Frequently Asked Questions

A Community Foundation allows donors to skip the complexities involved when forming a charitable fund. We can take care of all administrative, donation, and distribution activities, eliminating the need for you to set up a board, formulate policies, file tax forms, monitor the status of grant recipients and donations, and other things to keep you in compliance with the law.

The Carbon County Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as an umbrella for many distinct charitable funds, offering them each professional expertise, time, and cost savings, achieved through working together. While giving to our community today is an important part of what we do by distributing grants and facilitating donations, we also manage funds as endowments to provide stable income for the causes that matter most, for generations to come. So, there is a simple way for you to make a difference and legacy in our community. 

Day-to-day operations are led by the Carbon County Community Foundation’s President & CEO, who serves as its only staff member. The CEO manages fundraising, donor relations, grantmaking administration, and overall operations, working closely with the Board and local partners to carry out the Foundation’s work across the region.

The Community Foundation is governed by an appointed Board of Directors made up of community leaders from across Carbon County. Board members serve three-year terms and may serve up to three consecutive terms. They provide oversight, set strategic direction, and ensure the Foundation fulfills its mission in service to the community.  For more information about joining the board, click here.

The Carbon Foundation is designed to exist in the community forever, by the community. It is a local and permanent resource for now and the future.

Working with us also allows you to do the following,

• Help Build a Secure Asset for Carbon County
• Entrust your Gifts to Regional Experts
• Foster Collaboration
• Experience Greater Ease with Bigger Impact
• Give with less Overhead

• Create a fund now or through your will or estate plan
• Give a donation of any size to an existing fund
• Attend a Friends of the Foundation event
• Join the 20/20 Circle
• Become a Board Member
• Volunteer (events, committees, mailings, etc.)

Email info@cccfoundpa.org or call 1-855-545-1311 to learn more about any of these opportunities.

• Carbon County Community Foundation Operating Fund: Established to support the current general operations of the Carbon County Community Foundation and to work towards a permanent endowment to support future operations.
• Fund For Carbon County: An Unrestricted Fund advised by the Foundation’s Board of Directors to meet the on-going needs of the community and subsidize operations of the Foundation as needed. 
• Carbon 20/20 Fund: An endowed fund created by members of a giving circle – the 20/20 Circle. Members have pledged at least a 1-time donation of $1000 and meet annually to hear from the most promising charitable organizations or projects serving the Carbon County region and vote to award a meaningful grant.

Click here to explore all of our existing funds at the Community Foundation.

Fundholders have three options for the money in a fund at the Carbon County Community Foundation: it can be endowed, quasi-endowed (invested), or it can remain in cash. The primary difference is the permanency. Endowed funds last forever. The capital is invested and the earnings are used for grant awards to the charities or causes the fund is intended to support. Quasi-endowed funds can disburse both the capital and any earnings for grant awards. Cash funds are not invested and can be disbursed at any time. Generally, donors can upgrade from cash to quasi-endowed or quasi-endowed to endowment at any time, but cannot transfer from endowment back to cash. 

Yes. Donors may elect to be publicly recognized or to remain anonymous. The Foundation will honor the donor’s preference in all acknowledgments and listings.

There is never any minimum for giving however we do recommend the following,

• The minimum balance of a charitable fund is $2,500, but donors have three years to build up to that balance.  Once the $2,500 is reached, we ask that you maintain that balance and work toward permanent endowment.
• Unsupervised funds require a minimum of $500k. Find out more here.
• 20/20 Membership requires a $1000 contribution, which is payable over up to four years ($21/month). Find out more here.
• The Community Foundation staff is happy to assist you in deciding the appropriate contributions for your interests.

• Follow the “Donate Now” Link on any of the fund pages to make donations to one of our existing funds.
• For larger donations, please email info@cccfoundpa.org  or call 1-855-545-1311 to arrange your gift.
• Sometimes, a local nonprofit organization is the perfect solution. When a person or group’s giving goals are aligned with those of a specific charity, we will connect the two directly. Please email info@cccfoundpa.org or call 1-855-545-1311 to find out more.

The Carbon Foundation has an agreement with The Luzerne Foundation for back office services including financial management. This arrangement allows us to draw on their 25+ years of experience while we grow.

Yes! We currently have unpaid internship opportunities for individuals looking for hands-on experience in nonprofits, fundraising, marketing and communications, or operations.  For more information, please contact us at info@cccfoundpa.org.  On occasion, paid internship opportunities may be available during the summer.

The Carbon Foundation has several scholarship opportunities for students graduating from Carbon County school districts. For a list of available scholarships and eligibility, click here. Some applications are available on our website and some applications are managed through the school guidance office. Applications open in January and are due in early March.

Community foundations host endowments, which are funds invested for long-term growth to provide ongoing income for causes and organizations, year after year, for present and future generations. Funds can be used for any charitable need from health and human services to arts and culture.

A Form 990 is an IRS form with the purpose of providing the general public financial information about a nonprofit organization. The Carbon County Community Foundation Form 990s can be found here.

We raise money in many ways just like any nonprofit organization. Honoring donors’ intentions is at the core of our mission. The Carbon Foundation strives for  appropriate transparency and accountability. A full disclosure of our income sources and our fee breakdown can be found here.

How Much is Membership?

A 2020 membership is $1,000. Payment may be pledged and split to accurate donors (i.e. $500/year for two years). Businesses or donors may pledge multiple memberships and delegate the votes to others in their company or family as they choose.

Who Will the Money Benefit?

Annually the Carbon Foundation will convene the 2020 Giving Circle members to hear from three of the most promising charitable organizations in the region, selected through a competitive application process overseen by a committee of members of the Circle. A representative from each charity will be given the opportunity to present the proposed impact of their project and 2020 Circle members will cast their votes. The winning project will then be awarded funds to help them reach their goals.

Why is it Called a Circle?

It’s called a circle because it is designed to be without end and create a civically-engaged network of local leaders.