You may already support the organizations and issues you care about by giving to them directly. Now you're ready to consider creating a private foundation or charitable fund to continue today’s giving into the future.

If you're looking for more impact, less paperwork, better tax advantages, and expert advice, The Community Foundation is for you. We offer a variety of charitable funds and trusts to meet your financial and charitable goals so you can support the causes and institutions that are important to you and your family. You receive maximum tax advantages while we handle the administrative work. 



Create a giving program that is customized to your assets, your wishes, and your personal and financial goals. At The Community Foundation you get competitive investment returns, along with professional advice and personal attention from a local partner committed to the community.



Our staff is available at any time to assist you with your giving. We have many ideas to share!

We offer six types of funds to provide the flexibility for you to achieve your philanthropic goals:

1.  Unrestricted Funds afford the Foundation the greatest flexibility to support the frequently changing needs in the community. Gifts and bequests to these funds are used now and in perpetuity to address our community’s greatest needs.

2.  Designated Funds allow the donor to name specific organizations to which grants will be made, with the assurance that the designation will be adhered to as long as the need exists. These funds are endowed to support a specific charitable agency or agencies with annual grants from the income of the funds’ endowment.



3.  Agency Endowment Funds offer non-profit organizations the opportunity to establish their own fund within the Foundation as a means of sharing the benefits of broader investment management and enjoying the increased visibility that comes from being a part of the Foundation family.



4. Donor Advised Funds enable donors to be actively involved in promoting their personal philanthropic vision. Donor advised funds are especially useful for donors who want to take a charitable deduction one year and spread charitable giving into the community over future years. Many donors choose to set up a donor advised fund rather than commit valuable grant dollars to the administration and taxation of a private foundation.

5. Field of Interest Funds support work in a chosen area of concern, such as education or the environment. These funds are managed to address pressing community needs in the area of greatest priority to the donor.



6. Scholarship Funds provide grants for deserving students. They may be established in honor or memory of an individual or for a specified field of study, such as geology.


We also encourage you to become a Sustaining Member to ensure that the Foundation has sufficient resources to continue to serve your community as a permanent and growing resource of expertise and funds. Your annual donation of at least $200 helps provide operating support for our work.  Sustaining members receive newsletters, annual report, as well as invitations to special events like our donor excursions and annual meeting.  In addition,  sustaining members elect one class of Foundation board members. 

How are Funds created?



1. Contact the staff regarding your desire to open a fund.
2. Pick a name for your fund.

3. Prepare a brief statement of purpose for your fund.

4. Complete an initial minimum gift of $5,000 to establish the fund.
5. Review a fund agreement prepared for you by the Foundation’s staff.
6. Sign a fund agreement that explains the use(s) of the fund.

7. Start investing in the community!

Legacy Society

Legacy Society members make a statement to the community that they believe in its future by providing a gift for the Community Foundation in their will or through some other form of deferred giving.

Type of Gifts Qualifying Donor for Legacy Society:    


There is no minimum amount of the gift, except to create an endowment, the donor must meet the minimum amount to establish a fund.

Recognition
 
Members of the Legacy Society will receive: