Many community-minded individuals have served on the boards of directors of non-profit organizations in our region. If you’ve served on a non-profit board (or several!), you are undoubtedly familiar with the concept of an endowment. Many organizations in our Jewish community and greater Hampton Roads community establish endowment funds and reserve funds at the Tidewater Jewish Foundation (TJF) to help ensure their missions stay strong during economic downturns and periods of increased community need.

What you might need to become more familiar with, however, is an endowment fund established at TJF by an individual or family. Every year, the team at TJF works with people like you to establish endowment funds to support the needs of our community in perpetuity. 

Here are answers to four frequently asked questions about setting up an endowment fund.

Why does the TJF offer endowment funds to individuals and families?

TJF serves as the hub of philanthropy for many families in our community. We connect donors like you to community needs you care about, and this includes offering the opportunity to make a charitable investment that supports a range of community needs now and in the decades ahead–needs that cannot be predicted. That’s the purpose of an endowment: to provide a steady stream of dollars far into the future, to meet community needs as they arise.

How does an “endowment” work?

“Endowment” is the word often used to refer to a designated pool of assets that are invested by TJF and tracked separately such that a modest portion (usually based on a percentage) of the assets are distributed each year to charitable causes, and the rest of the assets remain invested to grow in perpetuity. This growth, in turn, helps the endowment provide even more support each year to the causes for which it was established. The team at TJF is experienced in managing endowment funds' accounting, investment, and distribution aspects. 

How can I stay involved with my endowment fund after it’s established?

First and foremost, you can name the endowment fund anything you want, such as the “Goldberg Family Endowment Fund,” or something more anonymous, such as the “Endowment Fund for Our Future.” In addition, our team is happy to inform you about the positive change in the community thanks to the distributions from the endowment fund you’ve established. We can also keep your children and grandchildren informed beyond your lifetime. In this way, your legacy continues through the generations.   

Who decides where the endowment distributions go each year?

TJF is itself a permanent institution. Our board and staff are committed to keeping a finger on the pulse of our community’s greatest needs and maintaining a deep knowledge of the non-profit organizations that meet these needs daily. The TJF team is comprised of dedicated and knowledgeable professionals who understand our community and build ongoing personal relationships with the people working in our community’s charitable organizations. The TJF team recommends distributions from your endowment, and our independent board of directors reviews and approves these distributions to ensure that they fulfill your philanthropic goals for establishing the endowment in the first place.

What does it take to establish an endowment fund?

Setting up an endowment fund is as easy as setting up any other fund at TJF. Our team will prepare simple paperwork capturing the name of the fund and any areas of interest you’d like to support. Then, you can transfer cash—or, even better for tax purposes, appreciated assets such as stock or real estate. 

You’ll be eligible for a charitable tax deduction in the year you make the transfer to establish the fund. You can make future transfers to your endowment fund each year to achieve your tax and estate planning goals. Our team is also happy to work with you and your advisors to structure a bequest to your endowment fund following your death. 

We recommend considering a bequest in the form of a beneficiary designation on an IRA because of the multiple tax benefits. Related, if you are over 70 ½, making a “Qualified Charitable Distribution” from your IRA directly to your endowment fund is a very effective charitable planning tool to avoid income tax and also satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution if you’ve reached that age.  

The team at Tidewater Jewish Foundation is happy to work with you to determine the best way for you to set up fund.  We look forward to talking with you about how this might be a fit for you and your charitable plans.

For more information, contact Naomi Limor Sedek at 757-965-6109 or nsedek@ujft.org.