Does the Shenandoah Community Foundation compete with my nonprofit organization for donor dollars?
• No. Our goal is to identify community needs—and nonprofits meeting those needs—and connect them with appropriate and interested donors. “We are not a Cause; we’re a Causeway.”

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If you talk to a donor who is interested in the mission of my nonprofit organization, do you try to get them to give their money to you or to us?
• We first determine whether the donor is interested in helping with your ongoing, current needs or if they like the idea of setting up an endowment fund that would benefit your organization forever. If they want to help you right now, we recommend they give you the money directly. If they want to create an endowment fund for your benefit, we give them information about how we can do that easily and with no set-up costs. The donor makes the final decision.

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How can the Community Foundation help my nonprofit organization?
        • Grant-making – your organization may wish to participate in our annual grant cycle and be considered for a grant.
        • Grants from outside – in some instances, it might help you when you’re applying for a grant from an outside funding agency to include the Shenandoah Community Foundation as an advocate or partner in the grant application. This may only be done with our permission.
        • Establishing affordable Endowment Fund for your nonprofit—when you establish an agency fund (an endowment fund that benefits only your organization), you can be assured of a stable source of income for the future. There is no cost to establish such a fund, and your organization has no administrative or investment decision responsibility in regards to the fund.

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Why should my organization consider establishing an agency fund (also known as a restricted fund) with the Shenandoah Community Foundation?
        • As mentioned above, it assures you of a stable source of income for the future.
        • It is much more affordable than setting up an endowment fund or trust on your own since you have legal fees and by pooling all our fund monies, we can command the lowest fees for professional hands-on management of your funds.
        • We can offer you investment diversification options that are not practical or available for a smaller account on your own.
        • By taking on the administrative and financial oversight of your funds, we reduce the responsibility and liability of your volunteer members.
        • Once you have a fund in your organization’s name, you can promote it to your constituents and other donors who have an interest in your mission, encouraging them not only to donate to it but also to include it in their estate planning.
        • Your organization’s fund will be listed in our literature and on our website. We will help you promote your organization by disseminating this literature to the public, to donors and to estate planning professionals.
        • We can offer flexibility as to the use of the money in the fund since there are no tax consequences should your tax-exempt organization have an emergency need to remove principle from the Foundation or withdraw your fund altogether.

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How can my 501(c)(3) organization create a fund with the Foundation?
• See How to Start a Fund. We would be glad to make a presentation to your board or send you a sample memorandum of understanding so you can see how it works. The minimum fund balance is $5,000, but we allow nonprofits to start with as little as $500, with their commitment to increase the balance to $5,000 within five years.


In short, your affiliation with the Shenandoah Community Foundation is a win-win: it increases OUR stature and credibility in the community and improves our ongoing mission of providing endowment funding for local needs. At the same time, we expect it will lend permanence and prestige to YOUR group that will grow as we increase our own publicity, marketing, and educational efforts in the community.
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