As part of our mission to Activate Generosity for a Strong Community, the Otsego Community Foundation strives to make giving back a streamlined process. We know you love your community and have causes that matter to you. It is our job to connect you to what matters to YOU. If you are interested in starting your own fund and making a bigger impact with your giving, we can help. Our funds let you give in your own way and on your own timetable. Tell us what you are passionate about, and we will take it from there.
The OCF currently manages 101 different funds, and the types of funds we offer are outlined below.
Fund for the Community
A Fund for the Community is the most flexible of the OCF fund types. Gifts from these funds will be used to address significant challenges and opportunities in our community. Our program experts determine where grants from these funds can have the largest impact. As community needs change, so will the projects these funds support.
Donor Advised Fund
A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) provides a simple, flexible, and tax-efficient way to streamline your charitable giving. You make a gift and remain actively involved in grantmaking. You will determine which nonprofit organizations you wish to support. Creating a DAF with the OCF will streamline the process for meeting your philanthropic goals.
Field of Interest Fund
A Field of Interest Fund allows you to target your gift toward a specific area of community life that is important to you: arts, environment, health, youth, etc. Our program experts award grants to nonprofit organizations and programs that are making a difference in the area you select.
Designated Fund
A Designated Fund allows you to support the good work of your most valued nonprofit organization long-term. The fund creates a permanent income stream for the nonprofit of your choosing. Yearly grant requests are made by the board of directors of the chosen organization.
Scholarship
Invest in our community’s future by helping students reach their academic and career goals. OCF scholarships can benefit individuals attending specific institutions or those with particular backgrounds or interests. You may also set guidelines for candidate selection and scholarship awards. Scholarship awards are made by the Scholarship Committee of the OCF yearly.
Grants from all OCF funds, regardless of type, stay in Otsego County, strengthening local nonprofits that are working toward creating a healthier and more vibrant community. If you are interested in partnering with the OCF to meet your philanthropic goals, please contact our Executive Director Dana Bensinger at dana@otsegofoundation.org.
Your generosity matters.