| Donor
Services The Amarillo Area Foundation has been a membership
organization since 1979. You are invited to join the community
foundation in membership to assist in continuing its efforts to improve
the quality of life in the Panhandle of Texas. If interested, please
consider corporate membership at the $500, $750, $1,000 or $1,500 level.
As an individual, you may want to consider the $250, $500, $750 or
$1,000 level.
As a nonprofit organization,
the Foundation relies on the annual contributions from the Texas
Panhandle community for operational support. The unrestricted support of
members is important in enabling the Foundation to address the changing
needs of our area. Even though the Foundation manages approximately 200
funds, the majority of the individual charitable funds are restrictive
in philanthropic purpose, most often designated for a specific charity.
As the Foundation does not charge management fees to any of the 200
funds, the annual support of members is vital and greatly appreciated.
In addition, membership has its benefits.
Benefits of Donors
Members of the Amarillo Area Foundation:
- Receive all Foundation publications and communications
- Participate in the annual membership meeting as voting members
- Receive personalized service regarding planning for philanthropic gifts
- Receive fund management services (i.e. - assistance in creating and
distributing charitable funds)
- Utilize scholarship management services, which include all
administration and the assistance of a screening committee if so desired
- Are eligible to serve on Foundation committees, advisory groups, and
focus groups
- Provide necessary unrestricted support of the charitable efforts of the
Amarillo Area Foundation in its 26-county service area
Types of Funds
The Amarillo Area Foundation consists of and administers approximately
200 different charitable funds, each designed according to three basic
types of funds:
- Unrestricted Funds are discretionary funds usually established by
individual donors and held in perpetuity. The donors authorize the
Foundation Board of Directors to use the income and possibly the
principal from these gifts as they deem appropriate in discretionary grantmaking.
- Donor Advised Funds allow the donors, within certain limits, to
influence the use of the income or principal of the contributions. These
are typically referred to as Advise and Consult Funds or temporarily
restricted funds in that donors may choose to spend principal, however,
some Donor Advised Funds are established as endowments in which a donor
may only make recommendations as to distribution of the interest. Donor
Advised Funds are commonly established at AAF by philanthropic families
or individuals who want to take advantage of the Foundation's pooled
fund and investments, but who want to be active in charitable giving.
- Designated Funds require that AAF distribute income from the funds
to a particular charity or a particular field of interest. Thus, a
designated fund is typically designed to underwrite a particular
charitable venture or purpose.
AAF also manages various funds designed to serve a temporary or specific
purpose, which are described by the aforementioned categories, but serve
unique purposes. Some examples include:
Project Funds are established at AAF to serve a nonprofit organization's
need usually in raising funds for a capital project. These funds are
established as Donor Advised Funds so that the organization may request
the funds once enough has been raised to complete the project.
Scholarship Funds are becoming increasingly popular funds since the
Foundation provides extensive scholarship services to donors in addition
to simply managing the investment of the fund. The Scholarship
Coordinator manages the AAF Scholarship Screening Committee made up of
community volunteers who are Foundation supporters. A donor may choose
for AAF to distribute their scholarship application to appropriate high
school counselors, collect the applications each year, host the
Scholarship Committee meetings to select recipients, announce the award,
manage publicity on the awards - in addition to paying the awards to the
colleges and universities each year.
Agency Endowment Funds are established at AAF by numerous nonprofit
organizations to provide for future funding of the organization.
Organizations encourage contributions to their endowment funds through
donor contributions, especially at year-end, through a gift of stock or
even bequest.
To Establish a Fund
Upon request, Foundation staff will provide a sample fund agreement
containing all of the governing provisions and requirements applicable
to any of the aforementioned fund types. Foundation staff may also work
with you to design a more customized fund agreement to fulfill your
charitable wishes. A variety of charitable options are also available
with the Amarillo Area Foundation, depending on your personal
preferences, such as the creation of funds through deferred giving or
even planned giving for one or more particular charities, or for a
community within our service area.
As a community foundation, our primary objective is to facilitate our
donors' differing and sometimes unique charitable desires within the
broad purpose of enriching the quality of life in the communities of the
northernmost 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. We invite you to
contact us at any time to help you accomplish the good work you have in
mind. There is no obligation for providing information or advice. Your
community foundation serves all citizens.
Contact:
Jim Allison, President and CEO
(806) 376-4521 or
E-mail us at haf@aaf-hf.org
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