What Can I Donate To?
Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers directs over 170 funds that have been established by individuals, families, nonprofits, businesses, and CFTT itself for charitable purposes.
Fund Structures
Spend Down
With a Spend Down fund, gift principal is wholly available for granting. Spend Down funds can be thought of as charitable checking accounts, where there is regular, ongoing grant activity.
Endowment
Endowment funds provide stable, perennial financial support. An endowment operates similarly to a private foundation, yielding a set percentage for granting each year while eliminating administrative duties. You may recommend grant recipients or pass your charitable legacy to your children. Investment income accrues to the fund, and a quarterly administrative fee based on a percentage of assets supports the Foundation’s operations.
Blended Option
Blended option funds offer fund holders the ability to participate in the investment returns of the Foundation’s portfolio. These funds may function like a Spend Down Fund or an Endowment Fund, depending on the needs of the fund holder, but are not formally endowed. Investment income accrues to the fund, and a quarterly administrative fee based on a percentage of assets supports the Foundation’s operations.
Fund Types
Competitive Community Grant Funds
Increase the impact of your gift and put it to work solving our community’s most pressing problems, not just alleviating symptoms. Competitive grant applications are carefully vetted by our Grants Committee, and after thorough due diligence, grants are awarded based upon community need, impact, and organizational capacity. Gifts may be designated to specifically support certain areas, such as animals, arts & culture, human services, education, conservation & environment, civic engagement, or recreation.
Designated Funds
Designated funds ensure long-term support for a specific nonprofit organization, identified by the donor at the time the fund is established. The named organization receives an annual disbursement from the designated fund.
Donor Advised Funds
Donor advised funds offer the advantages of a private foundation, yet have greater tax benefits. They are especially useful for donors who make a charitable deduction one year and make distributions from income or principal in future years. Donors are able to participate actively in the giving process by recommending organizations to receive grants.
Scholarship Funds
CFTT’s scholarship funds bring together students in need and individuals who care about post secondary education to enable more students to reach their educational goals. Scholarship funds may be established to benefit a specific student.
Community Impact Funds
Community impact funds have been established for each county in our five county areas. These funds may be added to and will meet the most pressing issues in that county.
Discretionary Funds
Increase the impact of your gift and put it to work solving our community’s most pressing problems, not just alleviating symptoms. Competitive grant applications are carefully vetted by our geographic advisory board grant committee, and after thorough due diligence, grants are awarded based upon community need, impact, and organizational capacity.
Field of Interest Funds
Field of interest funds allow a donor to invest in specific causes. These funds can support a broad array of interests such as the arts, education, or health. The donor specifies his or her interest at the time the fund is created and may rely on CFTT to identify organizations capable of making greatest impact.