Creating a Fund
1. Decide when to give.
You can create your fund now, establish it in your will, or create it through a trust arrangement that benefits your family as well as charity. You may give in honor of an anniversary, to celebrate a special event or to support a cause. Tax deductions are earned at the time of your gift, while grants awarded from your fund will continue into the future.
2. Decide what to give.
Almost any kind of asset can be used to start your fund, such as cash, publicly traded securities, closely held stock, interests in limited partnerships, real estate, life insurance, tangible personal property and private foundation assets. We can also discuss other options with you, such as bequests and charitable remainder trusts.
3. Choose the name for your fund.
Most of our funds are named for the donor or the donor's family or as a memorial to someone special. Every grant from the fund will carry this name for perpetuity. If you prefer anonymity, you may choose a name that reflects your fund's charitable purpose or it can be referred to as an anonymous fund.
4. Choose a type of fund.
We offer a variety of funds that are flexible to meet our donors' diverse charitable interests.
Unrestricted Funds offer the broadest giving option, allowing grants to be made where our professional staff determines our communities' needs are the greatest.
Field of Interest Funds create grants that meet needs in a particular field or geographic area that is of interest to you.
Donor Advised Funds enable you to recommend specific organizations to receive grants.
Scholarship Funds help students pursue academic goals. You may define guidelines for candidacy, the advisory committee, the school and the award itself.
Designated Funds allow you to support specific organizations while we make sure that grants to these groups remain relevant over time and responsive to changing circumstances.
Agency Endowment Funds are established by nonprofit organizations to provide income to them. We handle all administrative and investment responsibilities, freeing the organization to pursue its charitable mission.
Special Project/Building Funds are established by community members who wish to address a community need in support of a project or construction of a permanent facility.
Fiscal Sponsorship Funds are created by charitable groups interested in community projects to benefit our communities, but do not need to form a new organization to accomplish their charitable goal.