserve a “wonderful” piece of property close to the city that would certainly be developed otherwise.

“This is an opportunity to keep it as it is — for local people to enjoy it as it is, now and in the future,” he said.

Donor-advised funds enable individuals to combine their charitable giving with robust tax and investment-planning benefits, CFMC said.They also offer donors a simple and flexible way to streamline their charitable giving. Donors make a gift to establish the fund and then remain actively involved in suggesting grants from the fund to the nonprofit organizations they wish to support.

With donor-advised funds, donors may contribute cash, appreciated stock, real estate, or other financial or business assets.

Mark Troudt said, “Donor-advised funds are an underused vehicle for people to donate. They give you the ability to donate now and direct the gifts at a later date.”

“The tax benefits of the appreciated securities are really phenomenal — you can donate stocks or whatever has appreciated and get the full write-off.”

Establishing a donor-advised fund enables people with specific charitable interests like the Troudts to maximize their giving over time.

“It’s nice to give $500 every year, but it’s nicer to give $10,000 every five or 10 years,” he said. “With a fund, it should grow in value (as) it’s invested. It’s nice to be able to have the opportunity to do bigger things when something really special comes along.”

Community Foundation CEO Zosia Eppensteiner, Community Foundation CEO, said in a statement, “One of the most exciting parts of our work at the Community Foundation is providing a powerful, simple and tax-smart way for generous donors like Mark and Christine to support causes they are passionate about. It’s such an honor to be here to help our donors make a significant difference in our community over time.”

Since 1988, the Community Foundation has dedicated itself to improving the lives of people in Marquette County and growing community capital by building endowments, distributing grants and scholarships, and being actively involved as a community leader — collaborating with local partners to address local needs. The Community Foundation has currently holds more than 169 different funds that benefit worthy charities and charitable causes in Marquette County.

For more information about CFMC donor-advised funds and other vehicles for community giving, call 906-226-7666 or visit www.cfofmc.org.