Investing in Your Community Foundation
If you are an individual, family, Corporation, nonprofit, or private foundation looking to make a difference in strengthening our community, we invite you to get involved. We can help you personalize your approach to giving.
Types of Funds
Field of Interest Funds
A Field of Interest Fund allows you to invest in broad areas, such as health, youth, the arts, services to seniors, economic development or whatever charitable issue you choose.
Special Project Fund
A Special Project Fund is a non-endowed fund investment for temporary or special projects in Monroe County, such as capital improvements, youth programs or the arts.
Donor Advised
A Donor Advised Fund allows you to have ongoing involvement in the use of gifts. You share insight and make recommendations regarding potential grant recipients.
Your suggestions must be reviewed and approved by the Community Foundation Board. A Donor Advised Fund acts much like a private foundation, however it is easier to establish, less expensive to operate and less restrictive in distributions’, payouts and investments.
Designated Funds
A Designated Fund allows contributors to specify charities as the recipients of their gifts, thereby providing those organizations with a perpetual stream of income from the fund. Nonprofit organizations may also establish designated, endowed funds with the investment earnings distributed back to the nonprofit.
Scholarship Funds
Scholarship Funds invest in education. Scholarships can support nonprofit preschool through high school education or further the education of graduates of a particular high school, students in a specified field of study, students meeting specific criteria or students enrolled in a chosen institution. We also have scholarships for career development and technical and or certificate opportunities.
Existing funds may be utilized for gifts, or you may establish new funds in the Community Foundation of Monroe County. Funds are categorized in five areas: Field of Interest, Donor Advised, Designated, Special Projects and Scholarships. There are several ways to establish funds to meet the charitable interests and financial circumstances of individuals, businesses and organizations. A commitment of $10,000 is required to establish a fund, however gifts in any amount are accepted for existing funds. A “named fund” can be established in your name, a business organization name, the name of a person you wish to honor, or the name of a person for whom you wish to create a lasting memory.