Giving through Sonora Area Foundation is always a completely personalized process. We will work with you to craft a giving strategy based on the organizations and issues you want to support, the assets you wish to contribute, and the type of fund that is best for you.

The Sonora Area Foundation offers several kinds of funds. You can
choose the one that best fits your charitable goals, whether they include supporting a wide range of organizations or whether they focus on supporting
specific organizations or issues.

Donor-Advised Funds: These allow an individual, family, or business to contribute assets to a fund at any time and then recommend grants to support qualified nonprofit agencies, schools, or congregations at any time in the future. They are a flexible, personalized way to support organizations and their programs. Donor Advised Funds are the best alternative to the creation of an expensive, cumbersome, restrictive Private Foundation.

Field-of-Interest Funds: These provide support to organizations that work on particular issues of interest to you. Once you determine those issue(s), Sonora Area Foundation staff makes grants that meet these criteria.

Scholarship Funds: These funds may be established by an individual or a group. A scholarship committee makes recommendations, using a prescribed set of objective criteria to select individuals who receive scholarships from the fund. In those cases where members of the committee are also contributors to the fund, they cannot have a greater influence than other committee members in the selection of scholarship recipients.

Designated Funds: These are designed for people who want to support one or more specific organizations – a nonprofit group, school or congregation. The organizations are specified at the inception of the fund and cannot be changed.

Unrestricted Funds: These are an option for donors who want to support the Foundation’s ability to address areas of need as determined by its Board of Directors and staff. This provides the greatest latitude to direct grants based on evolving community needs.

Please contact the Sonora Area Foundation at 209.533-2596 to arrange a meeting that we can help you through the process of starting your fund and achieving your charitable goals.