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Transformative philanthropy is often fueled by outside-the-box giving strategies.

In Miami, a couple that champions the arts donated two luxury homes to their community foundation, with the proceeds fueling support for cultural attractions, economic development and other opportunities to uplift their community for generations to come.

This innovative complex-gift collaboration with a community foundation shows what’s possible for Broward County philanthropists interested in creative opportunities to maximize their support for the community they love.

How Jorge M. and Darlene Pérez Shape a Brighter Future for Miami

Philanthropy is a family commitment for Jorge M. and Darlene Pérez, champions of the arts who have pledged to give away the majority of their wealth to help others. Donating luxury real estate to The Miami Foundation is a powerful way that the Pérez family fuels support for transforming lives and shaping a brighter future for the community they love.

After immigrating to the U.S., Jorge relied on scholarships and support from charities to pursue higher education, which eventually led him to start his own real estate development company. Jorge is the Founding Executive Chairman of Related Group and has been at the forefront of South Florida’s urban development for more than 45 years. Darlene grew up in Miami and built a long-term career as an advanced registered nurse practitioner with over 25 years of experience. A champion for healthcare and education, she has served on the nursing advisory board of her alma mater, Florida International University, founded and chairs the Pérez Art Museum Miami’s (PAMM) International Women's Committee and is active in a variety of civic and cultural organizations.

They connected with The Miami Foundation in the early 1990s, when Jorge served on the Board and saw firsthand how philanthropy through the Foundation helps make his community more prosperous and resilient.

In 2015, Jorge, Darlene and their four children, Christina, Jon Paul, Nick and Felipe, created The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation and the Related Philanthropic Foundation – Donor-Advised Funds at The Miami Foundation. Grants from their funds promote sustainable, inclusive and just communities by supporting programs and organizations focused on arts and culture, health and well-being, education, the environment and economic development. That includes support for Miami’s pandemic recovery, The Miami Foundation’s Racial Equity Fund as well as the Pérez CreARTE Grants Program (CreARTE), aimed at expanding access to the arts for all and helping make Miami a global hub for the arts.

Real estate gifts elevated Jorge and Darlene’s local philanthropy through The Miami Foundation to historic levels. In 2021, Jorge and Darlene made the largest gift ever to The Miami Foundation when they donated their Coconut Grove home. The Miami Foundation sold the 10,000-square-foot waterfront home for $33 million, with the proceeds fueling support for education, the arts and the Pérez family’s other charitable passions.

Last year, Jorge and Darlene added to their investment in local philanthropy by donating an ocean-view penthouse on South Beach to The Miami Foundation. The proceeds from the sale will support grants for the arts, cultural attractions and economic development.

The real estate donations are the latest examples of the Pérez family using complex gifts to make a lasting difference. Their gifts of cash and artwork have also provided millions in ongoing support for the Pérez Art Museum Miami

It’s all part of Jorge and Darlene’s support for the Giving Pledge, a movement started by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett where philanthropists pledge to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. The two joined the Giving Pledge in 2012 after spending the summer discussing its importance with their adult children. To this day, the family meets quarterly with The Miami Foundation’s expert team, who helps guide their decision making tied to charitable goals as well as grantmaking from their family fund.

Since founding the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation and the Related Philanthropic Foundation in 2015 and well before that, the Pérez family has committed over $100 million in support of more than 150 nonprofit organizations.

“For our communities to thrive, they must be sustainable, inclusive and just. That’s our vision for South Florida and beyond,” Jorge Pérez said.

Ready to Help Broward Philanthropists Make the Most of Complex Gifts

Enlisting the expertise of a community foundation helps the Pérez family transform their community with creative, powerful giving strategies. Like The Miami Foundation, the Community Foundation of Broward has a team of skilled professionals ready to help philanthropists in our community create enduring impact by donating complex assets.

Throughout our 40-year history, we have partnered with philanthropists who donate real estate, gifts of closely held/private stock, valuable collections, IRA charitable rollovers, private foundation assets and other complex assets to support their charitable priorities.

We collaborate with philanthropists and their professional advisors to explore tax advantages and craft giving strategies that make the most of their charitable dollars. Together, we create customized, well-defined plans that guide how their donations are put to use – today and for generations to come.

Benefits of donating complex gifts include:

• Reducing your taxable estate: Gifting real estate or other complex assets during your lifetime can be a strategic way to reduce your estate tax liability and boost the value of your charitable impact.
• Reducing or eliminating your capital gains tax: Assets like appreciated stock can be sold by a charity for 100 cents on the dollar – no capital gains tax applies. That means your favorite charitable causes receive more support than if you had sold that same asset yourself and then donated the proceeds.
• Gaining a “fair market value” tax deduction: Getting a qualified appraisal of your gift may enable you to claim a fair market value charitable deduction during the tax year when the gift was made.
• Avoiding real estate maintenance costs and sales hassles: Once you donate a property you aren’t using, the Community Foundation is responsible for the costs of taking care of it as well as the time commitment and expenses involved in selling it.

By donating complex assets to create an endowed charitable fund at the Community Foundation, you ensure permanent, sustainable support for causes and nonprofits that matter to you. Our team carefully invests your gift over time. The earnings enable your fund to grow and produce grants that support your charitable priorities forever. We shepherd your fund through the years, ensuring that grants from your fund are always used as intended.

We handle the financial responsibilities and management duties, so you can focus on the joy of giving. Through the power of endowed giving, your legacy of impact never ends.

“Donating complex assets is an innovative way for visionaries who love our community to achieve a level of bold impact they may have never imagined,” said Community Foundation of Broward President/CEO Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D. “Our expert team is ready to help you explore powerful opportunities for your complex gifts to make a lasting difference.”

To learn more about how the Community Foundation of Broward can help you make lasting impact with your complex gifts, contact Vice President Kelly Marmol at kmarmol@cfbroward.org or 954-761-9503.