Since 1996, hundreds of individuals, families, businesses and other organizations have used our expertise to make living here even better for all of our neighbors. We’ll work closely with you to choose the type of fund that best fits your charitable goals, and our staff will ensure that your gift is making the greatest impact.

Are you interested in learning more?

We invite you to fill out our Prospective Partner Form to share a bit more about your philanthropic goals. Someone from our team will follow-up to set up a time to connect! 

This is the most hands-on approach, allowing you to be actively involved in giving. You will get a tax-deduction when you establish and add to your DAF, and then you can make distributions to the charitable organizations (locally, nationally, or internationally*) you want to support at your own pace, with support from our professional staff. Donor advised giving is typically less costly and easier to administer than other forms of philanthropic giving, such as private foundations.

Today, there are more than 90 active Donor Advised Funds at the Community Foundation.

You can establish a non-endowed Donor Advised Fund with a gift of $5000.  Endowed Donor Advised Funds require a $10,000 gift.

*International giving is completed through a grant intermediary. 

Establishing a scholarship fund tells students that their community is invested in their potential, their future and their success, helping to remove barriers that stand between deserving young people and the education they need to succeed.

You can set up an endowed scholarship fund with a minimum gift of $25,000.  To learn more about establishing a scholarship fund, please contact our staff.

As the name implies, this type of fund allows you to target a favorite cause or issue without having to name a specific charity. You decide the purpose, such as meeting the needs of children, helping the arts to flourish, or protecting the environment, and the Community Foundation identifies projects and organizations that will most effectively accomplish your interests over time.

With a designated fund you can provide ongoing support to one or more charitable organizations that are close to your heart. 

All of the funds started at the Whatcom Community Foundation are subject to the Terms & Conditions laid forth in the organization’s bi-laws, policies, and procedures. These vary some based on whether or not the established fund is endowed or non-endowed at the time of creation.

Our Terms & Conditions can be found at links below:

Terms & Conditions | Endowed Funds
Terms & Conditions | Non-Endowed Funds

Click here to learn more about our administrative fees and investment strategy.

To learn more or to set up a meeting, contact Brad Tuininga, Vice President of Philanthropy, at brad@whatcomcf.org.