Creating a Fund
Creating a Fund
When you create a fund with the Catholic Foundation – or transfer a fund to us from another location – your gift helps strengthen our faith communities and secures the future of our Catholic faith. Your generosity impacts the Church immediately and in the long term.
The Catholic Foundation will provide you with an agreement that clearly specifies your wishes. Your intent as a donor will be upheld forever. The Catholic Foundation has gift planning professionals to assist you through the process and who know the Catholic community and its unique needs. The Catholic Foundation will handle your fund in a manner consistent with your values and wishes.
Click here for more information about why you should consider creating a fund with the Catholic Foundation.
Donor Advised Fund
A donor advised fund is a flexible option for donors who have a passion for giving to the Catholic organizations they care about. The fund is created with a gift to the Catholic Foundation, but you may advise and recommend what grants are to be made for charitable purposes, according to what matters to you most.
You are encouraged to recommend the majority of the grants to Catholic organizations within the archdiocese as grant recipients, but you may also include universities and 501(c)3 public charities. All donor advised fund grants must be in accordance with Catholic teaching. The staff at the Catholic Foundation is aware of the needs of the Catholic community and can assist you in discovering opportunities to make an impact with your giving.
How can you create a donor advised fund at the Catholic Foundation?
- You can create a new fund with gifts of cash, appreciated securities, real estate and other assets.
- You can move a current donor advised fund from elsewhere to the Catholic Foundation.
- You can close a private foundation and move it to a donor advised fund at the Catholic Foundation.
What are the benefits of creating a new Donor Advised Fund with the Catholic Foundation?
- Sustains charitable giving over time, through retirement and beyond
- Creates a lasting Catholic legacy in your family when you later endow your fund
- Flexible and easy to establish
- Provides immediate tax deduction in the year your gift is made
- Reduces capital gains when you donate appreciated assets
- Invested professionally, in agreement with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines
- Grows tax-free for future grants, which are made in accordance with Catholic teaching
- Provides a low-cost alternative to a private foundation
- Administrative work handled by the Catholic Foundation
- Ease of tracking all of your giving in one place
What is the minimum amount required to create a donor advised fund?
$5,000
Why choose a new donor advised fund versus a private foundation?
| New Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with CFNGA | Private Foundation | |
| Cost | Costs less in start-up and administrative fees. | Requires fees to lawyers, accountants and other administrative staff. |
| Administrative Requirements |
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| Tax Benefits |
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| Flexibility |
| Requires a 5% payout. |
| Privacy | Provides ability to gift publicly or anonymously. | Requires public gifts only. |
You can view a sample donor advised fund agreement. Please contact us to discuss your interest in creating a donor advised fund with the Catholic Foundation.
Already a donor advised fund holder? Use these two links to register and learn more tips for using the Donor Portal. The Donor Portal is the Catholic Foundation’s password-protected interactive online program that will allow donors to view their funds and charitable giving at any time and to request consideration of specific grants or distributions from their fund.
Permanent Endowment Fund
The purpose of a permanent endowment fund is to financially sustain the mission of a charitable organization you care about long into the future. A permanent endowment fund is one intended to last forever. Gifts to an endowment fund are protected and never spent. Due to market growth over time, these gifts grow and produce interest and dividends. You (or anyone else) can continue to add to your endowment fund at any time. When an endowment fund reaches a certain level, it produces grants to benefit Catholic and other organizations.
Who can create an endowment fund?
- Any individual, couple, family or group of friends
- Any parish, Catholic school, Catholic non-profit or ministry in the archdiocese
- Members of a group (Knights of Columbus, Women’s Guild) who want to pool resources
- Alumni class of a school
Why create an endowment fund?
- To serve a current need for an organization you care deeply about
- To pay tribute to a special person in your life
- To leave a Catholic legacy and support the mission of the ministries most important to you long into the future
- To reflect your Catholic faith in your will
- To perpetuate giving to what you care about now beyond your life
What are the benefits of creating an endowment fund?
- Sustains charitable giving over time, through retirement and beyond
- Demonstrates to your family the value of giving
- Provides an immediate tax deduction in the year your gift is made
- Reduces capital gains when you donate appreciated assets
- Invested professionally, in agreement with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines
- Reports on your fund’s performance are provided quarterly, so you can see change over time toward your goals
What is the minimum amount required to create a permanent endowment fund?
$5,000. When the fund reaches $25,000, it is eligible to make gifts to charitable organizations.
Please contact us to discuss your interest in creating a permanent endowment fund with the Catholic Foundation or click here for more information.
