What are the alternatives to using a community foundation?
Donors interested in giving a gift of lasting benefit to their communities have several options. All donors will benefit from visiting this information page about a broad range of charitable giving options. Community foundations offer several different fund types which can be tailored to fit donors’ unique interests. (See our section on Ways You Can Give.) Some donors may choose to establish a separate private foundation. We have described the major differences between private and community foundations here. To learn more about establishing a private foundation, you’ll want to contact an attorney. Others may be interested in “donor-advised fund” programs offered by other types of nonprofit organizations. Donor-advised funds are a type of grant-making fund which was first designed and offered by community foundations beginning in the 1970s. Their incredible success has brought many competitors into the field, and donors now have many options. Certainly among the most interesting possibi
