Decide When to Give

You can create your fund now, establish it in your will, or create it through a trust arrangement that benefits your family as well as charity. Tax deductions are earned at the time of your gift, while grants awarded from your fund will continue into the future.

Decide What to Give

Almost any kind of asset can be used to start your fund, such as cash, publicly traded securities, closely held stock, real estate, life insurance, tangible personal property or private foundation assets. We can also discuss other options with you, such as bequests, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities, life income, deferred charitable gift annuities and more.

Choose the Name for Your Fund

Most of our funds are named for the donor or the donor’s family or as a memorial to someone special. If you prefer anonymity, you may choose a name that reflects your fund’s charitable purposes.

Choose a Type of Fund

We offer a variety of funds that are flexible to meet our donors’ different charitable interests:

Unrestricted Funds allow grants to be made to wherever our community’s needs are the greatest.

Field-of-Interest Funds create grants that meet needs in a particular field or area that is of interest to you.

Donor-Advised Funds enable you to recommend specific organizations to receive grants.

Scholarship Funds help students pursue academic goals.

Designated Funds let you support specific organizations that serve Bedford area residents, while we make sure the grants to these groups remain relevant over time and responsive to changing circumstances.

Organizational Endowment Funds are established by nonprofit organizations to provide them with additional income.