Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS THE FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION? The Fond du Lac Area Foundation, founded in 1975 as a community foundation, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established to receive charitable gifts, invest them with a goal of growth, and use the growth for the good of the community. The money invested in the Foundation stays here, in the Fond du Lac community. Any charitable objective can be carried out by the Foundation. The Foundation provides a service for donors who wish to create endowments for a specific charity, social and human service concerns, arts and culture, education, the environment . . . it also affords the donor an opportunity to provide a legacy that will live on in perpetuity.
WHO GOVERNS THE FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION? A volunteer board of directors serves the Fond du Lac Area Foundation. The board oversees and monitors investments, hires the executive director, assists with strategy, and makes final decisions on grants awarded each cycle.
HOW IS THE FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS? While other organizations ask you for money to support what they do, the Fond du Lac Area Foundation exists because of what YOU want to do. Facilitating YOUR charitable objectives is one of our main functions.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION? 1) To provide a service to donors who have a charitable dream. The Foundation works with them to ensure that their charitable dream is set up properly, documented and carried out to the donor's specifications. 2) To provide grants for the charitable good of the community to support health and human services, education, the arts, the environment, etc. 3) To provide leadership on important community issues and serve as a neutral convener and collaborator to work with individuals and organizations to determine unmet needs within our community and find ways to meet those needs.
WHAT DOES IT COST A DONOR TO ESTABLISH A FUND? There are no up-front fees to the donor when establishing a fund with the Fond du Lac Area Foundation. Each fund is assessed 1.2% annually which supports the work of the community foundation.
I CAN’T AFFORD TO START MY OWN NAMED FUND. HOW CAN I USE THE FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION? Many people choose to make gifts to the Foundation in honor of, or in memory of a family member, friend, or loved one. The Foundation will send acknowledgments to the person being honored or to the family of the person being remembered and will also send thank you notes and appropriate tax receipts to the donors.