These funds allow the Community Foundation the flexibility to address Monroe County’s ever-changing needs through strategic grant making, year after year. When possible, funds are used to facilitate innovative responses to community opportunities and challenges. Rather than designating how the money will be spent, you allow the Community Foundation to determine the most effective ways to seize our community’s most compelling opportunities or respond to the most pressing needs.

Donor advised funds allow you to play an active role in the grant-making process by making recommendations on charitable projects or organizations to support. It is easy to give to multiple nonprofits through donor advised funds, although the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors is legally responsible for approving all grants.

Agency and designated funds allow you to direct your gift to a specific agency or purpose. Almost any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may be designated to receive support for its mission. You identify the recipient(s) you wish to benefit through your gift and our staff manages the annual distribution of funds from the endowment. More than 50 local nonprofits benefit from funds at the Community Foundation.

A field-of-interest fund gives you the opportunity to target your contribution to the fields most important to you. Whether you are interested in education, youth, healthcare, the arts, or some other area of impact, these funds are broad in scope, yet targeted to meet the persistent needs of the field. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff will use their expertise to identify, evaluate, and award grants to the most qualified and deserving organizations and programs in your area(s) of interest.

With a supporting organization fund, families or corporations with significant assets to transfer may choose to affiliate with the Community Foundation as a supporting organization. The supporting organization retains its own identity and participates fully in the organization’s grantmaking, investment decisions, and operation. The supporting organization gets the benefits of the Community Foundation’s professional and administrative services while sharing our favorable tax status as a public charity. The supporting organization option requires careful consideration by the donor and the Community Foundation.

A scholarship fund lets you help deserving students further their education. The Community Foundation has the ability to help you determine a level of education from preschool to postgraduate work, a field of study, and eligibility requirements. A gift to establish a scholarship must exceed $40,000.