Community Grantmaking Fund: The Community Grantmaking Fund is comprised of contributions from many different donors. This fund is the core grantmaking program of the Community Foundation, has the broadest funding guidelines, and targets dollars toward the community's most pressing needs as those needs change over time. By making a gift or bequest to the Community Grantmaking Fund, the donor can create a living legacy that will grow and change with the community.

Community Scholarship Fund: This special fund has been established by many donors, and with gifts of any size. Donors who do not wish to establish their own named scholarship fund may wish to give to this fund. The students who receive this scholarship may attend any college or university in the state of Indiana. Recipients are chosen by the same criteria as the Lilly Endowment Scholars programs and the same volunteer selection committee. The amount of each award is paid directly to the recipient’s school of choice.

Discretionary Endowment Funds: Discretionary endowment funds are created by visionary philanthropists who wish to provide for the community beyond their own lifetimes. These endowed funds will enable future generations to address community needs just as the Community Grantmaking Fund does with the added benefit of carrying on a family name.

Field of Interest Funds: Field of Interest endowment funds are established by donors who wish to provide funds for a specified charitable area or purpose. The donor decides the purpose of the fund (such as the arts, programs for persons with disabilities, or services for children) and the Community Foundation identifies agencies that are effectively accomplishing that purpose.

Designated Endowment Funds: Designated endowment funds are established by donors to ensure that support will be provided to specific eligible nonprofit organizations. These are often organizations in which donors have been involved during their lifetime. Donors that contribute to a designated endowment fund are interested in providing long-term financial stability to a nonprofit agency. If the named organiztion goes out of business or changes the purpose of its activities, the Community Foundation will ensure that the donors' charitable goals are continued.

Advised Funds: Advised funds are established by donors to create a flexible means to contribute to various charitable purposes and to minimize the inconvenience of financial administration. From year to year, donor advisors have the flexibility to suggest which agencies will benefit from their fund. All recommended grant distributions are required to be for charitable purposes and meet the approval process designated by the Community Foundation's Board of Directors.

Advised funds may last in perpetuity, for a prescribed term of years, or the entire balance in the fund can be expended during the lifetime of the donors or successors.

Agency Endowments: There are two kinds of agency funds. Agency endowment funds are created by charitable organizations as a way to plan for the future. This type of fund is most appropriate for agencies that have moved past the grassroots level. An agency benefits from the Community Foundation’s professional endowment management, freeing the agency’s staff and board to concentrate on their programs and mission. The Community Foundation will match 20% of any new gift to agency endowment funds. Donations are subject to a maximum of $10,000 in matching funds for each endowed agency and scholarship fund per calendar year.

An agency nonpermanent fund is a fund created by a nonprofit in the Greater Fort Wayne area for the purpose of providing a 501(c)(3) agency the opportunity to take advantage of the Community Foundation’s short-term investment strategies, and to allow the transfer of securities without having a separate brokerage account. Qualified agencies may establish such a fund to collect donations for a capital campaign or for a rainy day fund. The entire fund may be used for a charitable purpose as designated by the establishing agency.

Scholarship Endowment Funds: Scholarship endowment funds are established by individuals, organizations, families, and schools to provide scholarships for students. These funds can be used to help pay tuition or other expenses for K-12, college students, and returning adults attending any accredited educational institution (colleges, private and parochial schools, or vocational schools). Scholarship funds can be of two types: with an advised endowment scholarship fund, an independent advisory committee, which meets the approved process designed by the Community Foundation's Board of Directors, works with the Community Foundation to identify recipients; with a designated scholarship fund, the amount designated for disbursement is automatically paid to a school of your choice. It is then the school's responsibility to annually determine the award recipients. The Community Foundation will match 20% of any new gift to scholarship endowment funds. Donations are subject to a maximum of $10,000 in matching funds for each endowed agency and scholarship fund per calendar year.

For more information, contact Beth Regedanz, Chief Advancement Officer, at 260-426-4083.