Create a Charitable Fund
A charitable fund gives you a meaningful way to support the people, causes, and places you care about in Barry County.
You can create a fund in your name, your family’s name, your business’s name, or in memory of someone important to you. Your fund can support scholarships, local nonprofits, community projects, a cause you care about, or future needs in Barry County.
Barry Community Foundation handles the administrative work so you can focus on what matters most: making a difference.
how Do I Create a Charitable Fund?
Creating a charitable fund begins with a conversation with Barry Community Foundation. We will help you identify your giving goals, choose the right type of fund, name the fund, and create an agreement that documents how you want your charitable gift to be used.
In most cases, a new charitable fund begins with a minimum gift of $10,000 in cash or marketable securities. The Foundation may also consider gifts of other charitable assets that meet the minimum value requirement..
Create a Fund That Reflects What Matters to You
Your Giving Can Tell a Story
A charitable fund can reflect your life, values, family, business, or connection to the community.
You may create a fund to:
- Support local students through scholarships
- Honor or remember a loved one
- Help a favorite nonprofit organization
- Support the arts, education, health, or environmental work
- Address community needs in Barry County
- Give your family a role in charitable decisions
- Create a long-term legacy through your estate plan
- Support a local project or time-limited fundraising effort
You do not need to have every detail figured out before contacting us. Barry Community Foundation can help you turn a general idea into a clear charitable plan.
Choose the Type of Fund That Fits Your Goals
Charitable Fund Options
Barry Community Foundation offers several fund types. The best option depends on how involved you want to be, what you want your gift to support, and whether your giving goals are immediate or long-term.
Advised Fund
Stay Involved in Your Charitable Giving
An advised fund lets you make a charitable gift and recommend grants to nonprofit organizations and causes you care about.
Barry Community Foundation manages the administrative responsibilities, while you and your family can stay involved in recommending how the fund supports charitable work.
An Advised Fund May Be Right for You If You Want To:
- Recommend grants to charities over time
- Support several causes or nonprofit organizations
- Involve children or family members in giving
- Organize your charitable giving in one place
- Create a flexible family giving tradition
AGENCY ENDOWMENT FUND
Create a Permanent Source of Support for Your Organization
An agency endowment fund is established by a specific nonprofit, educational institution, or religious organization to provide a permanent source of income.
Barry Community Foundation manages the fund’s administration and investment stewardship. The organization receives distributions according to the fund agreement while the fund remains invested to support its mission over time.
An Agency Endowment Fund May Be Right for Your Organization If You Want To:
- Create a permanent charitable resource
- Build long-term financial support for your mission
- Establish an endowment in your organization’s name
- Accept charitable gifts from donors, supporters, and estate plans
- Support programs, operations, scholarships, or another charitable purpose
- Reduce the work of managing an endowment internally
- Give supporters a lasting way to invest in your organization
Designated Fund
Support a Specific Nonprofit Organization
A designated nonprofit fund provides support for a specific charitable organization, program, or cause selected by the donor.
This can be a meaningful way to establish ongoing support for a nonprofit that has made a difference in your life or in the Barry County community.
A Designated Nonprofit Fund May Be Right for You If You Want To:
- Support a favorite nonprofit organization
- Create long-term funding for a charitable program
- Honor someone while supporting a specific organization
- Help provide dependable future support for a local nonprofit
Field-of-Interest Fund
Support a Cause You Care About
A field of interest fund allows you to support a broad charitable cause instead of a single organization.
You can choose an area of interest that is meaningful to you. Barry Community Foundation will make grants that support organizations and programs working in that area.
Examples of Fields of Interest
- Education
- Scholarships
- Arts and culture
- Health and wellness
- Youth and families
- Environmental stewardship
- Animal welfare
- Community improvement
- Senior services
A Field of Interest Fund May Be Right for You If You Want To:
- Support a cause for years to come
- Honor a loved one’s interests or values
- Help several organizations working toward a shared goal
- Give flexibly as community needs change
Unrestricted Fund
Support Barry County’s Greatest Needs
An unrestricted fund allows Barry Community Foundation to respond to changing needs and opportunities in Barry County.
The Foundation stays connected to local nonprofits, schools, charitable organizations, and community leaders. This helps the Foundation direct unrestricted funding where it can make a meaningful difference.
An Unrestricted Fund May Be Right for You If You Want To:
- Support the community broadly
- Help meet future needs
- Respond to urgent local challenges
- Give the Foundation flexibility to make grants where they are needed most
- Create a long-term charitable legacy
Scholarship Fund
Help Students Build Their Future
A scholarship fund provides educational support for students pursuing college, career training, skilled trades, certificates, technical programs, or other qualifying education paths.
Donors can create scholarship criteria that reflect their charitable goals, community connections, career interests, or the legacy of a loved one.
A Scholarship Fund May Be Right for You If You Want To:
- Help students continue their education
- Support college, skilled trades, technical training, or certification programs
- Honor a family member, friend, educator, business, or community leader
- Support students from a specific school district or community
- Focus on a field of study, career path, activity, or area of interest
- Create a lasting educational legacy in Barry County
Create or Support a Fund
Help Students Build Their Future
A charitable fund can help local students access college, trade school, career training, certifications, and other education opportunities.
