Designated Funds

What is a Designated Fund?

Support your favorite causes or organizations for generations to come by creating a Designated Fund. Make annual distributions to specific organizations or cause areas of your choice, based on the instructions you provide when you establish the fund.

Create a fund in your name or honor a loved one by establishing a fund in their name–or simply choose a name that is meaningful to you. It can be set up as a perpetual endowment fund or for a set period of years, granting out a percentage that you determine. Because the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation handles the details, the nonprofit organization’s staff is freed up to focus on their mission.

Earnings from your fund are used to make grants addressing community needs, automatically or by an advisory committee of your choosing. In addition to enjoying significant tax advantages, a designated fund can connect future generations of your family to the causes that matter to you.

Take heart knowing that your legacy will be professionally managed and that your charitable intent will be fulfilled for as long as the fund exists. You can be assured that your fund will continue to invest in the success of community organizations you care so much about during or after your lifetime.

 

Next Steps

  1. Contact us at foundation@mnjcf.org or by calling (952) 417-2316 to discuss using your donor advised funds to support the community through your values and our mission.

  2. Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor. Need a trusted professional? Find one here.

  3. Contribute by opening a fund by using cash, appreciated assets or investments.

  4. The Foundation invests that money with the goal of growing your charitable dollars (tax-free); so you have more to donate to your favorite causes. Invest by choosing from four investment pools offered.

  5. Grant to your favorite charities by using our portal. You may view the grant recommendation guidelines here.

  6. If you include MN JCF or MJF in your plans, please use our legal name and federal tax ID.

Legal name: Minneapolis Jewish Federation
Address: 4330 Cedar Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN 55416
Federal tax ID number: 41-0693866

 

Benefits of a Designated Fund

  • Support an organization or cause you care about by providing a source of annual funding for a specific community need that falls within the mission of the Minneapolis Jewish Foundation.

  • Establish a permanent fund with a minimum of $5,000 through a gift of cash, stock, property; a legacy gift in your will, trust, or retirement plan; life insurance, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and retirement accounts (e.g. IRAs).

  • Your fund can be a meaningful way to honor or remember a loved one and to perpetuate your Jewish values long beyond your lifetime. Family and friends can donate to your fund.

  • Take advantage of several tax benefits by making a charitable IRA distribution. Up to $100,000 can be given every year, and many people 70 ½ or older, who must make the required minimum distribution, find this a great avenue to make donations.

  • All the paperwork is done for you.

  • It’s Your Legacy — By giving a planned gift now, you will be included in the Minneapolis Jewish Federation’s Legacy Society

  • You identify a purpose or organization that you wish to benefit.

  • You make a gift. You can give cash, appreciated stocks, real estate, or other assets, and we set up a special fund in your name or in the name of the nonprofit organization you choose.

  • We invest the money. The earnings from your fund are used to make grants. Our staff issues grants to the designated organization or cause.

  • You receive tax benefits in the year your gift is made.

  • Staff handles all the administrative details, including managing specific qualifications that you may establish for grant disbursements.

  • How It Works

    Jill and Serena are sisters whose parents supported non-profits that serve people with disabilities. After their parents passed away, they established a designated fund in their honor, which was funded by a gift from their parents’ estate. The fund specifically supports non-profits with missions focusing on people with disabilities and disability education.

    Every year, the fund gives out a portion of it balance (up to 5%) in grants to non-profits and causes specified in their fund, which is approximately $50,000.

    Jill and Serena chose an advisory committee of others to determine annually which organizations are funded and how much each are given. MN JCF handles all the administrative details and Jill and Serena receive tax benefits every time they add assets to the fund.

    This is one example of a variety of ways a Designated Fund can be structured.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Designated Funds that provide support now and in the future:

  • Adath Yeshurun Cemetery Fund

    Perpetual maintenance, upkeep & improvement of Adath Yeshurun Cemetery

  • Alexander Muss High School in Israel Fund

    Provides financial support to the local AMHSI program including operating costs and need-based scholarships

  • Kenneth and Sally Appelbaum Holocaust Studies Fund

    Provides financial support for Holocaust studies programming at the Talmud Torah of Minneapolis

  • Julius Ancer Senior Fitness Programming Fund at the Sabes JCC

    Provides financial support for senior fitness programming at the Sabes Jewish Community Center

