Individual and Family Giving

Many families choose to work with CFKA as an alternative to setting up a private foundation because of our connections to the community, and simply because it’s easier administratively. It’s like having your own family foundation, but without all the expense and bookkeeping. We take of all that part so families can focus on the most fulfilling part… giving.

Working with CFKA, you can give back to your community now, and leave a legacy for the future as well. You can donate to an existing fund, or we can work with you to set up your own endowment fund dedicated to supporting the organizations and causes you care about. A permanent, named endowment fund can be created with a minimum gift or pledge of $10,000.

“The work of the Community Foundation inspires Nancy and myself to do more. We don’t live in isolation in this community, so when members step forward, we realize, ‘We’re a part of that community and we should be doing something too’”.
Bill Gray

How to Establish a Named Fund with CFKA?

It’s easy to set up your own named endowment fund. We will do all the paperwork, and we look after issuing your annual grant cheques. You simply need to make 3 decisions:

1. When would you like the fund to start granting?

Do you want your fund to be established:

  • Now (and you can start giving grants and seeing impact right away)
  • Over time, through contributions
  • Later, through your estate

2. What type of fund would you like to establish?

Pick the Type of Fund based on what you would like to support and how involved in the annual decision making you want to be. We have a variety of fund types to choose from, and we can help you pick the one that is right for you based on your interests.

3. How long would you like the fund to last?

  • traditional endowment fund– a ‘forever fund’ where only a percentage of annual earnings will be spent:
Traditional Endowment Funds Minimum Gift to Establish Fund Administrative Fee 
Operating Fund (supports CFKA) $10,000 0.0%
Community Fund $10,000 1.5%
Field of Interest Fund $10,000 1.5%
Donor Designated Fund $10,000 1.5%
Donor Advised Fund $25,000 1.5%
  • Our new ‘enhanced spending’ option– which will draw down the capital of your fund over time; so it won’t last forever, but it will grant more money out each year at twice the approved rate of traditional endowement funds  (while still lasting a long time):
Enhanced Spending Funds Minimum Gift to Establish Fund Administrative Fee 
Community Fund $25,000 1.5%
Field of Interest Fund $25,000 1.5%
Donor Designated Fund $25,000 1.5%
Donor Advised Fund $50,000 1.5%

4. How would you like to donate to the fund?

  • You can choose any number of financial tools to establish and grow a fund, including: cheque, credit card, public securities, life insurance, or charitable bequest.
  • Many of our donors establish funds with gifts during their lifetimes and also make provisions through estate planning to further build the fund’s capital.
  • Your gift can be one time, or pledged over a period of time (monthly or annually).
  • Creation of a fund with CFKA requires the minimum for a named fund ($10,000- $50,000) within five (5) years. You decide how much you want to give over what period of time.
  • The investment approach used by CFKA is a passive-based approach that tracks broad market indices. We have chosen this approach because it is a very low cost approach to investing, which keeps more money in our endowment funds, and we mitigate company-specific risk by spreading our risk amongst all the company participants in the indices we use.  

Resources

PDF – Setting Up a Fund With the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area

PDF – Kingston Life Insert: Want to Make a Difference in Your Community?

Managing Funds at CFKA: Investment Policy, Fund Admininistration Fees Policy, and Spending Policy 

PDF – Master Investment Returns & Investment Commitee Members

We are grateful for all gifts to the Foundation and would be happy to speak with you about your charitable giving goals. 

Contact Us

For further information about establishing an endowment fund, please contact Stacy G Kelly, Executive Director, at ed@cfka.org or 613.546.9696, Ext. 102

Community Foundation for Kingston & Area