FAQs from nonprofits:
Q: What is a donor-advised fund?
A: A donor-advised fund is a charitable vehicle that individuals, a family or business can establish at a public charity, like the Maine Community Foundation, to manage their charitable donations. Once a charitable gift is made to a donor-advised fund at MaineCF, the money is owned by the community foundation, but the individual/family/business retains the right to “advise” where grants go. Click here to learn more about ways that MaineCF can assist people with their giving.
Q: How can we reach donor-advised funds at MaineCF?
A: We share grant proposals with donors through our Giving Together portal and also based on interests that donors have highlighted for us.
Q: What if my proposal does not meet the criteria for any of the above grant programs?
A: Contact the member of our grantmaking staff that covers the county in which your organization is located.
Q: I got a grant from a donor-advised fund and I don’t know them or they are anonymous. How can I thank them?
A: If you do not already have a relationship with the donor advisor, we can forward a thank you letter to them. Please do not send additional organizational materials such as annual reports or brochures as we are not able to forward this information.
Q: If we receive a grant from a donor-advised fund, do they need a tax acknowledgement?
A: No, because they already received a tax benefit when they made the original gift to their advised fund at MaineCF.
