Berrien Community Foundation
 
Acorn All Funds & Endowments
 
Each fund is used for charitable purposes in the community according to the donor(s)' wishes. It is important to note that the Michigan State Tax Credit for Community Foundations is available for donors who give to any endowment fund within the Foundation.

UNDESIGNATED FUNDS
These funds best meet emerging community needs in Berrien County. Donors place no restrictions on fund usage leaving discretion to the Berrien Community Foundation Board of Trustees (* Berrien Community and * Leadership Endowments).

FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS
The Foundation specifies a purpose or an area of interest for fund distribution. The Foundation then makes grants to organizations to address identified needs within those areas.

·         Arts and Humanities Endowment

·         Berrien County Educational Endowment

·         Berrien County Youth Endowment

·         Coast Cares for Kids Endowment

·         Healthful Living Endowment

·         Malcolm S. Ross Sustainable Development Endowment Fund (Environmental)

·         Woman to Woman Endowment

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS
Donors (individuals, couples, families, groups, businesses) create advised funds to maintain flexibility in fund distributions. Through these funds, donors may actively participate in grantmaking by providing grant recommendations for qualifying nonprofit organizations and their programs.

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
Donors established these funds to help students achieve their educational goals. Committees made up of a cross section of qualified individuals, objective criteria, and a selection process using these criteria are approved by the Board of Trustees. No new scholarship funds are being accepted at this time. Advised funds are highly recommended as an alternative. 

 

ORGANIZATION FUNDS (Designated)

Nonprofit organizations (e.g., typical nonprofit, schools, school foundations, units of govt., religious organizations) establish endowment and other funds to provide for future funding of their organizations. A donor(s) may establish a fund where a specific nonprofit is designated to receive grants. The Foundation is then responsible for the fund from that point with no additional recommendations from the donor(s). For legacy endowment funds, a donor(s) establishes a fund that is funded via an estate gift and identifies several nonprofits to receive grants each year from the fund. The Foundation is then responsible for the fund from that point with no additional recommendations from the donor(s) families and/or related parties.

 

l to r:  Nanette Keiser, BCF President, accepts a contribution from

the Benton Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA's Board President John Bollman

and its Executive Director Mike Ahern to establish the

Benton Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA Endowment Fund

 

ESTABLISHING A FUND

At the Berrien Community Foundation, it is a simple process to establish a fund. Organizations and donors appreciate our attention to meeting their wishes, expertise in grantmaking, range of fund options, and reasonable fees. The remaining funds are listed below.

 

·         Acts of Kindness 06 Fund

·         American Red Cross Berrien County Chapter Endowment

·         Ankli Family Fund

·         Anonymous Funds (several)

·         Edna Bender Endowment

·         Benton Harbor Area Schools Endowment

·         Benton Harbor Area Schools Special Activities Fund

·         Benton Harbor Lions Foundation Endowment

·         Benton Harbor Street Ministries Endowment

·         Benton Harbor Street Ministries General

·         Benton Harbor/St. Joseph Exchange Club Endowment

·         Benton Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA Endowment Fund

·         Berrien Artist Guild Art Endowment Fund

·         Berrien County Cancer Service Endowment

·         Berrien County Council for Children Endowment
·         Berrien County Health Department Programs Fund

·         Berrien County Historical Association Endowment

·         Berrien County Parks Endowment Fund

·         Berrien County Sheriff's Department Programs Fund

·         Berrien County Youth Fair Endowment
·         Berrien RESA Arts in the Schools Endowment Fund
·         Berrien RESA Arts in the Schools Special Activities Fund

·         Berrien Springs Community Library Endowment Fund

·         Birthright, Inc. General

·         Birthright of St. Joseph, Inc. Endowment

·         Bryce C. Boothby Family Endowment

·         Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor Endowment
·         Bridgman Foundation for Educational Excellence Endowment
·         Bridgman Foundation for Educational Excellence General Fund

·         Bridgman Public Library Endowment Fund

·         Larry G. Bubb Harbor Country Endowment

·         The Chester J. Byrns Endowment

·         Chikaming Open Lands Endowment Fund

·         Child & Family Services/Link Endowment Fund

·         Child & Family Services/Link General Fund

·         Christian Perspectives Fund
·         Wilce L. Cooke Foundation Fund
·         Curious Kids' Discovery Zone Fund  

·         Curious Kids' Doors Open/Lights On Endowment

 

·         Curious Kids' Fund

 

·         John Dannison Memorial Fund

·        William J. Deputy Endowment Fund

·         Diamond Fund

·         Drews Scholar Fund

·         Eagle Endowment Fund

·         Eldercare Service Endowment Fund

·         Fernwood Educational Endowment

·         First Strawberry Crate Fund

·         Flamingo Fund

·         Jameson Matthew Gargano Memorial Youth Fund Endowment

·         Gateway Endowment Fund
·         B. J. Goetz Art Fund

·         Greater Berrien Springs Endowment Fund

·         Ike & Janet Hampton Family Endowment

·         Harbert Community Church Endowment Fund

·         Harbert Community Church Foundation Fund

·         Harbert Community Church/Emily Holmes Lee Fund

·         Hartford Public Schools Foundation for Quality Education Endowment

·         Hartford Public Schools Foundation Endowment Fund

·         Heart of Cook Foundation Fund

·         Heart of Cook Scholarship Program Fund

·         The Heritage Museum & Cultural Center Endowment Fund

·         Hospice at Home, Inc. Endowment Fund

·         John & Dede Howard Donor Endowment

·         John & Dede Howard LMC Endowment

·         Jay's Kids Fund

·         Jeremy's Fund

·         Jon Jollay Memorial Scholarship Fund

·         Kirshenbaum Family Endowment

·         Lucille Kirshenbaum Fund
·         Korean War Veterans of Southwest Michigan Fund
·         Korean War Veterans of Southwest Michigan General Fund

