Types of Funds

There are several types of charitable funds available to support your giving. Choose the one that matches your personal approach to giving and your charitable intent.   Our staff is eager to discuss these options with you and to help you select one that matches your giving needs.

Donor Advised Funds

Donor advised funds are established by donors who wish to actively participate in the grant-making process. Individuals who establish a donor advised fund recommend charitable projects or organizations they want to support. It is easy to give to multiple nonprofits through a donor advised fund.  Our Board of Directors is legally responsible for approving all grants.
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Donor Advised Fund Guidelines

Designated Funds

Donors who wish to support a specific agency or cause can establish a designated fund.  If the original charity ceases to exist, becomes obsolete or is unable to perform their charitable purposes, our Board of Directors is able to redirect the funds to an organization providing similar services without the cost of expensive legal action.

Many nonprofit organizations establish an endowment fund with us in order to grow assets to meet both current and future needs.  They look to our Board of Directors for strong investment oversight services and ask our staff to manage all of the administrative details of the endowment.  This can provide a relatively constant source of annual income and help maintain their mission in perpetuity.  It also frees the nonprofit to focus on what they do best in the community.

Donors can create a new designated fund, or contribute to an existing one.

Field of Interest Funds

Field of interest funds are often established to support particular interest areas, specific program initiatives, causes or geographic areas. At the donor's request, use of the funds is restricted to a specified area of interest, but flexibility remains to meet changing situations.

Scholarship Funds

The creation of a scholarship fund is attractive to many donors and can be structured to benefit students at any education level, or for a specific institution.  A scholarship fund can also be established to honor a loved one.

Some donors choose to stay involved through advisory relationships, while others name advisory committees to assist in the selection of recipients. Either way, our staff will handle the necessary paperwork and will ensure that scholarships are distributed in an equitable manner.

Better Together Community Funds

Better Together Community Funds are not specifically designated for use by a particular agency, cause or area of interest. Our Board of Directors oversees the use of these funds, setting priorities for their use and determining how grants will be distributed to support the charitable needs of our community.   Better Together Community Funds give us the ability to respond to pressing and often changing needs in the community.

Let us help you select the fund that works best for your particular giving situation.  Please contact Sheila Kinman for more information by phone at 515.447.4207 or email.

1915 Grand Avenue ~ Des Moines, IA 50309 ~ PH 515.883.2626
Email: info@desmoinesfoundation.org ~ http://www.desmoinesfoundation.org
Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations