Donor-recommended grants
Donor advised funds and donor advised foundations at Napa Valley Community Foundation allow donors to recommend grants to their preferred charitable causes, with approval by Community Foundation staff and Board of Directors. Most donor advisors already know which projects they want to support, but some do not. All are curious about the impact the nonprofit sector is having in Napa County.
Connecting with donor advisors
Donors throughout Napa Valley learn about projects from the Community Link newsletter. They also hear about projects directly from Community Foundation program staff members, who spend significant time researching Napa Valley's needs and charitable organizations. This research, including site visits, helps us inform our donor advisors about how their support could be most beneficial.
Because grants from donor advised funds and foundations are based on consultations with and recommendations from individual and family donor(s), formal grant proposals are not accepted. We do, however, want to know your organization’s current needs. Please keep us informed, and we’ll do our best to involve fund holders where appropriate.
Eligibility
The following organizations are eligible for funding from donor-recommended grants.
- 501(c)(3) public charities
- Charitable projects operating under the fiscal sponsorship of the above
- Educational institutions (public or private schools)
- Public agencies (e.g., the Area Agency on Aging)
- Churches and other religious institutions
Organizations not eligible:
- 501(c)(3) private non-operating foundations
- Political parties or candidates
- Individuals
- Groups not complying with IRS filing requirements
- Groups or projects that confer goods and services, or other benefits, to the donor advisor in exchange for a grant
Acknowledging grants
Donor-recommended grants are ultimately issued by the Community Foundation. Because we are a 501(c)(3), we do not need an acknowledgment letter or receipt. We do recommend that you acknowledge the donor(s) when appropriate, but please do not provide them with a tax receipt; they received their tax deduction when they established their donor advised fund or foundation with us. If you recognize the donor in your annual report or other materials, please list both the name of the donor advised fund or foundation and Napa Valley Community Foundation. If the grant is anonymous, please simply list Napa Valley Community Foundation.
