For Boulder natives David and Carly Brantz, joining The Community Foundation’s Legacy Society was a natural fit.
“Growing up here, both of us have long enjoyed and benefitted from all the things that make this community special,” says David, a partner with Kottke & Brantz, LLC where he focuses on estate planning, probate, real estate and business law. “Given what I do for a living, I’m very familiar with the various ways in which to join the Legacy Society – from making a bequest to The Community Foundation in your will to making the foundation a beneficiary of a retirement plan or a charitable remainder trust…to name just a few.
“Dealing with these concepts every day, I know how important it is to make your future wishes known. For us, we simply named The Community Foundation as a beneficiary in our will.”
Adds Carly, “We also want to send the message to our children that it’s important to give back. We want to provide for them, obviously, as beneficiaries of our estate…but we also want them to know what else is important to us. We want all the wonderful programs and services in our county to stay in place so that our kids and future generations of kids can benefit from them, too.”
The Brantz’s live out their commitment to community in other ways, as well. Their oldest daughter – 7-year-old Samantha – attends Columbine Elementary School, a bilingual learning community. “It’s a school that, historically, has been at risk,” continues Carly. “But it’s turning around, and it’s exciting to see how we’re helping low-income kids be successful.”
Indeed, the couple is particularly supportive of The Community Foundation’s School Readiness Initiative. “Early childhood education is so important,” says Carly. “Even before kids get to preschool. Especially in Boulder, there’s still a huge socioeconomic gap in a community that’s predominately affluent.”
“The Community Foundation supports a variety of nonprofits and programs – from education to the environment, the arts, basic needs and more,” David chimes in. “When you make a contribution now – or designate your support for later by being a Legacy Society member – you know you’re going to reach a lot of people in need of support. Not to mention, the foundation is nimble enough to be quick and responsive to individuals in challenging times, like the Fourmile Fire or the 2013 floods.
“The Community Foundation makes it really easy to give in an impactful way. Even if you don’t have much time or money to give now, the Legacy Society allows you to make a difference later without jeopardizing your current priorities.”
In 2010, David completed The Community Foundation’s inaugural Leadership Fellows program. Currently, he’s Vice Chair of the foundation’s Board of Trustees.