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Funds: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do you want the Community Foundation to make grants where the community need is the greatest?
Giving to our Community Endowment Funds allows us maximum flexibility to respond to changing needs in our community.

2. Do you wish to actively make grant recommendations from the fund you establish?
Consider a donor-advised fund. This type of fund offers you the ability to make grant recommendations anywhere in the world. We offer many ways to get more involved in your giving, including our Partners in Philanthropy program where you have access to unique local funding opportunities.

3. Do you have a particular area of interest (e.g., arts/culture, education, environment, health/human services) and prefer that the Community Foundation decide which program to support in your selected fields?
If you establish a field-of-interest fund, the Community Foundation actively solicits proposals through our competitive grantmaking program to match your interest. Earnings from funds are pooled to fund grants in particular areas.

4. Do you want to help Sonoma County students go to college?
A scholarship fund may be right for you. We have developed an efficient and cost effective process for processing applications and selecting recipients. All new scholarship funds must be endowment funds and require a minimum contribution of $25,000.

5. Is it important to you to both give back and remain anonymous?
You can name your fund so it does not identify you as the donor. All grants are identified only by the fund name (e.g., “This grant is made possible from the Giving Back Fund of the Community Foundation”) or we can make anonymous grants from your named fund at your request. We handle all paperwork and reporting requirements. You enjoy your privacy and the satisfaction of giving back.

6. May I make grants outside of Sonoma County?
Yes, you may make grant recommendations to benefit recognized 501(c)3 organizations locally or anywhere in the world.

Please contact J Mullineaux at 707.303.9620

Featured Donor

Greg Young, a Community Foundation donor advisor, talks of the rewards of supporting a nonprofit organization with a local branch in Sebastopol. "I belong to Bread for the Journey because I want to support local start-up organizations that need a little boost to achieve their vision. That boost is often money, but sometimes it's simply asking the right question like, 'What is a business plan and why do you need one?' Watching these seeds sprout is even more rewarding than I had dreamed; meeting people who have the passion and knowledge to make our community a better place is an amazing experience. It fills me with hope for the future... and joy."

Featured donors

For the past year, a team from Community Foundation Sonoma County and the Sonoma Valley Fund has been at work to assess community needs and determine where to focus our involvement in the Valley from the $8.5 million bequest of Roland and Hazel Todd. Based on the community's response and the Todd's wishes, improving health and well-being of residents in the Springs area of Sonoma Valley will be our initial focus. More…