How a Charitable Fund Works
Within the Manatee Community Foundation are more than 100 active charitable funds ranging in size from less than $10,000 to more than $1,000,000. Each works in basically the same way. When donors create a charitable fund, they give it its name. They also name the charitable purpose, which can be virtually anything they care deeply about—for example, the arts, healthcare, education, human services, animal welfare and the environment. Many funds, however, are discretionary and give the foundation the flexibility to respond to emergency needs and innovative new programs and services.
The Manatee Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County jointly invest the funds with financial institutions forming the Community Foundations' investment pools. A volunteer investment committee of the foundations sets the overall investment policy and monitors the performance of these institutions. Every year, a portion of each fund is used to make charitable grants in accordance with the donor’s intentions. An independent audit of all the Community Foundations' accounts is performed annually and the foundations are publicly accountable.
A Unique Way to Make a Difference
What is your dream? You probably have a dream about the extraordinary things your charitable gifts could accomplish now and for years to come.
Partnering with the Community Foundation is the way to convert that personal dream into practical reality. For over ten years, we have been successfully connecting donors’ charitable dreams with community needs. The result is powerful and timely.
The basic appeal of the Community Foundation to donors is flexibility. There are a variety of tax-effective ways to give gifts and you can choose how your charitable gifts will be used. The Foundation can be a shield of anonymity or the spotlight that shines on a special cause that is dear to your heart. Each method of giving benefits from the most favorable tax treatment the law allows for contributions.
For your protection, the Board of Directors of the Manatee Community Foundation has adopted a Donor Bill of Rights and a Donor Confidentiality Policy. If you have any questions about either of these policies, please contact Marilyn Howard, Executive Director at (941) 556-5444 or email at marilyn@manateecf.org.