Your Local Legacy
Leave a lasting legacy by establishing your own fund with CFNIL.
As your partner in philanthropy, CFNIL is a trustworthy and caring steward of your charitable intentions and contributions.
Any donor, large or small, may establish a fund with CFNIL.
Donors identify their charitable goals, then our professional staff helps achieve them.
Thanks to donors like you, it is our privilege to distribute more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships for students each year.
Find answers to frequently asked questions related to establishing your own fund here, and contact us to start making an impact today.
Creating Your Own Fund: FAQs
There are a few different types of funds that CFNIL stewards.
- Agency Funds: Established by a nonprofit agency for its own benefit. Agency Funds are permanently endowed, providing a growing and dependable source of unrestricted funding.
- Donor Advised Funds: Allow you to be actively involved in your charitable giving. You recommend the charitable organizations to receive grants, and we do the due diligence and paperwork.
- Donor Designated Funds: Provide annual support to a designated charitable organization(s) that you specify.
- Field of Interest Funds: Support a specific cause, program, geographic area, or other definable field of interest that is important to you. In some cases, you may be a part of the grantmaking process!
- Scholarship Funds: Make a direct impact on a student's ability to achieve their educational aspirations. Work with CFNIL staff to establish eligibility and selection criteria and even participate in the selection process!
When deciding what type of fund to start, ask yourself: Who do I want to help? This will tell you which type of fund is right for you.
There is no cost to establish a fund, regardless of the fund type, and no minimum starting balance.
CFNIL assesses fees to all funds to cover administrative and operating costs. These fees are charged to the fund balance; you will never receive a bill from CFNIL.
Fees vary depending on the type of fund; current fees and other fund-type specifications are as follows:
Agency Endowment Fund
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Created by a nonprofit for its own benefit.
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0.75% annual fee on the average daily balance of the fund.
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Gifts made by the Agency itself. Annual distributions of 4% of the fund's rolling 12-quarter average balance.
Donor Advised Fund
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Created by a donor or donors to facilitate their charitable giving.
- 1.25% annual fee on the average daily balance. If a local grant is made at least annually, the fund receives a 0.5% fee refund.
- Typically non-endowed. Minimum advised grant of $100, no limit on # of grants that may be made.
Donor Designated Endowment Fund
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Created by a donor or donors to benefit one or more nonprofit organizations.
- 0.75% annual fee on the average daily balance of the fund.
- Annual distributions of 4% of the fund's rolling 12-quarter average balance.
Scholarship Endowment Fund
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Created by a donor or donors to support students.
- 1.25% annual fee on the average daily balance of the fund.
- Purpose and criteria co-created by donor and staff. Donor(s) may participate in selection process.
The name of your fund is up to you.
Funds are often named after the donor or someone they wish to honor or memorialize.
Funds may support causes, organizations, or students pursuing education, among a number of other options.
Yes.
Statements providing an accounting of the investment performance and other activities of every fund are provided on a quarterly basis. CFNIL also provides quarterly Stewardship Summaries that provide details on our overall portfolio performance, both the aggregate performance going back 10 years and the current quarter performance for each investment allocation.
That’s an option too!
Explore existing funds available to support.