Setting up your own charitable fund with Tees Valley Community Foundation is a rewarding and exciting way of supporting your local community immediately or over the long term.

A fund can be set up in your name, or your company’s name, and you choose what issues or areas your fund will support. You can also draw on our local knowledge and expertise.

A fund gives you all the benefits of having a charitable trust, without the burden of appointing trustees, handling investments and dealing with correspondence. For companies, it is an ideal way of meeting corporate social responsibilities and demonstrating commitment to the local community. You can entrust your charitable giving programme, safe in the knowledge that grants will reach organisations that can use the money effectively.

Our annual management fees are low and setting up a fund brings tax advantages. We undertake all the administration of the fund, including accounting, compliance with charity legal requirements and returns to the Charity Commission.

Different options available

There are several options available when setting up a fund:

• You may set up an endowment fund, which will be invested, and the income used to make grants year after year, or a revenue fund, which will be used to make grants straight away.
• Your fund could support a favourite cause such as young people or you could restrict your fund to a particular area such as Stockton or East Cleveland. We will research grants that meet your criteria.
• If you prefer, you could leave it up to us to allocate grants to a range of causes across the Tees Valley at our discretion.
• You may make a gift of money or an item of value such as shares, property or other investments to set up a fund, or leave a gift in your will.
• You can request that grants are paid out in the name of your fund, or anonymously. We can organise publicity about your fund if desired.

Named Endowment Fund

This is a permanent capital fund set up with a minimum pledge of £50,000, which can be made as a one-off gift or built-up over several years. The capital is invested and the income used to make grants year after year.

The very nature of endowment means this type of fund will go on helping your local community in perpetuity. It's like having your own charitable trust, but we undertake all the investment and administration - yet you still choose which causes you wish to support.

Named Revenue Fund

If you want to see your charitable giving being put to immediate use in the community and are able to give £20,000 or more per annum, then a Named Revenue Fund is the best option for you. Your donation will be used to address priority needs with you choosing which causes you wish to support.

To discuss the options open to you, please contact Hugh McGouran or phone (01642 260860) or 07525 236289.