When we think about charitable giving, we often think about donating money to specific organizations or groups; however, there is another option. Berks County Community Foundation allows you to contribute to causes through its field of interest funds.
What’s that? A field of interest fund is a fund for a category or cause rather than a specific organization. For example, the Berks County Community Foundation (BCCF) offers a Veterans Fund that provides grant money for various organizations serving local veterans across the county. There are 12 field of interest funds in total, with room to grow with shown need for other categories. There is no minimum amount of money required for a contribution.
Field of interest funds differ from designated funds in which the donor chooses a group or organization to receive funds each year; donors can also choose to designate a different recipient each year. With field of interest funds, BCCF determines which groups receive the funds. Each year, BCCF accepts applications to determine who receives a grant from its funds; multiple grants are given from the funds. Potential recipients complete an application which is then reviewed by an advisory board and approved by the Foundation.
Why donate to a field of interest fund?
According to the BCCF, there is no single best way to donate money; instead, the Foundation provides multiple options so individuals can determine which form of donation is best for them. Field of interest funds are just one of these options. They have been an option for the Foundation’s 22 years in existence, but, they have only recently gained popularity.
With field of interest funds, anyone can contribute to any of these funds at any time without having to set up separate funding requests or accounts. For example, if you want to contribute to youth organizations and also to diversity, and you choose to contribute to different organizations, you will need to go through the process of setting up your financial plan to donate two different times. With field of interest funds, you can donate to multiple interests and only need to set up your finances once with the Foundation.
Donating to a cause as opposed to an individual organization can also be easier on the donor because he or she does not need to decide which organization has a greater need for funds. Also, should the organization you donate funds to close, you will need to adjust your planned giving. If you donate to a field of interest fund, you do not need to worry about an organization closing its doors.
Finally, donations to these funds are “inconspicuous gifts,” meaning you can remain anonymous as a donor. According to Franki Aitken, BCCF senior vice president for finance and operations, this is a popular option in Berks County, where many donors wish to remain anonymous.
How have field of interest funds helped local communities?
These funds have been used to benefit communities across Berks by spurring development, economic growth, and intellectual growth. The funds also support programs to improve the general health and well-being of communities. Following are some recent examples of how field of interest funds have benefitted various Berks communities.
Colebrookdale Railroad
The Colebrookdale Railroad connects Boyertown to Pottstown. The area is rich in history and beauty, and the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation and Trust worked to revitalize the railroad for recreational train rides. Rides are offered on a daily basis, and there are occasionally themed rides such as Haunted History and Mother’s Day Tea. The Boyertown Area Charitable Program supported the railroad trust by granting funds toward the hiring of an assistant director.
Rural Arts Fund
The Berks Arts Fund has a Rural Arts Grant program which helps bring the arts to various under-served areas of the county. In 2015, BCCF provided nearly $60,000 in rural arts grants for various programs, including a program by the Yocum Institute for the Arts, Wyomissing, and the Reading Theater Project.
The Yocum Institute for the Arts staged a traveling performance of the jazz story Balloonacy, a wordless, two-character play about a red balloon. The opening performance was held at the Institute, and then for five weeks the show was performed at various rural elementary schools. Overall, nearly 3,000 fourth, fifth and sixth graders benefitted from the experience.
The Reading Theater Project staged a three-actor presentation of Gaining Ground, a book about sustainable agriculture and saving family farms, as part of the “One Book, One Community” initiative, meant to bring community members together as they read the same book on the same topic. Six counties including Berks chose Gaining Ground as their one book, and the Reading Theater Project’s show was performed at five libraries across Berks.
Saving Stella
Stella, a 2-year-old Chihuahua, had a heart problem that required a $4,000 surgery to repair; if the problem was not taken care of, she would have gone into heart failure. Her family could not afford to pay for this on their own, so the Fund for Animals (which is a quick response fund) covered a portion of the surgery and Stella is now healthy.
Field of Interest Funds
The Fund for Berks County
The Fund for the Animals
The Berks County Arts Fund
The Youth Fund
The Conservation Equity Fund
The Diversity Alliance Endowment Fund
The Community General Hospital Healthcare Fund
The Teacher Mini-Grant Fund
The Boyertown Area Charitable Program
The Governor Mifflin Area Charitable Program
The Embracing Aging Fund
The Berks County Veterans Fund
For more information: The Berks County Community Foundation offers scholarships and many other funds for charitable donations in addition to its field of interest funds. To learn more about field of interest funds and your options for charitable giving, visit bccf.org.
