This toolkit, developed by Community Foundations of Canada, provides a full range of information and tools to help you in your work with clients, and to learn more about community foundations.
Donors/Advisors
Types of Funds
Hamilton Community Foundation manages more than 180 different funds, providing tremendous flexibility and options tailored to a donor's specific means and charitable desires. With a gift to the Foundation, a donor may establish his/her own fund or contribute to an existing fund. Click on the links below to see a list of HCF funds in each category.
Community Fund/Unrestricted Fund
These discretionary funds provide donors with the greatest amount of flexibility for their contribution. This type of fund is not tied to any specific charity or area of interest by the donor, allowing the Foundation to respond to the immediate and changing needs of the community. Gifts of any amount are welcome and a gift of $5,000 provides the opportunity to name a fund within the Community Fund family of restricted funds.
Read more about Unrestricted Funds
View the fund listing
Field of Interest Funds
Field of Interest funds allow the donor to designate a specific area of interest (e.g. the environment, children's need, the arts, etc.) in which charitable grants will be made. The Board of Directors uses its discretion in selecting the most appropriate recipients, year by year. The required minimum gift is $25,000, which may be accumulated over time.
Read more about Field of Interest Funds
View the fund listing
Donor Advised Funds
Donor-advised funds provide donors with the opportunity to be actively involved in recommending, year by year, recipient charitable organizations or programs. The required minimum gift is $25,000, which may be accumulated over time.
Read more about Donor Advised Funds
View the fund listing
Designated Funds
Designated funds are established to benefit specific charitable organizations named by the donor. The earnings from these funds are distributed to the designated organizations on an annual basis. The required minimum gift is $10,000 for each named charitable beneficiary, which may be accumulated over time.
Read more about Designated Funds
View the fund listing
Agency Endowment Funds
Charitable Organizations may establish permanently endowed funds to provide a source of annual income for operations or programs.
Read more about Agency Endowment Funds
View the fund listing
Academic Funds: Scholarships, Bursaries, Fellowships
Bursary and scholarship funds provide assistance and encouragement to promising young students severely challenged by the costs of education. Funds are distributed directly to the institution on behalf of the student. The required minimum gift varies depending on the complexity of the program and the administration involved.
Read more about Agency Endowment Funds
View the fund listing
Adminstration Funds
These funds have been established to support the administration of the Foundation's various programs in community leadership, development, grantmaking and communications. Gifts of any amount are welcome.
View the fund listing
Working with Hamilton Community Foundation
Many people are interested in benefiting our community. The question is, "How might this be accomplished through Hamilton Community Foundation?"
Read the answer to this question by learning about Working with the HCF.