A charitable fund bears your name, focuses on your concerns and reflects your values. Whether you want to support a nonprofit that does work in your hometown or further the education of children halfway around the world, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation can help you find the best option that matches your interest areas and achieves your charitable goals. You may choose from one or more of the following fund options:
Unrestricted funds give the Foundation’s Board full discretion as to where grants should be made in order to respond to the greatest needs within Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Waukesha, and Washington counties.
A donor advised fund can be a low-cost alternative to creating a private foundation or a complement to an existing foundation. With this fund, you can recommend grants to programs and projects either locally, nationally or around the world. You can also involve your family in your giving by naming them as successor advisers to the fund or designate the Foundation Board to decide where grants should be made to respond to the area's greatest needs.
Donor advised fund guidelines (PDF)
A designated fund allows you to directly support a specific agency or agencies either for a limited amount of time or in perpetuity.
With a field of interest fund, you can support the causes you are most passionate about, such as education or the homeless or, focus on a specific geographic area.
You can help provide educational opportunities for tomorrow’s leaders by creating a scholarship fund. Scholarships can provide one-time or multi-year support.
A supporting organization provides you with the same level of involvement as a donor advised fund, but allows for greater visibility and individuality. It is a separate entity with its own board of directors but is affiliated with the Foundation. The Foundation provides administrative, operational, investment and grantmaking support.
Agency endowments enable nonprofits to provide a steady source of annual operating support for themselves.
Learn more about our generational commitment to equity and inclusion.
