October 23, 2013
One of the many benefits of a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey is how it can facilitate personalized, inspired giving whenever and wherever the need arises. Whether it’s providing relief in the wake of a storm or scholarships for summer camp, a donor advised fund makes it easy to step in and make a difference quickly.
Here’s a recent example. Steve Simcox, whose family has a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation, received an email from a fellow alum of Kenmore High School in Akron, Ohio.
The Kenmore Cardinals, a one-time storied football program, were short on football jerseys, the email said, and lacked the kind of financial support that kept the team going when Steve was a student and co-captain of the 1978 football team. Now, during games, players had to change jerseys two or three times, as matching jerseys weren’t available and new jerseys were not in the budget. With the support of a local program called First Glance, Kenmore managed to raise partial funding to support the team; but new jerseys were still the missing piece.
What did Steve do? He forwarded the email to the Community Foundation and requested that a grant be made. Before he knew it, the school had its funding and the Kenmore Cardinals were headed to their next game – in new, matching jerseys.
It’s a simple example, but it shows how the Community Foundation can help facilitate one’s giving, taking out the administrative components – from writing a check to balancing the books – that might keep a donor from giving right away.
To learn more about opening your own Donor Advised Fund, contact the Community Foundation at 973-267-5533.