·         Leonard & Marion Krall Family Memorial Endowment Fund

·         Lakeland Allied Health Education Endowment

·         Lakeshore Excellence Foundation Endowment

·         Lakeshore Excellence Foundation General Fund
·         Lakeshore Excellence Foundation Special Activities Fund

·         Lakeshore Rotary Endowment

·         Lighthouse Preservation Fund
·         Lilmadmax Fund

·         Lincoln Township Public Library Endowment

·         Theodore & Elaine Lucker Endowment

·         Bernadette Janda McKittrick Endowment Fund

·         Mercy Health Clinic Outreach Endowment
·         Michigan Vest-A-Dog Foundation Fund

·         Lora Wile Miller Scholarship Endowment Fund

·         Ronald & Trisha Miller Scholarship Endowment Fund

·         Morton Hill Cemetery Preservation Fund

·         Morton House Endowment
·         Terence Joseph Mulvihill Scholarship Endowment
·         James S. & Jane G. Nettleton Memorial Endowment Fund

·         New Buffalo Fine Arts Endowment

·         New Buffalo Railroad Museum Endowment

·         Oak Tree Fund

·         Carol A. Oehlhaffen Continuing Education Endowment

·         Carol A. Oehlhaffen Scholarship Fund

·         A. J. Opas, CLU, Endowment Fund

·         A. J. Opas, CLU, Fund

·         Cora Parkhurst Scholarship Trust

·         Peace Lutheran Church Endowment Fund

·         Judith E. Phillipi Scholarship Fund

·         Phoenix Fund

·         Poole Family Fund

·         Arlene B. Porritt Memorial Scholarship for Curious Kids

·         Preachers Training Endowment

·         Radix Community Fund

·         Harriet and Sven Ramberg Memorial Fund

·         Readiness Center Endowment Fund
·         Readiness Center General Fund

·         Terry Richcreek Memorial Golf Scholarship Fund

·         River Valley School District Athletics Facility & Operations Fund
·         River Valley School District Binda Scholarship Fund

·         River Valley School District Business Scholarship Fund

·         River Valley School District Capital Improvements Fund

·         River Valley School District Curriculum and Technology Fund

·         River Valley School District Rev. Dryden Scholarship Fund

·         River Valley School District Endowment Fund

·         River Valley School District Fine Arts Fund

·         River Valley School District Harbor Country Catholic Men's Scholarship Fund

·         River Valley School District Sage Mallett Scholarship Fund
·         River Valley School District Jason Warmbier Scholarship Fund

·         RMB Capital Management Fund

·         St. Joseph/Lincoln Senior Citizen Center

·         St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation Endowment

·         St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation Special Activities
·         Pasquale Santaniello Family Memorial Fund

·         Sarett-Nelson Endowment (Sarett Nature Center)

·         Sarett-Nelson General Fund (Sarett Nature Center)

·         Sarett-Vawter/Upton Endowment (Sarett Nature Center)

·         Saron Lutheran Church Endowment Fund

·         Don J. Sayan/W. Jack Keiser & Dr. Nanette M. Keiser Fund

·         Molly Schuler Endowment Fund

·         Shellito Family Fund
·         Silver Beach Carousel Society, Inc. Operations Fund

·         Sims Family Fund

·         Stephen R. & Carol L. Sizer Endowment

·         Julie & Alan N. Smiy Family Foundation Fund

·         Robert L. Starks Family Foundation

·         Southwest Michigan Lutheran High School Endowment

·         Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra Endowment
·         SMSO/Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra Endowment

·         Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra Margaret Beckley Upton Memorial Concert

·         Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra Operating

·         Trojan Family Fund

·         Twin Cities Area Literacy Council Endowment

·         Twin-City Area Catholic School Fund Endowment

·         Twin City Players Brian Swiger Endowment

·         Twin City Players Endowment

·         Twin City Players General

·         United Way of Southwest Michigan Endowment
·         Frederick S. Upton Foundation Special Projects Fund

·         Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan Endowment

·         Watervliet Education Endowment

·         WAUS Endowment

·         Weichhand Family Endowment

·         Welch Family Fund

·         Westmaas Fund
·         Winning Inc. of America Endowment Fund

·         Women in Renewal Endowment

·         World War II Memorial Fund

·         Wayne K. Wright Scholarship Fund

·         Your Story Hour Endowment

·         YWCA Endowment

·         YWCA Out & Affirmation Center Endowment
 

                                                      

                             For more information, contact Nanette Keiser, Ed.D., President

NanetteKeiser@BerrienCommunity.org or 269-983-3486

 
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Berrien Community Foundation
2900 South State Street, Suite 2 East
St. Joseph, MI 49085
Phone: 269.983.3304
Fax: 269.983.4939
Email: bcf@BerrienCommunity.org