Wisconsin Community Fund's Donor-Advised Grantmaking Program complements our General Fund by providing services to donors and additional funds to the social justice groups supported by the Fund.
Wisconsin Community Fund offers administrative support to donors who wish to make individual advised gifts of $250 or more, or to create a privately-advised fund of $2,000 or more.
What is a Donor-Advised Fund? Donor-Advised Funds allow individuals to donate a lump sum of money to Wisconsin Community Fund and direct a grant or grants to be made from the Fund to particular groups or areas of interest as determined by the donor.
Among the benefits and options of the program are:
- You can remain anonymous, if you wish, or establish a fund in your family's name.
- You can make several gifts from a single cash or stock transfer.
- You can receive expert advice about emerging issues and organizations and have access to applicant proposals in your interest areas. Wisconsin Community fund can help you make the most of your giving dollars.
- You can direct your funds to one or more organizations working locally or nationally on a particular issue in which you are interested.
- You can specify a particular area of interest and leave the grantmaking decisions to the Fund.
- You can claim the gift as a tax deduction during the year Wisconsin Community Fund receives it, and allocate a series of grants at your convenience over a period of months or years.
- You can make plans for future giving through a will or trust instrument.
- You can provide a vehicle to involve your children or heirs in social change philanthropy, either through your will or during your lifetime.
- You can liberate yourself from paperwork. Fund staff handles record-keeping and grant monitoring and maintains regular contact with grantees.
Is it easy to open a Donor-Advised Fund? Yes, you can do it one day. The minimum donation to open an account is $2,000 cash or stock equivalent. The minimum that can be awarded in a single grant out of that donor advised account is $250.
In order to support the work of the Fund’s General Fund grantmaking program, a donor will be asked to give either a flat amount or a percentage of their gift to their donor advised account to Wisconsin Community Fund. Specific amounts or percentages vary by contribution level and the period of time the Fund is to maintain the donor advised account.
All grants awarded through the Donor-Advised Program are subject to final approval by the Wisconsin Community Fund Board of Directors. Donor advised grants must be consistent with Wisconsin Community Fund's mission of supporting organizations working for democracy and social justice.
The assets of your fund may be commingled with other funds for investment purposes, but are accounted for separately. Funds will be invested in accordance with WCF's Socially Responsible Investment criteria.
Please contact Cindy Fesemyer, if you would like to further explore a Donor Advised account with the Fund.