Fund Options
There are many ways for you to support the causes and organizations that are most meaningful to you. Funds can be established with a gift today or through your will or other estate planning strategy.
Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
A donor advised fund enables you to make tax-deductible contribution to your fund and then support your choice of nonprofits on your own timing. When you are deciding where to give, The Community Foundation staff is available to help you find effective grants in your area(s) of interest.
Designated Fund
You designate one or more organizations that will receive annual grants from your fund. You receive tax benefits and we handle all the administrative details,
Scholarship Fund
You create a scholarship and select the eligibility criteria for applying students. Many scholarship funds are in memory or honor of loved ones and are expressions of donors' values. Scholarship funds can support any area of academic need including tuition, room and board and books.
Preference Fund
A preference fund allows you to target grants to an issue or cause you care about, focusing dollars on the most promising organizations working in the field. You can accomplish a broad charitable goal such as improving education, eliminating hunger or expanding access to the arts.
You select your area of support when you establish your fund and the rest is left up to us. The Community Foundation will make grants in the name of your fund to organizations that are reviewed and monitored by our professional staff.
Unrestricted Fund
When you establish an unrestricted fund, your giving supports current needs in the region as well as future opportunities that often cannot be anticipated. An unrestricted fund allows The Community Foundation staff and Board of Directors do what they do best - assess community needs and respond with grants to the nonprofit organizations that undertake our community's most critical work.
Organization Fund
Organization funds are for nonprofits that wish to have their endowment and endowment-like assets managed by The Community Foundation. A charitable organization can participate in The Foundation's commingled endowment fund by entering into a revocable investment management agreement, which identifies the nonprofit as the owner of the charitable assets.
Fund Fees
Administrative fees empower The Community Foundation to enhance the impact of philanthropy in Greater New Haven, drive community leadership and offer personalized service and local expertise.
Fees shown below are not inclusive of investment management expenses. Learn more.
| Type of Fund | Minimum Fund Balance* | Administrative Fees |
|---|---|---|
Unrestricted, Preference & Designated |
$10,000 |
1% annually of a fund's market value withdrawn quarterly |
Donor Advised |
$10,000 |
1% annually of a fund's market value withdrawn quarterly; for funds under $10,000, a minimum fee of $75 per quarter will apply unless the fund fits criteria of a Build-A-Fund* |
Scholarship |
$25,000 |
If the scholarship requires application and review process, 1.5% annually of a fund's market value withdrawn quarterly; if a scholarship is designated to a single organization, then the designated fund minimum ($10,000) and fees apply (1%) |
* Funds can be built to fund-minimum in 3-5 years . Administrative fees will not be assessed during the "building" period.
Gifts by credit card: A transaction fee is assessed by the credit card processing company.