You can create a scholarship to support students based on meaningful criteria, such as:
- School district or community connection
- Field of study
- Career goals
- Community service
- Academic achievement
- Financial need
- Skilled trades or vocational training
- Athletics, arts, music, 4-H, or other activities
- A family, business, or loved one’s legacy
Barry Community Foundation can help you create scholarship criteria that are clear, practical, and aligned with your charitable goals.
The Fund Creation Process
Creating a Fund Is Easier Than You May Think
Barry Community Foundation will guide you through each step.
Step 1: Share Your Giving Goals
Start by telling us what matters to you. You may already have a clear plan, or you may simply know that you want to make a difference in Barry County.
We will discuss the people, causes, organizations, or community needs you want to support.
Step 2: Choose the Right Fund Type
Based on your goals, we will help you choose a fund type that fits your vision.
This may include a donor-advised fund, unrestricted fund, field of interest fund, designated nonprofit fund, special project fund, or scholarship fund.
Step 3: Name Your Fund
You can name your fund in a way that is meaningful to you.
Examples include:
- Your family name
- Your business name
- The name of a loved one
- A charitable cause
- A meaningful local place or community connection
Step 4: Create a Fund Agreement
Barry Community Foundation will work with you to create a fund agreement. This document explains the charitable purpose of the fund and how you want it to support the community.
The agreement helps protect your charitable intentions over time.
Step 5: Make Your Initial Gift
In most cases, a new fund begins with a minimum gift of $10,000 in cash or marketable securities.
The Foundation may consider other charitable assets that meet the minimum value requirement. Contact us before transferring assets such as real estate, business interests, collections, or other non-cash property.
Step 6: Let Your Fund Begin Making an Impact
Barry Community Foundation provides oversight, administration, investment management, grantmaking support, and reporting for charitable funds.
You can stay involved according to your fund type and charitable preferences.
Ways to Fund Your Charitable Fund
Give in the Way That Works for You
Charitable funds can be established with several types of gifts. The best option depends on your charitable goals and financial plans.
Cash
Cash gifts are a simple way to create or add to a charitable fund.
Marketable Securities
Gifts of appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds may be used to establish or support a fund. Contact the Foundation before transferring securities so staff can provide current instructions.
Estate and Legacy Gifts
You may create or support a fund through a will, trust, retirement account beneficiary designation, life insurance policy, or another planned giving option.
Real Estate and Other Assets
Barry Community Foundation may consider gifts of real estate, personal property, business interests, collections, coins, and other qualifying assets.
Non-cash gifts require review before acceptance. Some assets may require an appraisal or other documentation.
Why Work With Barry Community Foundation?
Local Knowledge. Long-Term Stewardship.
Barry Community Foundation helps donors turn charitable goals into lasting community support.
When you create a fund with the Foundation, you receive:
- Local knowledge of Barry County needs and opportunities
- Administrative support for your charitable fund
- Fund management and stewardship
- Support with grantmaking and scholarship processes
- Assistance creating clear charitable goals
- A trusted local partner for you, your family, or your business
- A way to create a lasting legacy in the community
Our role is to make charitable giving simpler, more personal, and more connected to the community you care about.
We got it.
Thank you for contacting us.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Creating a Fund Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it take to create a charitable fund?
In most cases, a new charitable fund begins with a minimum gift of $10,000 in cash or marketable securities. Barry Community Foundation may consider other charitable assets that meet the minimum value requirement.
Contact the Foundation to discuss your specific plans.
Can I create a charitable fund in my family’s name?
Yes. You may name a fund after yourself, your family, your business, a loved one, or a charitable cause that matters to you.
Can I create a scholarship fund?
Yes. Barry Community Foundation can help donors establish scholarship funds that support students pursuing college, skilled trades, career training, certificates, or other education goals.
Can I create a fund to support a nonprofit organization?
Yes. A designated nonprofit fund can provide charitable support for a specific nonprofit organization or program selected by the donor.
Can I create a fund in memory of someone?
Yes. Memorial funds can honor the life, values, interests, and community impact of a loved one. A memorial fund may support scholarships, a nonprofit organization, a charitable cause, or a local need.
What is the difference between a donor advised fund and a designated nonprofit fund?
A donor-advised fund allows the donor to recommend grants to charitable organizations and causes over time. A designated nonprofit fund is created to provide support for a specific nonprofit organization or charitable program.
Can I add to my fund after it is created?
Yes. Donors, family members, friends, businesses, and community members may be able to make additional gifts to an established charitable fund.
Can I use my will or retirement account to create a fund?
Yes. You may establish or support a charitable fund through your will, trust, retirement account beneficiary designation, life insurance policy, or another planned gift.
Can I create a fund with real estate or other property?
Possibly. Barry Community Foundation may consider gifts of real estate, personal property, business interests, collections, and other qualifying assets. The Foundation must review non-cash assets before accepting them, and an appraisal may be required.
Does Barry Community Foundation provide legal or tax advice?
No. Barry Community Foundation can explain charitable fund options and help donors understand the fund creation process. Donors should consult their attorney, financial advisor, tax professional, and other qualified advisors before making legal, tax, estate, or financial planning decisions.
Important Information: This page provides general educational information about charitable fund options. Barry Community Foundation does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice. Consult your attorney, financial advisor, tax professional, and other qualified advisors before making a charitable gift, creating a fund, transferring assets, or making estate-planning decisions.
