Create a Ripple Effect
Just as you likely have many different passions in our community, there are many ways in which you can choose to give. Perhaps you feel strongly about a cause. Perhaps an organization has touched your life or the lives of loved ones in a meaningful way. Maybe you want to create a legacy or set an example that inspires others to give. Or your giving is a way to get your family together and pass along your values to younger generations.
For as many motivations as there are to give, there are ways of giving. The key to having a rewarding giving experience is finding the best fit—for your charitable priorities, financial goals, and personal preferences.
There are several types of funds to choose from, and we can help you decide which will help you match your charitable goals no matter where your passion lies.
You can look through a list of our funds here.
Funds Overview
Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF) works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create endowment funds for specific or unrestricted purposes. These funds can be individually named and ensure there will be resources available to respond to community needs and opportunities, both today and tomorrow. It is BACF’s goal to turn the charitable dreams of our donors into reality.
The donor allows BACF the discretion to use available grant dollars for a broad range of community issues. This provides the Foundation the opportunity to respond to changing community needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time the gift is made. An unrestricted fund allows your resources to be pooled with other named unrestricted funds for greater impact. Alone, a donor might not have enough funds to award a $50,000 grant, but collectively one can.
Target your gifts to address needs in an area of community life that’s most important to you: education, health, youth, the environment, arts, culture, etc. Field of interest funds are flexible enough to meet changing community needs in a specific interest area. They also allow for the pooling of resources, much like unrestricted funds, around the interest area.
A donor advised fund allows the donor to actively participate in the grantmaking process by periodically recommending grants from the fund. BACF program staff help to identify nonprofits working to address the issues you care about most. We also handle all due diligence, ensuring nonprofits are in good standing. Your recommendations are submitted to our board for approval, and then the money is distributed. Grants are issued to charities in the name of the fund, or anonymously if you prefer. Contributions to the fund qualify for an income tax deduction in the year they are made.
Establish a designated fund to provide a steady and reliable source of annual support to specific nonprofit organizations or purposes that are close to your heart. This fund type offers community organizations a simple and efficient way to build an endowment and create sustainability. Dollars are distributed annually to the organization generally for unrestricted use. BACF also provides ongoing stewardship and oversight to ensure donor intentions are fulfilled.
Scholarship funds allow donors to invest in our community’s future by helping deserving students achieve their educational goals. These funds provide financial support for individuals pursuing a college degree or postsecondary training at an accredited institution. Donors can specify eligibility/selection criteria when establishing the fund, such as whether the student must be a graduating high school senior, current college student, or nontraditional student. Grants are awarded directly to the educational institution in the student’s name.
Special Project/Other Fund Types
Special project or pass-through funds are generally established for specific, limited purposes or to support the work of a non- 501(c)(3) organization, or in support of a larger community initiative. They are generally non-permanent.
The Power Of Endowment
When you create a fund through Bay Area Community Foundation, you have the opportunity to benefit the community forever with a permanent endowment.
What is an endowment? Most endowments are invested for long-term growth. They are designed to keep the principal amount intact while using a defined portion of the investment income for charitable purposes. In the case of the community foundation, earnings from the endowment are used to make grants to honor donors’ wishes and address community needs.
When you give to an endowment, your gift—and all future earnings from your gift—is a permanent source of community capital, helping do good work today and in the future. As the fund grows, so will the portion available annually for charitable purposes.
Three Key Features for Giving an Endowment
An endowment provides an excellent way to create a steady and reliable source of annual support for the community or causes you love.
By endowing your gift, you can make a difference in your community during your lifetime and beyond. Grants from your gift will continue to be made, preserving your charitable wishes forever.
When donors or nonprofit organizations establish an endowed fund with the community foundation, they benefit from the Foundation’s leadership, personalized service and investment management.
I am proud to serve my community through my role at BACF. As a Program Officer, I collaborate with nonprofit, government, church, and school partners in Bay and Arenac counties to navigate our grant opportunities and find the right funding alignment. From project conception to post-award, I am your main contact for all things grants. Connecting organizations and donors who share the same vision and passion is at the heart of my work.
