Community Foundations are a valuable resource for communities committed to protecting their future and enhancing the quality of life for all who call them home. For more than 95 years, in hundreds of communities across the country, caring community leaders have come together to establish Community Foundations founded on the belief that a portion of the wealth created by the community should accrue to its benefit.

In 1996, The Community Foundation of West Kentucky was created to help the counties of Western Kentucky and Massac County, Illinois bring the opportunities available within a Community Foundation home. Since then, thanks to the generosity and vision of thousands of dedicated individuals, businesses and organizations, the Community Foundation of West Kentucky has enjoyed exponential success and growth. Evidence of this success lies both in the impact of grants disbursed throughout the community and in the vital endowment dollars raised to secure the future of West Kentucky.

Realizing the need and the opportunity to address it, The Community Foundation of West Kentucky is joining with concerned citizens throughout our service area to create specifically targeted Affiliate Funds.  An Affiliate Fund provides a community the opportunity to maintain its identity and to safeguard money raised or given in that community for future grant making which is directed by a committee of residents of that community. An Affiliate Fund allows other areas to benefit from the organizational maturity and scope of The Community Foundation of West Kentucky, while still retaining substantial influence over the critical components of fund development and grant making.

Creating the Fund:  It’s easy. All it takes to establish an Affiliate Fund is one or more individuals committed to a vision of making their community a better place to live. As a Field of Interest Fund, the scope of an Affiliate Fund is defined by the people creating it. The focus can be an entire county or simply a community within a county. The only requirements are a brief fill-in-the blank document and an initial contribution of at least $10,000. The Foundation gratefully accepts gifts in the form of cash, securities, bequests, planned gifts and other assets.

Building the Fund: Once in place, supporters of the Affiliate Fund can make gifts of any size at any time. Separate funds can be created under the umbrella of the Affiliate Fund for individuals, nonprofits, and other endowments. The Board that oversees an Affiliate Fund can choose from a wide range of fundraising programs tailored to their particular interests and their community’s distinct personality. Some Affiliate Boards may raise funds through bequests, memorials, donor advised funds, or corporate gifts, while others might organize special events to grow the Fund.

Using the Fund:  The money raised in a community is invested to serve as permanent savings and the proceeds generated are available for grant making within that community. Volunteers from the area work to ensure that the funds are used efficiently and effectively. The staff of the Community Foundation of West Kentucky handles the administrative details thus freeing up volunteers to evaluate and assess the most pressing needs and opportunities within the community.

Securing the Fund:  The corpus of the Fund is carefully invested by the CFWK’s Board in an effort to ensure that it will do the most good for the longest time. Virtually, all of the funds at the Foundation are invested in a diversified portfolio designed to manage market risk, dampen market volatility and ensure steady growth over time. Financial statements are issued quarterly detailing the activities of the Fund.

Advancing of the Fund:  With an Affiliate Fund there are no public disclosure requirements, no IRS forms to file, no separate legal regulations of which to keep track. Because everyone shares in the costs of the Community Foundation, administrative costs are held to a bare minimum.