Types of Funds

For the donor who chooses to give a gift with no restrictions, an unrestricted fund allows the Community Foundation's Board of Trustees to allocate the proceeds from your fund to the most appropriate charities. Because the charitable needs of the community are continually changing, you may feel that a group of living individuals will be better able to assess current situations than a written document from the past. An unrestricted fund is most suitable, since these all-purpose funds are the most flexible in meeting the emerging needs of the community.

A field of interest fund allows a donor to specify general areas to direct grantmaking, but not specific nonprofits.

For the donor who wants to designate favorite charities, a designated fund allows you to direct the proceeds from your fund, specifying the amounts or percentages to each charity. If one of the organizations ceases to operate or no longer offers the type of service that interests you, we will find one that does—so that your gift remains vital and meaningful.

For the donor who would like to be involved with the fund, a donor-advised fund allows you to maintain an advisory role in how the proceeds from your fund are disbursed. The Community Foundation's Executive Committee and/or the Board of Trustees must approve all grants awarded from any fund. The proposed gift must fit within the charitable purposes of the Community Foundation and within specific Internal Revenue Service requirements. You offer advice during your lifetime and may designate a family member to make advisements once you are no longer living. Otherwise, the fund may become an unrestricted fund or a restricted fund according to your instructions. Read the Community Foundation's donor-advised fund policies.

Donor-advised fund founders and authorized representatives now have access to a donor portal to access information about their fund. Frequently asked questions about the portal can be found below.

What can I use the donor portal for? The donor portal is a great way to access your donor-advised fund market value and award grants from the fund. It is also a way to receive communications about your fund from the Community Foundation.

Why should I utilize the donor portal? The donor portal gives you access to your donor-advised fund information 24/7. This enables you to access information or submit grant recommendations at your convenience and outside of typical Community Foundation business hours.

Who can use the donor portal? Right now, the donor portal is only accessible to donor-advised fund founders and authorized representatives. Availability will be coming for other fund types at a later date.

How do I get started? To get started, go to this webpage and click on the word “register” to begin your registration process.

What do I do if I get locked out of my donor portal? Go to the donor portal. There you can get a hint to your password or reset your password. If you are still having difficulty, contact Becki DeLauter at [email protected] for additional support.

For the donor who would like to provide financial assistance to students pursuing a post-secondary education, a scholarship fund is an excellent option. Donors indicate the scholarship criteria and may serve in the minority on the scholarship selection committee.

An agency fund allows a nonprofit to partner with the Community Foundation by taking advantage of its expertise in managing charitable funds. The result helps the nonprofit further their mission by ensuring long-term financial support.

A fiscal sponsorship fund allows start-up organizations and groups addressing an emerging or short-term need to work with the Community Foundation.