Author: Michael Morse

Catholic Community Foundation Awards $110,400 in Scholarships

Posted on by Michael Morse

This year, the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. has awarded 39 deserving students from throughout the Diocese of Venice with college scholarships totaling $110,400.  These awards were made possible by way of three different scholarship funds established by donors with the Catholic Community Foundation.  Scholarship funds are wonderful ways to honor or memorialize friends, teachers, family members or other loved ones passionate about the importance of education.

Scholarship funds, like the Mary Fran Carroll Scholarship, serve as a powerful Catholic Legacy to support and encourage students.  This scholarship is awarded to both traditional and non-traditional students in Sarasota County who have articulated a focused career plan along with how they expect to help the community with their chosen career.  This year, 11 new students received the Mary Fran Carroll Scholarship along with 23 students who successfully renewed their scholarship by maintaining a high grade point average while in college.

The Frank & Florence Coseglia Scholarship is awarded to one graduating senior from each of the four Catholic High Schools within the Diocese of Venice.  The four winners were recognized for their academic standing, service to their Parish and School, as well as an essay on what their Catholic Education has meant to them.

The Catholic Community Foundation added a new scholarship this year.  The Frederick W. Schaerf, M.D., Ph.D. Neuroscience Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers who is interested in pursuing a career in neuroscience or similar field.  The family chose to create the scholarship to honor the late Dr. Schaerf, who specialized in clinical research associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related memory disorders.

The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. supports the mission of Christ in the Diocese of Venice by providing philanthropic opportunities for individuals and families to create lasting Catholic Legacies.  It is also the only foundation in Southwest Florida that invests donor gifts in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

To learn more about the Catholic Community Foundation, contact Michael Morse at 941-441-1124 or by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org or visit the Foundation at www.CCFDioceseofvenice.org.

The Catholic Community Foundation Grants Over $1.38 Million

Posted on by Michael Morse

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida distributed more than $1.38 million from endowment, scholarship, donor advised and fiscal sponsorship funds to Parishes, Schools and programs throughout the Diocese of Venice and beyond.

This funding was made possible because of the generosity of donors who wanted to provide long-term support and sustainability to the Catholic entities and programs about which they care most.  These donors chose to give through the Catholic Community Foundation to help safeguard their assets and to ensure that their donations would always be used in alignment with their wishes.

In addition to distributing $1.38 million this past fiscal year from existing donor funds, the Foundation also work with donors to open eighteen new funds to benefit Parishes, Catholic Education, Vocations and other programs throughout the Diocese.  These new funds bring the total number of donor funds with the Foundation to 110 and represents a 69% increase over the past four years.

The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. supports the mission of Christ in the Diocese of Venice by providing philanthropic opportunities for individuals and families to create lasting Catholic Legacies.  It is also the only foundation in Southwest Florida that invests donor gifts in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

To learn more about the Catholic Community Foundation, contact Michael Morse at 941-441-1124 or by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org or visit the Foundation at www.CCFDioceseofvenice.org.

CARES Act Benefits Donors

Posted on by Michael Morse

By Michael Morse – 4/9/2020

Throughout the Diocese of Venice and around the world, we are witnessing incredible acts of kindness, faith and generosity.  Faithful Catholics are helping one another, praying for each other and supporting those in need during these unprecedented times. We are so grateful that even in the midst of an economic crisis, individuals and families continue to support the Parishes, schools, programs and ministries of the Diocese of Venice.

As many people know, the Federal government recently passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).  However, most people are not aware that the CARES Act provides some additional tax benefits to those who donate to churches and other charitable organizations in 2020.

One of the new tax benefits will make it possible to take an above-the-line deduction for qualified charitable contributions up to $300 for the 90% of taxpayers who do not claim itemized deductions on their federal income tax returns.

The CARES Act also relaxes some of the limits on charitable contributions.  There are not many people with the ability to donate most of their income to charities, but for those that do, they can now get an increased Federal income tax deduction for qualified charitable contributions.  Just for 2020, the deduction limit has been increased from 60% to 100% of a donor’s Adjusted Gross Income.  In addition, the limitation on corporate donors has been increased from 10% to 25% of taxable income.  Corporations can also increase their food donations from 15% to 25% of taxable income.

These income tax changes were included by the Federal government to help individuals and families continue their support during this pandemic for the charitable organizations about which they care most, including the Church.  As stated in Bishop Frank Dewane’s recent letter to the Faithful about the coronavirus, “As your Bishop, I am always edified and grateful for the generosity of the Faithful, particularly at difficult times…be confident that Christ is with us always and that the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph are interceding for us.  Take courage and trust in God during this time of many challenges.”

To learn more about the Catholic Community Foundation, please contact Michael Morse at 941-441-1124 or by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org.  You can also visit the Foundation website at www.CCFDioceseofvenice.org.

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