Promoting philanthropy for the perpetual benefit of our communities is a key priority of the Billings Community Foundation. It’s a goal we share with many private and family foundations.
Simpler Management
While rewarding, administering the grantmaking of your private foundation can be time-consuming and even costly. If you enjoy the experience of your private foundation but seek simpler management, the Billings Community Foundation provides a variety of fee-based, back-office services, including:
- Working with trustees to craft a charitable mission statement, identifying your foundation’s goals and grantmaking priorities and assisting in developing consistent grant guidelines.
- Providing input on community needs and conditions.
- Evaluating grant proposals to assure alignment with your priorities and guidelines.
- Processing grant requests, including a review and summary report on proposal quality. Assessments are made of the organization’s financial condition, strength of organizational leadership and operations, and program effectiveness. Site visits are often made and can include private foundation board members.
- Due diligence, grant administration and check processing.
- Monitoring and evaluating grant recipients.
- Following grant decisions made by trustees, sending out notification letters, writing checks and reporting on the status of grants.
Many donors choose to maintain both a private foundation and a fund with their community foundation. The two can work in concert to achieve certain charitable and financial objectives.