The development of funds for the community is a living legacy for Wells County, an investment for the future. The funds currently held and administered by the Wells County Foundation, Inc. reflect the generosity of Wells County citizens since 1957. It is an honor to be the steward for the philanthropic intent of those donors.

Undesignated or Unrestricted Funds:  Allow the Foundation’s Board to make discretionary grants, and they provide the greatest flexibility for meeting current and future community needs. If the donor believes that, as conditions change, a group of citizens from the community will best be able to assess the current charitable needs and be creative in grantmaking, then this would be an appropriate choice of funds.

Designated Funds:  Provide grants to specific charitable institutions named by the donor. The distributions will be made in perpetuity, if endowed, as long as the named agency or charitable purpose remains in existence and continues to fulfill the intended purposes. If a donor has long supported a favorite charity or two and would like for that support to continue in perpetuity, then the donor would designate the specific recipient agency or organization.

Donor-Advised Funds:   Offer the donor the opportunity to be actively involved in an advisory capacity for distributions from this fund. As income becomes available for distributions, the donor-advisor recommends to the Foundation’s Board grants that meet his/her charitable interests. Donor-advised funds offer an alternative to establishing a private foundation.

Field of Interest Funds:   Support a broad area of interest such as education, the arts, services or programs for youth or the elderly, environmental projects, health, recreational purposes, or civic affairs. The Foundation will direct the distributions to the most appropriate programs within the field(s) designated by the donor. The donor is interested in a particular field or fields, but does not wish to restrict the grants to be made over the years to any specific organizations serving that field of interest.

Agency Endowment Funds:   Established by nonprofit organizations to provide income for operating and/or program support. These funds offer the charitable organization the advantages of the permanence of the Foundation, of pooling funds for better investment return, and of reduced administrative costs. The organization places its endowment within the Foundation and each year receives income from the fund.

Scholarship Funds:   May be established in memory of an individual, for graduates of a specific high school, field of study, or for those planning to attend specific colleges or universities.