Before the Ball Drops...

As the business world changes, and as our workforce needs continue to grow, the ABI Foundation is committed to staying at the cutting edge of leadership programming—for you, for future participants and for every community across Iowa. Your contributions have allowed the ABI Foundation to provide valuable opportunities and programming for more than 30 years. We are grateful for the ongoing support from all of our statewide partners as we continue on our mission to make Iowa the strongest it can be by empowering the current and future leaders of our state.

With the end of another year quickly approaching, you may be starting to think about how you can close out your year of charitable giving with end-of-year donations to help support the work of your favorite organizations. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the ABI Foundation continues to make an impact on students and adults across the state with the help of generous supporters. There is still time for YOU to help drive our mission forward with a tax-deductible gift to the ABI Foundation.

There are a number of ways you can support the ABI Foundation programs (Leadership Iowa, Leadership Iowa University and Business Horizons), including:

• Program Sponsorship: Program sponsors at any level play a vital role in the success of the ABI Foundation. There are multiple options for individuals and businesses when it comes to providing a tax-deductible program sponsorship, as well as a variety of benefits including widespread brand recognition.
  
  
• Program Scholarships: Individuals and businesses can directly impact the lives of our program participants by providing a program scholarship for an individual who may not otherwise have the means to a end—truly giving the gift of an invaluable opportunity.
  
  
• Matching Gifts: Does your company have a matching gift program? If so, be sure to take advantage of this to get the most out of your giving. Matching gift programs are an easy way to not only receive tax benefits, but also ensure that your dollars will go further in meeting the immediate needs of the organization.
  
  
• Planned Giving: Planned giving is a creative way to commit support to a non-profit organization with no immediate out-of-pocket cost. For example, October was Estate Planning Awareness Month. Together with the Mid-Iowa Planned Giving Council, Gov. Kim Reynolds encouraged Iowans to consider estate gifts that will enable the non-profit sector to continue to serve and sustain the quality of life that makes our state and its communities such great places to live, work and raise families.

• #GivingTuesday: The ABI Foundation, alongside many other nonprofit organizations, is participating in #GivingTuesday on Nov. 28. This event is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Last year, over 700,000 people collectively gave more than $116 million in more than 70 countries.

Lastly, for graduates of our Leadership Iowa and Leadership Iowa University programs, you have a unique opportunity to directly support and sustain these programs by joining the Alumni Society through your annual tax-deductible membership dues.

Wherever your heart leads you, please consider a year-end gift to a charitable organization. There are so many ways to make a difference, and that is exactly what your gift will do—make a tremendous difference to the organization and to the people who are impacted by its mission.

Before the ball drops, make a real difference. Right here. Right now.

For questions regarding donations to the ABI Foundation, contact Amanda Nuzum, development director, at anuzum@iowaabi.org.