Benefits of an Organization Fund
The Douglas County Community Foundation (“DCCF” or the “Foundation”) began serving the citizens and organizations of Douglas County in 2000. Our mission is to connect the diverse citizens and communities of Douglas County through charitable action. We carry out this mission by working with nonprofit agencies on sustainability and financial strength, and with families, companies and individuals to increase philanthropic involvement in our community.
DCCF focuses on ensuring the present and future effectiveness of service organizations in this community. We operate endowment and reserve funds for local organizations, field of interest funds to address particular issues in our community, and donor-advised funds to carry out the charitable goals of families and organizations.
DCCF has a dedicated finance committee that oversees the investment of our pooled funds. The investments are managed by local professional investment firms. Because of the relative size of the invested assets, we have very low fees on our managed funds.
DCCF is differentiated from typical money managers by the breadth of the relationship and services provided to our fund partners. The Foundation has a local Board of Directors, all of whom are leaders in this community, with the fiduciary responsibility for all endowed funds under our management. We talk to community leaders and major donors every day about charitable action right here in our community, and promote gifts to endowed funds with us.
We will provide marketing for your endowment through our staff contacts with groups and donors, through inclusion in our annual newsletters which are mailed to thousands of prospective donors in this community, and through our contacts with professional advisors such as attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors who provide advice to local clients regarding charitable giving.
We utilize our expertise to assist you in educating donors about planned giving, and stay current with changes in Federal and state laws which may provide temporary or new opportunities for giving. We are able to handle non-cash donations such as appreciated stock or other property transactions. In addition, we provide your donors the ability to give to your endowment with a credit card contribution on our secure web site.
In addition to the marketing, public relations and online giving services that we provide, we handle all financial and administrative aspects of your endowment fund. We provide all “back-room” services for your fund including accounting services, acknowledgement of direct donations to your endowment fund, inclusion in the annual independent audit of our funds, and inclusion in our 990 and other required government filings.
Perhaps the greatest characteristic of the Foundation, as it applies to the relationship with you, is the commitment of our board and staff to the present and future financial health of your organization, because we know that this directly impacts the effectiveness of your work.
We truly view ourselves as partners with you in maximizing your success.
Steps for setting up an Organization Fund
Your organization can start a fund with a simple document that requires less than an hour to prepare. We’ll guide your organization carefully through the process. Once the fund is set up, our professional staff keeps detailed records and sends you and your board chair quarterly reports summarizing account activity.
Working with our staff, your board, and your financial planner if you choose, you will take these next steps:
- Review DCCF Administrative Provisions for our funds which includes information about: types of donors and funds; naming of funds; tax deductions and limitations; administrative fees schedule; and investment of funds.
- Designate organization fund advisors such as the executive director, your board chair, and your accountant.
- Make an establishing gift of cash, stock or other assets.
- Once your organization fund is established, we will promote it to donors on our website, making it simple for your fund to accept online giving opportunities.
- DCCF will work with our investment advisors to grow your fund assets through a sound investment strategy.
- Our goal is to make the process of accessing your funds assets match your needs. The distribution policy for your fund can be flexible - we will work with your board and organization in times of emergency or unexpected expenses.
Ways to Give
If you wish to share information with your donors about giving through DCCF, please let them know we accept online donations to your organization fund on our website.
Donors may also send checks to DCCF with the following instructions:
Make checks payable to:
Douglas County Community Foundation
Memo line: The name of your organization fund.
Mailing address:
Douglas County Community Foundation
900 Massachusetts
Suite 406
Lawrence, KS 66044
Non-cash donations such as appreciated stock or other property transactions:
Please have donors contact Chip Blaser, Executive Director, at chipblaser@dccfoundation.org, or call 785-843-8727.