Jump to:

» Businesses » Families » Legacies » Charitable Trusts » Professional advisors » Types of fund

All donations of whatever size will work to improve the quality of life in Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth.

A 'named fund' at Thames Community Foundation works just like a charitable trust. It allows you to support issues and areas of your choosing, but saves you all the time and trouble of appointing trustees, handling investments and dealing with the administration.

Funds are usually set up through an agreed series of donations, which can be spread over several years, or by a gift in your will. We normally suggest a minimum target of £25,000 to set up a new fund.

There are a number of ways in which you can make donations to the Thames Community Foundation - most of which are listed below.

However, if you would like to make a general donation please complete the donation form and Gift Aid Declaration or contact Nigel Hay on 0208 943 6029.

Businesses

Businesses are becoming increasingly aware of their social responsibilities to the wider community.

Many companies regularly receive requests for donations from all kinds of charities and community groups.

We can provide companies with an innovative and cost-effective way to invest in their local community. There are also a number of tax benefits for companies that can make your giving even more efficient.

We offer a range of tailor-made services to assist companies to channel their charitable giving in a tax efficient and effective way.

Unlike other charities, we have the flexibility to support a wide range of causes from children to the elderly, from arts to the environment. The Foundation allows you to channel your giving directly into the communities in which you operate.

Why not contact Nigel Hay now on 0208 943 6029 and see just how easy it is to make a difference.

Business and Community

« Top of page

Families

Thames Community Foundation prides itself on taking the anxiety out of charitable giving. We can help individuals and families to channel their giving to local projects and groups - and help donors who seek the tangible rewards of giving.

Whether you want to set up your own fund, create a legacy that benefits the community for years to come or want to make a general donation, we can help you support the local causes and issues you care about.

Unlike other charities we have the versatility to assist across a wide range of causes from children to the elderly, arts to the environment.

There are tax benefits to giving to Thames Community Foundation - our helpful notes will provide you with further information.

Regardless of the size of your donation, you can be sure that it will be used to improve the quality of life of local people as funds are distributed in response to local needs.

Simply complete our donation form or contact Nigel Hay on 0208 943 6029.

Individuals and Families

« Top of page

Legacies

Thames Community Foundation offers an ideal way to leave a legacy that will be carefully administered according to your instructions for generations to come. It will associate your name, or the name of someone you loved, with the local community for the benefit of all.

Gifts to Thames Community Foundation can be used exclusively to support the local areas of Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth.

There are a variety of funds to choose from, you can set up your own fund or donate to an existing fund.

There are a number of tax benefits for legacies left to Thames Community Foundation and various ways of leaving a legacy as part of your estate. Please have look at our helpful notes for guidance.

Alternatively, please contact Nigel Hay on 0208 943 6029 to discuss your plans and any areas of specific interest.

Giving in Your Will

« Top of page

Charitable Trusts

Thames Community Foundation offers an alternative to establishing a charitable trust: a fast, flexible and cost-effective way for donors to channel their charitable giving for the lasting benefit of the local community.

Setting up a named fund' within the Foundation is easy; we handle all legal and administrative requirements and offer a tailor-made service to match your charitable aspirations.'

Currently managing a charitable trust?

Anyone involved in the administration of a charitable trust knows how much hard work and effort is required to ensure it runs efficiently, effectively and in line with the Charity Commission's statutory requirements.

So why not consider transferring the trusteeship of your fund to Thames Community Foundation? You will then have a 'named fund' within the Foundation which will be professionally managed in line with your objectives.

Furthermore, the Foundation could set up an advisory board, which would include interested parties on your behalf. It would take away any administrative burden and offer a professional grant assessment service.

For further information have a look at the types of funds section below.

To speak to an advisor please call Nigel Hay on 0208 943 6029 or email at tcf@thamescommunityfoundation.org.uk.

Smart Management for Charitable Trusts

« Top of page

Professional Advisers

Our service to potential donors

 

If you are a solicitor, accountant or financial advisor this section should be useful in advising your clients on charitable giving.

