Your Community Foundation, Inc. Celebrates Community Foundation Week

November 12, 2016

Your Community Foundation, Inc. (YCF) was established in 2011. The organization was formed by the merger of two nonprofit organizations: The Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia (CFNCWV) and the Greater Morgantown Community Trust (GMCT). Today, YCF serves north central West Virginia. It is a tax-exempt, non-profit, autonomous, publicly-supported, non-sectarian philanthropic organization composed primarily of permanent, named, component funds established by many separate donors for the long-term benefit of the residents.

As a nonprofit organization, YCF enables local people with philanthropic interests to easily and effectively support the issues they care about — immediately, or through their will. Donors can establish a charitable fund at YCF by contributing a variety of assets, and may also recommend grants — in their name, if they choose — to nonprofit groups they want to support.

The community foundation field is one of the fastest growing philanthropic sectors in the United States today. Though the first one was launched just 100 years ago in Cleveland, Ohio, today there are more than 780 community foundations in the country.

Community foundations grant funds to a wide variety of causes—urban affairs, the arts, education, environmental projects, health and disaster relief. Offering donors many services and benefits, community foundations routinely work with families, individuals, attorneys and estate and financial planners to design gift plans that fit every economic situation. This ensures that donors receive the most benefit from their charitable contributions and that their philanthropic dollars are used fully.

Community foundations receive gifts of various sizes and types from private citizens, local corporations, other foundations and government agencies. YCF accepts donations in the form of checks, credit cards and stock. Gifts are made from bequests and by living donors through various types of funds and deferred giving vehicles.

YCF manages assets of more than $12 million and administers more than 120 endowment funds across the north central counties of the state. YCF invests these donated funds to increase their value, and distributes the net earnings from those investments to deserving recipients, as specified by the donors, in the form of scholarships and grants.

YCF seeks to develop, promote and coordinate charitable giving for the good of the community. Through human and financial resources, YCF can extend many forms of assistance to qualified people, programs and projects. The foundation’s underlying goal is always to enhance the quality of life for those the organization serves.

In addition, YCF continually gathers information and the expertise to effectively achieve the goals of their charitable donors as they seek to fund their passion.

For further information, please call (304) 296-3433 or visit www.ycfwv.org.