Starting a Fund

Donor-advised funds are a tax-advantaged, convenient way to organize your philanthropy, a great solution for:

• Families looking for a way to engage multiple generations in giving
• Securing a charitable deduction when you have a taxable event
• People looking to keep their giving anonymous
• People looking for informed and trusted guidance and advice to help direct their giving
• People looking to have a greater impact in MetroWest
• People looking to create an endowed fund to support the region for generations to come

How does a donor-advised fund work?

A donor-advised fund is quick and easy to set up, with a minimum opening gift of $10,000. Once your fund is created, you can recommend distributions from your fund to nonprofit organizations. We will do the rest, carrying out your charitable wishes.

You’ll have secure online access to your fund 24/7, and you will receive quarterly statements of fund activity. And when tax time rolls around, all you need is one receipt from the Foundation for your gift to your fund.

You can add to your fund at any time and in any amount. We can accept a wide variety of gifts: cash, securities, real property—even privately-held stock or partnership interests.

What are the benefits?

• Flexibility: You can use your fund to recommend donations to the charities to which you already give, and/or we will provide information on organizations or areas of interest to assist you in choosing your grant recipients. You can secure a charitable tax deduction when you contribute to your fund, and recommend distributions to charities when you’re ready-whether that’s right away, or months after opening your fund
• Personal service from professional foundation staff
• Maximum tax benefits for your donations
• Less paperwork
• The option of anonymity or recognition for your giving
• A supportive forum for family giving
• Opportunities to connect with others

Have questions? Contact Renee Quinn.

A Corporate-Donor Advised Fund operates much like a corporate foundation but without the need to create a new corporate entity. By partnering with us, you can draw upon years of Board and Staff experience. We are qualified to help you match your company’s interests with the community’s needs and opportunities.

As a Corporate-Donor Advised Fundholder, you can:

• Engage your employees in issues that they care about
• Direct nonprofit grant-seekers to the Foundation
• Maximize the tax benefits of charitable giving
• Reduce administrative overhead associated with corporate social responsibility initiatives

The minimum gift to establish a named Corporate Donor-Advised Fund is $50,000.

Have questions? Contact Renee Quinn.

With a designated fund, you can name one or more specific organizations or agencies to benefit from the fund. Your gift is invested for long-term growth and provides support to the organization(s) you choose. You may wish to permanently endow your fund so that the fund will provide perpetual support and your designation will be honored through the years. Easy to set up with a minimum opening gift of $10,000.

Have questions? Contact Mary Crowley.

A Field of Interest Fund is easy to set up with a minimum opening gift of $10,000. It gives you the opportunity to target your contribution to one or more fields of interest that you care most about, such as homelessness, or animal welfare, or within a specific geographic area. 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 of interest. Or, rather than set up your own Field of Interest Fund, you can also contribute to the Foundation’s Giving area funds.

Have questions? Contact Mary Crowley.

Our grantmaking in MetroWest is funded primarily through our Giving Area Funds. The Foundation manages a competitive grantmaking process, distributing grants to nonprofit organizations that are addressing the most important issues in the region. The areas currently funded through our unrestricted Giving Area Funds include Arts & Culture, Environment, Family Support, Hunger Relief, and Youth Development. The flexibility of Giving Area Funds enables the Foundation to respond to the community’s most pressing needs for today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Have questions? Contact Renee Quinn.

A Scholarship Fund allows you to help deserving students further their education. You can designate any level of education from preschool to postgraduate work, as well as a field of study and eligibility requirements. The minimum gift to establish a scholarship fund is $10,000.

Have questions? Contact Mary Crowley.

Town Funds are established by local residents as a way to build a permanent endowment to strengthen their community. This option provides a steady source of funding for your town to support community needs and opportunities, and it provides ways for donors to give back or leave a legacy to their community. Each Town Fund is led by a volunteer community board with a deep understanding of local needs and the local nonprofits that address them.

Each year, spending is limited to a designated percentage of the fund, leaving the rest to build for the future.

Have questions? Contact Mary Crowley.

Unrestricted funds are permanently endowed. They rely on the Foundation’s knowledge to direct support to critical unmet needs in MetroWest, now and forever. The minimum gift to establish a named unrestricted fund is $10,000.

Have questions? Contact Mary Crowley.

A nonprofit organization can work with us to establish a permanent source of funding to support its mission. The earnings from the endowment provide a steady stream of income while the principal is never invaded. We manage the administration and can help the nonprofit develop planned giving programs to grow the fund. The minimum gift to establish an agency endowment is $10,000.

Have questions? Contact Mary Crowley.