CROWLEY – Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA) is more than just another 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, as President and CEO Raymond Hebert explained at Tuesday’s Rotary Club of Crowley meeting.

The guest speaker at the club’s weekly meeting explained to the club what CFA is and does and how it has benefited Crowley, Acadia Parish and Acadiana for years while going almost unnoticed by many.

“We’re your community foundation,” he said as he began discussing CFA.

CFA was established in 2000 as a nonprofit that is basically designed to connect people’s generosities with the causes they care about. It is a donor service company whose entrepreneurial and donor-focused model accommodates the charitable and philanthropic objectives of its donors.

“We look to increase and enhance philanthropy,” said Hebert.

While CFA benefits a 22-parish region of the state, its main focus lies with eight parishes–Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion.

Essentially, CFA provides wise stewardship of generous resources and objectives; offers the provision of expert services and administration of all donor funds and, as a trusted partner, professionally governed, it provides leadership on community needs, initiatives and opportunities.

To get further in depth, CFA offers several kinds of funds, like discretionary, designated and agency, scholarship, cause- and community-specific, family foundation alternative and donor-advised.

Also charitable funds can be established with any amount and established amounts and subsequent balances are never public, not even to CFA’s board of directors, meaning those who want to donate anonymously can easily do so through CFA.

Hebert, while discussing the many kinds of funds CFA has, used many examples not just as a way of illustration, but to potentially get ideas for Crowley residents.

“Sometimes you need another tool in your tool chest to get things done,” he said.

Moving forward, CFA’s next big project is the idea of maybe holding a “Charitable Giving Day” in the spring for its eight-parish area that would be a designated 24 to 36 hours of donors being able to give money for the many funds CFA offers.

To get started, Hebert explained, the focus then turns to the collective “you.”

“The discussion really begins with you; it’s all about you,” he said.

Hebert said you must identify your passion, customize your fund and choose whether to implement it now or later.

There are four ways to join CFA. First, you can establish your own named charitable fund. Second, you can give to an already-established fund. Third, you can be a leader in philanthropy by being a CFA ambassador. And finally, you can establish a legacy for you and your family or in memory or honor of someone through a planned gift and estate planning.

For more information on the CFA, visit their website at www.cfacadiana.org.