Celebrating 60 years of serving the community
What began as the dream of a generous woman who wanted to turn her material blessings into abundance for the kingdom of God is now a thriving foundation that encourages generosity throughout the Chattanooga area and beyond. Sixty years after their founder, Dora Maclellan Brown, began a single-donor private foundation with her earnings and investments from her family’s business, The Generosity Trust (TGT) serves families and individuals through over 800 Donor Advised Funds (DAFS). These generous donors respond to God’s goodness in their lives by thinking of others and giving back to the community. Aunt Dora’s dream helped spark profound generosity in the Chattanooga community that has lasted for generations.
The heart of their work at TGT is walking alongside families, individuals, and businesses who already know the joy in giving. They are motivated to invest in the organizations that have impacted their lives or the lives of their family members. As TGT connects with their donors, they hold the following core values as vital elements of their culture. TGT is:
If it wasn’t already apparent, TGT intentionally arranged those four values. As a principal service to the community, TGT facilitates Donor-Advised Funds (DAFS) for fund advisors across the country. While DAFS have many inherent benefits on their own, TGT believes that when backed by these values and energized by their new initiatives, they will increasingly become a financial tool for great impact.
By using a Donor-Advised Fund at TGT, donors turn tax-deductible assets into a “giving fund” that enables them to give to the church they attend, their alma mater (school or university), or any 501(c)(3) organization that has touched their lives. Simply put, TGT aspires to make the giving process easier by receipting donations, preparing grants, and sending those grants to charities. And, since donors can make all their contributions to and through TGT, they receive just one list with all their gifts when it comes tax time. No need to keep track of multiple receipts.
2024 grantees of Sharing God’s Goodness, one of four area giving circles hosted by The Generosity Trust.
Staying true to Aunt Dora’s vision, TGT provides scholarships for seminary students seeking a master’s degree in any type of ministry. TGT also hosts four giving circles which facilitate collaborative giving among members and build community awareness. They are committed to guiding families toward greater multi-generational generosity, and they believe it is important for their organization to be a center of connection, education, and community, ultimately growing TGT as a center of services to benefit greater Chattanooga.
The entire team at TGT enjoys guiding donors along the pathway toward greater generosity. Head to their website or visit their location in Northshore to learn more.
“Giving melts away our focus on ourselves, and we begin to live as we were made to live – for the glory of God and the good of others.”
– John Rinehart