  • Aronson & Associates Immigration Law Firm Fund

    Supports programs, projects and services for new immigrants

  • Jane and Steve Benowitz Camp Scholarship Designated Fund

    Provides need-based scholarships for youth to attend Jewish camps

  • The Greater Berman Family Music Fund

    Fosters music in Jewish organizations such as JCC; Aid in education of and performance by Jewish musicians and other musical activities

  • Harold & Mickey Bernstein Fund for Children with Special Needs

    Supports children with special needs at Torah Academy

  • Isadore and Molly Boroff Designated Fund

    Israel Education scholarship program

  • Howard B. and Ruth F. Brin Jewish Arts Endowment Fund

    Supports Jewish arts projects and programs

  • Cathy and Richard Broms Camp Scholarship Designated Fund

    Provides need-based scholarships for youth to attend Camp Teko day camp and Camp Olami

  • Cardozo New Lawyer and Law Student Program Designated Fund

    Supplements and/or underwrites program expenses for new lawyers and law students

  • Eva and Marius Cohn Designated Fund

    Supports capital improvements for Sholom Home of Minneapolis and educational opportunities for JFCS

  • Joan Chazin-Esterkin and Neil Esterkin Endowment for the Arts Fund

    Supports Jewish Arts

  • Natalie and Leonard Gale Camp Scholarship Designated Fund

    Provides needs-based camp scholarships to attend Herzl Camp and Camp Ramah

  • Jacob M. Garber Education Scholarship Fund

    Provides needs-based post high school tuition assistance and scholarships for students who reside in the greater Minneapolis community

  • Emma F. Gilbert Tuition Fund for Children of Israeli Veterans

    Scholarships to students living in Rehovot, Israel to help cover expenses for education or vocational training programs

  • Matthew and Linda Gilfix Family Technology Fund

    Provides funds for the planning and development of technological systems and equipment in the Minneapolis Jewish community

  • Elaine Gingold Designated Fund

    Supports Sha’arim’s Friends N’ Fun program and Sabes JCC camp advocates

  • Mimi and Sherry Gleekel Designated Fund for the Minneapolis Jewish Community

    Supporting the Minneapolis Jewish Community

  • Judy and Herbert Goldenberg Scholarship Fund

    Scholarships to undergraduate students

  • Susan & William S. Goldenberg Camp Scholarship Fund

    Scholarship support for the American Joint Distribution Committee Szarvas Camp in Hungary

  • Barbara and Steve Goldfarb Designated Fund

    Benefits the JFCS Big Brother Big Sister Program

  • Judith and Jon Harris Health & Healing Fund

    Supports programs, projects & services in areas of health, wellness, healing & spirituality with the Jewish community

  • Heidi Foundation Designated Fund

    Supports Jewish education, leadership training and brain tumor research

  • Bonnie and Steve Heller – Rimon Designated Fund

    Supports the outreach and marketing activities of Rimon: the Minnesota Jewish Arts Council

  • Louis Herman Israel Experience Fund

    Provides incentive grants for Israel experience programs to teenagers 15-18 who have been confirmed or have been in Jewish studies or active Jewish youth group experiences through 10th grade

  • Louis Herman Memorial Fund

    Supports a variety of organizations in the Jewish community with a focus on promoting Judaism among children and youth, day school education, Israel experiences and technology in schools

  • The Andrew Frankel Hurwitz Designated Fund

    Supports programming for special needs children

  • Jewish Communal Educator Professional Development Program Fund

    To fund and support professional development programs for Jewish educators

  • Jewish Community Foundation Jewish Education Scholarship Endowment Fund

    Scholarships for students to attend Jewish educational schools (full day and supplemental) in Minnesota

  • Jewish Developmentally Disabled Fund

    Provides services to Jewish developmentally disabled individuals in the Twin Cities

  • Joshua Scholarship Fund

    Provides scholarships to attend Camp Moshava Wild Rose and religious Zionist Yeshivot in Israel.

  • Miriam Kaitz Israel Program Designated Fund

    Supports various programs, hospitals and soldiers in Israel and scholarships for youth studying in or visiting Israel

  • Clara Ruth Kaner Children’s Fund

    Provides Jewish children, who are in economic need and reside in the state of Minnesota, with clothing, food, tuition assistance and educational expenses

  • Max Kleinman Professional Continuing Education Fund

    Supports continued education development including conferences, workshops, seminars for Minneapolis Jewish Federation staff

  • Barbara Kronson Memorial Camp Scholarship Designated Fund

    Provides needs-based scholarships to attend Jewish camps

  • Diana Chazin Levitt Memorial Fund

    Support charitable organizations both locally and overseas

  • William and Harriet Lumel Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah Educational Fund

    Supports Jewish educational programming for students post Bar/Bat Mitzvah

  • Ma'anit Tzoran Kibbutz Sasa Designated Fund

    Supports projects to honor the memory of Ma’anit Tzoran at Kibbut Sasa

  • Arie and Vivian Mann Jewish Communal Service Award Fund

    Merit-based scholarships for post b'nai teens in Israel.