Many more people are seeing Philanthropy as an important part of their investment portfolio and have a desire to put something back into the communities in which they have lived and worked.

Thames Community Foundation is the professional service provider for Philanthropically minded people in South and West London.

Unlike other charities, we have the flexibility to help people support a wide range of good causes from children to the elderly, from the arts to the environment. Our unique approach is to match the interests of our donors with the needs of the community, and offer donors a say in how their gift is used.

Thames Community Foundation has gained great knowledge of the issues and needs of local people by working with large numbers of community and voluntary groups.  It is amazing to see and hear first hand the real difference a grant can make.

We have gained national Quality Accreditation through the Community Foundation Network, an award which is endorsed by the Charity Commission.

Thames Community Foundation is here to help ou and your clients to fulfil their charitable giving desires in Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Kingston, Richmond, Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth.

Thames Community Foundation can help your client to establish either:

• Revenue/flow through funds where a specific sum is pledged to be spent in a specific period-usually one year
• Endowed/ capital funds where the income from the capital is used to support grant making in perpetuity.

The decision as to whether to establish a revenue or capital fund will depend upon the donor's circumstances and wishes. Thames Community Foundation is ready to provide additional information and advice to donors as to how best they may seek to achieve their philanthropic objectives.

It is central to our ethos and philosophy to seek to build a store of endowed capital for the community. Combining the donations of local people will support a growing programme of grant making. Gifts can be pooled into a single multipurpose fund from which grants can be made to a wide range of causes.

Thames Community Foundation is also able to offer the option of a tailor-made service to larger donors by creating and managing a separate ring-fenced Named Fund on their behalf. Each Named Fund will have its own terms of reference and can be set up in such a way that it reflects the donor's particular charitable interests and concerns. Thames Community Foundation will make grants only within agreed guidelines, and donors can be involved in decision-making as much, or as little, as they wish.

When an individual or a company wants to set up a Named Fund, we will meet with them in order to find out more about their particular interests and circumstances.

A simple agreement will then be drawn up, setting out the key issues about the kinds of causes that will benefit and how the fund will operate in practice.

As a general rule revenue funds established by business will operate as named revenue Funds with clear grant making criteria and objectives.

In certain circumstances and subject to individual negotiation donor advised Funds can be set up whereby the Donor will be able to nominate possible grant recipients subject to Trustee approval.

Professional Advisor Resource Pack

« Top of page

Types of Fund

Endowment donors have two key choices to make as to the type of Fund they may wish to create:

1. Unrestricted or field of interest

• Unrestricted funds enable grants to be made to a wide range of causes. The mix of projects supported will follow the Foundation's overall grant-making programme, with the majority going to those within the priority areas. However, the needs of the community will change over time and the additional flexibility afforded by unrestricted funds will be particularly helpful to the Foundation in the longer-term.

• Field of interest funds enable grants to be made only within specific agreed limits. These may be defined in one or a combination of the following ways:
  • geographical area (e.g. a town or district where they live or the company is based)
  • beneficiary group (e.g. children, people with disabilities, or older people)
  • purpose (e.g. training, equipment, or holidays)

2. Discretionary or advised

• Discretionary funds enable the Foundation to make grants without prior reference to the donor, either generally or within the limits of a specified field of interest. The donor will receive details of all grants made by way of regular reports at agreed intervals.

• Advised funds enable donors to become more involved in grant-making decisions, if they so wish. The extent of involvement can vary according to individual preference.

For example, donors might wish to:

• receive information about proposed grants before they made
• select projects to be supported from a shortlist provided by the Foundation
• nominate possible grant recipients from time to time
• meet with Foundation staff to discuss possible areas for future grant making

In addition to these core activities Thames Community Foundation will also seek additional sources of funding. This could include taking part in the local delivery of national contracts, relationships with existing charitable Trusts or other activities that match our Mission and gain the approval of the Trustees.