What is an Endowment Fund?

An Endowment Fund is an investment fund established to support a non-profit organization. Typically funded through donations, they are normally structured to ensures the fund’s initial donations remain intact, meaning only an endowment fund’s income may be withdrawn to fund the organization’s mission. Thus, an endowment fund can be held permanently allowing donors to support causes they care about in perpetuity. Donations to SJACF endowment funds qualify as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

In 2009, SJACF established our General Endowment Fund with contributions from 49 charter donors gifts totaling $14,700. The Children’s Endowment Fund was established in 2021 with a generous $10,000 contribution. Many hands with donations large and small have made our investment boxes grow. SJACF uses Capital Region Community Foundation, which manages over $100,000,000 in funds of non-profit organizations, to retain and manage the funds in our investment boxes.

The community benefits from the annual distributions available to SJACF from the invested funds. Distributions are generally at a 4% rate of the invested funds. The investments remain intact to produce potentially ever-increasing future distributions.

Endowments make huge but untimed strides with gifts from estates and trusts of forward-thinking citizens committed to supporting the St. Johns community well into the future. These are the same folks that choose to plant a small tree while knowing they will not likely see the fruit. 

Ask your professional advisors about charitable giving or contact us at stjohnsareacommunityfund@gmail.com. We welcome questions from all potential donors and especially encourage planning for legacy gifts.

Recent Endowment Fund Balances / Distributions:

General Fund           $595,000 / $23,800

Children’s Fund       $22,000 / $880