  • Gil Mann Together We Endowment Fund

    Provides collaborative education and communication programming for Twin Cities Jewish Professionals

  • Vivian Mann Jewish Educator of the Year Fund

    Funds the annual Vivian Mann Educator of the Year Award

  • Judy and Alfie Marcus Family Designated Fund for PJ Library

    Supports the PJ Library program

  • Rabbi Albert G. and Frances S. Minda Leadership Development Fund

    Supports development of Jewish men and women in Jewish and community life

  • MJF Building Repair and Replacement Fund

    Community resource for building repair and replacement expenses for Minneapolis Jewish community

  • Minneapolis Jewish Cemetery Designated Fund

    Supports the Minneapolis Jewish Cemetery

  • MJF Minneapolis Jewish Federation Chief Executive Officer Designated Fund

    Discretionary Fund

  • MJF Programs in Israel Endowment Fund

    Supports marketing and promotion of Israel experiences

  • Minnesota Cantors Association Cantorial Scholarship Fund

    Supports scholarships for Minnesota students for cantorial training and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir

  • Minnesota Norway Education (MINNE) Holocaust Israel Fellowship Fund

    Fellowships for students at colleges with Norwegian heritage to participate in Holocaust and Israel educational

    experiences

  • Sanford Morris Memorial Fund

    Provides funding for two local Foundations

  • Mount Sinai Community Foundation

    Supports initiatives that improve health, enhance well-being, or otherwise advance medical care in the Jewish and larger communities, honoring the history and legacy of the Mount Sinai Hospital.

  • Micki and Mort Naiman Holocaust Remembrance Fund

    Supports Holocaust education through JCRC

  • Bruce and Bobby Nemer Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School Scholarship Designated Fund

    Scholarships for Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School

  • Bruce and Bobby Nemer Talmud Torah of Mpls Scholarship Designated Fund

    Scholarships for Talmud Torah of Minneapolis

  • Annette Paletz Memorial Scholarship Fund for Alexander Muss High School in Israel

    Merit based scholarships to attend AMHSI

  • Ratner Family Designated Fund in Memory of Ilana

    Funding to organizations which support special needs

  • Rimon Arts Fund

    Supports Jewish cultural arts

  • Daniel and Laura Robbins Charitable Endowment Fund

    Supports the American Joint Distribution Committee for Jews living abroad in poverty and the Minneapolis Jewish Federation

  • Ben Rosenzweig Holocaust Memorial Designated Fund

    Supports Holocaust education in the non-Jewish Community

  • Mark Rotenberg Jerusalem Fund

    Supports cultural, charitable educational and community service organizations in Jerusalem

  • Dr. James E. Rubin Memorial Medical Scholarship Fund

    Scholarships for Medical Students at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine

  • Frank & Freda Schochet Educational Fund

    Supports Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School and Talmud Torah of Minneapolis

  • Leon & Sylvia Sorkin Professional Achievement Award Fund

    Jewish Professional Achievement Award

  • Jerry Strauss Memorial Designated Fund for Holocaust Education

    Supports Holocaust education

  • Tracy Sweet Memorial Fund

    For Camp scholarships and cancer survivorship research

  • Bobby & Missy Swiller Teen Israel Scholarship Fund

    Scholarships for camping and educational experiences in Israel

  • Chaya Levmore Tanor Memorial Fund

    Provides financial aid to adults for first time trips to Israel

  • Toodie and Frank Trestman Special Needs and Collaborative Education Fund

    Supports children and adults with special needs through education and participation in all aspects of Jewish community life; Supports collaborative Jewish education

  • Albert and Deera Tychman Young Leadership Fund

    Award recognizing young Jewish leaders in the Jewish community

  • Max and Lillian Weitz Fund for the Perpetuation of Yiddishkeit

    To fund programs and initiatives that perpetuate Yiddish culture

  • Fred and Tamara Wildauer Endowment Fund for Children with Special Needs

    Supports educational, social and recreational services to children with special needs

  • Women’s Endowment Fund

    Supports programs which enhances the lives of Jewish women