A grant from a donor-advised fund helped the Greater Waterbury YMCA keep its best preschool teachers, while a grant from the Foundation's combined unrestricted funds supported new classrooms there. What would you like to make possible with your fund?

Types of Funds

A gift of $10,000 or more can establish your named fund at the Connecticut Community Foundation. The income from these funds is distributed annually as grants and scholarships, supporting the nonprofit organizations and causes that mean the most to you.

Unrestricted Funds
Give the Community Foundation the most flexibility to respond to the community’s changing needs. Distributions from your fund support grants to area nonprofits proposing innovative solutions in our region. Proposals are carefully reviewed by our staff, Grants Committee and Board of Trustees.

Field-of-Interest Funds
Choose an issue that’s important to you – for example, the arts, education or health – or a geographic focus, such as your town. Distributions from your fund support grants to area nonprofits working in the field you select. You choose an area you are passionate about, and the Foundation selects the most sound projects to support.

Designated Funds
Do you have a favorite nonprofit organization? You can support one or more nonprofits of your choice forever.

Scholarship Funds
Invest in the future of young people. Your fund can broadly support the Community Foundation’s scholarships for area students or you can specify a particular school, field of study, or the hometown of the student.

Donor-Advised Funds (Permanent and Nonpermanent)
Simply your ongoing charitable giving. You will receive an income tax charitable deduction in the year your gift is made, but you can recommend grants from your fund at any time.

Agency Endowments and Agency-Advised Funds
Nonprofit organizations can build resources for a project or focus on creating long-term, sustainable income. The Community Foundation handles administrative and investment management and provides planned giving services.

Contact Ann Merriam Feinberg and your financial advisor for more to learn more about these options.