Hudson Community Foundation

**Our Mission** The characteristics we cherish about Hudson did not just happen. They were thoughtfully planned by a century of idealists with a single vision: to create an extraordinary community rooted in values, culture, family and exceptional living and learning. We’re grateful to these thoughtful leaders, as they have truly given us a gift – a treasure that is now ours to protect and to pay forward. Our mission is to enhance the overall quality of life in Hudson by increasing charitable giving, educating and connecting donors to community needs and leading on community issues. How do we do that? By asking people like you, who already give to many causes, to give to those same causes through Hudson Community Foundation, rather than through a third-party financial organization. By combining the collective resources available at Hudson Community Foundation, we create a public charity to support local needs and those important to our donors nationwide. The Hudson Community Foundation, established by Hudson residents and governed by a volunteer board with a professional staff, is a philanthropic partner that helps families, individuals and companies maximize the impact of their charitable dollars in contributing to causes and nonprofit organizations locally and nationwide. It’s a simple thing, and yet it means so much for two reasons: One, because when you give to your charities through Hudson Community Foundation, administrative fees stay right here in Hudson, building on the vision of our forefathers. And two, because every person who does this helps us reach our goal of endowing the organization, so we can support local and nationwide projects forever. Empower simple, smart and meaningful philanthropy. **Our History** From our founding days in 2000, our vision for family philanthropy in Hudson was similar to that of all community foundations set up since the first community foundation was established in Cleveland in 1914: to preserve and enhance the quality of life in the community for generations to come. To accomplish this we needed a community-based charitable endowment – a public charity to which individuals, families and companies could set up a fund in their name, contribute a wide variety of assets, and enjoy the best tax benefits available. Also, have those funds administered and distributed under a common umbrella. In short, we needed a community foundation. In 2000, Hudson Community Foundation (HCF) was established by two philanthropic Hudson residents that set out to design a community foundation especially for Hudson, one that would reflect the unique character and personality of Hudson residents. In addition to the traditional charitable giving strategies that most community foundations offer (designated funds, field-of-interest funds, unrestricted funds and Donor Advised Funds), they wanted to create the opportunity for donors and their families to experience the special satisfaction that comes from personalized family philanthropy.