A Range of Funds to Help You Accomplish Your Goals
Madison Community Foundation offers a wide range of fund types to help you accomplish your charitable giving goals. Whether you’re looking to create an endowed fund that will provide support to a single organization, a fund you can use to direct your giving to a range of organizations, or even a shorter-term maximum giving fund, we’re here to help.

Donor Advised Fund
Donor advised funds are a flexible and tax-smart alternative to a private or family foundation.
With a donor advised fund, you can:
- Recommend grants at any time to support the nonprofits you care about, locally and across the United States.
- Make contributions to your fund at any time and receive an immediate tax deduction for the year in which the gift is made.
- Share the gift of giving by naming additional fund advisors, such as family members.
Donor advised funds can be endowed, quasi-endowed or non-endowed. For more information on each of these fund types, please see our Donor Advised Fund Options Comparison guide.
Donors also have the option of building a permanent endowment over 10 years with annual contributions of $1,500 or more.
Designated Fund
A designated fund provides permanent annual support to one or more nonprofit organizations, helping ensure the long-term financial health and stability of the nonprofits you care about.
You can create your own designated fund, or tap into the power of collective impact by donating to an existing designated fund, helping it grow over time. Search our fund catalog for your favorite nonprofits’ funds.
Minimum to establish: $15,000
Nonprofit organizations interested in creating an endowment to support their own operations can learn more by exploring how to create a Nonprofit Endowment Fund.
Community Impact Fund
Provide permanent, flexible resources to support local causes by establishing a Community Impact fund. Donors who create named Community Impact funds trust MCF to award annual grants to support community development, the environment, learning, arts and culture, and nonprofit capacity building in communities throughout Dane County.
Explore recent grants from the Community Impact fund to learn more about how grants from MCF’s Community Impact fund are benefitting the community.
Minimum to establish: $15,000
Field of Interest Fund
Field of Interest funds allow you to simplify your giving by supporting a specific area of interest. You determine the area your fund will support. MCF invests the money, and staff will distribute grants each year to organizations working in the areas you have determined. We monitor the changing needs of our community and ensure these grants continue to have the highest impact possible.
Minimum to establish: $100,000
Scholarship Fund
Support students through scholarships awarded to high schools, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations who select recipients based on your established criteria.
Learn more about establishing a scholarship fund at MCF.
Minimum to establish: $25,000

Let Us Help You Find the Fund That Works for You
If you’re ready to open a fund, or would like help exploring the available options, we’re here to help you. Call our office at 608-232-1763 or email us to set up a meeting.