Endowment Fund

Generations later, Early Childhood Alliance is still working each day to build better futures for young children. Help ensure that for generations to come, we are still able to provide high-quality early childhood education by making a donation to our endowment fund. To donate to ECA’s endowment fund click below and under gift designation click endowment fund.

FAQs

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What is an Endowment Fund?

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An endowment fund is money set aside (invested) to earn revenue and provide consistent income for nonprofits. Unlike a typical investment fund, the beneficiary of an endowment fund is a nonprofit organization instead of individual investors.

The principal value (original donations) of the endowment fund is kept intact, while the investment earnings can be distributed and given to the nonprofit fund holder each year. An endowment fund is a permanent fund that allows donors to support causes they care about in perpetuity while helping ensure financial stability for years to come.

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Is ECA's endowment fund undesignated or restricted to something specific?

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Currently, ECA has one endowment fund that is unrestricted- not tied to a specific purpose-which provides flexibility to supplement areas of greatest needs or take advantage of unforeseen opportunities. All distributions are used to advance our mission of building better futures for young children.

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If I would like to establish a new endowment fund for ECA, is that allowed, and what is the minimum dollar amount needed?

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Yes, starting an endowment fund will help pass on your love of helping children for generations to come. You can restrict it to a specific program or area you feel most passionate about or make it unrestricted. To start a new endowment fund it does require a minimum of a $10,000 donation.

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How do I find out about the status of ECA’s endowment fund after I have made my gift?

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Each year ECA will provide you with information about the value of the fund and the impact of your philanthropy.

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Who manages ECA’s endowment fund?

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  • Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne handles both investments and disbursements.
  • Administration of an endowment fund requires significant staffing time and expertise.
  • Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne oversees dozens of endowment funds for nonprofits in the community, so we trust them to oversee our fund.
  • BONUS: Community Foundation matches 20% on all gifts (up to $10,000 per year),
    • A gift of $100 to our endowment fund turns into a $120 gift.

Have questions about ECA's Endowment Fund?

Please contact ECA’s Chief Development Officer, June Harkness