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Affiliate Funds

 An Affiliate Fund is a community, county, or regional fund. The asset is an asset of ETF but is restricted through the fund agreement to a serve a specified community, county, or geographic region. Communities choose to affiliate or link with ETF to create a local presence for philanthropic giving and grantmaking as well as the technical expertise and support provided by ETF staff. Affiliate funds by design have local advisory boards that engage in endowment building and fundraising activities, develop their own grantmaking criteria, review applications, make grants, and determine other types of activities to promote philanthropic giving and community building. Affiliates determine their own operating principles including the service terms and rotation schedule for board members and the nominating process. The ETF Board of Directors approves the grantmaking panels recommended by Affiliates thereby vesting the authority in the local affiliate boards to make grants.  

How are Affiliate Funds established?
Affiliate funds are established through gifts by local donors who join together in mobilizing a shared vision to pool resources to create a charitable vehicle for the benefit of their community. The actual assets in the Fund are owned and managed by ETF for the benefit of the citizens of the Affiliate's service area.

How do local citizens maintain involvement and local control?
Affiliates name and elect their own Board of Directors, adopt their own policies for board nominations and rotation, develop local strategies for asset development, and when appropriate, review grant applications and make recommendations for grant awards.

What are the benefits of affiliating with ETF?

  • An Affiliate fund of ETF shares nonprofit corporation tax-exempt status through ETF's 501(c) (3).
  • An Affiliate benefits from ETF's professional fund managers' experience and expertise.
  • An Affiliate benefits by having its endowment invested in "pooled" funds allowing better opportunities for growth through economies of scale.
  • An Affiliate shares the benefits of ETF's annual audit and professional accounting services.
  • An Affiliate has access to ETF's staff, Board, and Professional Advisors' experience in creating and managing all aspects of a local community foundation.
  • An Affiliate has access to ETF's expertise in developing and managing accountable and strategic grantmaking programs.
  • An Affiliate has the benefit of established governance policies including investment and gift acceptance policies along with managers with experience in accepting a variety of contributions.
  • Affiliate Boards are covered under ETF's Directors' liability insurance policies.

 Who can establish a fund within an Affiliate?
Anyone interested in giving back to his or her community. There are a variety of funds that can be established with an Affiliate to support charitable organizations in the community.

  • Field-of-Interest Funds: Funds established to support a specific charitable purpose such as the arts, programs for youth, environmental education, etc.
  • Designated Funds or Agency Endowments: Funds established to provide an on-going source of support for a specific nonprofit organization.
  • Donor-advised Funds: Funds established by an individual donor, group of donors, corporation or family who want maximum participation in their charitable giving. Donors make recommendations for grants made to nonprofit organizations from their fund.
  • Scholarship Funds: Endowed educational funds established with the donor's wishes in mind. Each has its own unique criteria and meets a specific educational need or opportunity.
  • Donors can also give to the General Endowment Fund of an Affiliate: Grants from the General Endowment will be made through a competitive application process whereby the Affiliate Fund's Board or its representatives review applications and make recommendations based on an established set of criteria.

 

ETF Affiliates:

Kingsport Ballet resized 

Kingsport Ballet  - Supported by a Grant from the Kingsport Community Foundation Affiliate Fund

 

A community, county, or regional fund that chooses to affiliate with East Tennessee Foundation is an excellent strategy for creating a local presence and mechanism for philanthropic giving and grantmaking in a specified geographic region.

 

Harris Fund - Coalition for Kids resize 

Coalition for Kids' Amistades Program - An after-school tutoring program for Hispanic children at Cherokee Elementary School  - Supported by a grant from the Harris Fund for Washington County an ETF Affiliate Fund

 

For More Information on Establishing or Donating to an Affiliate Fund, Contact:
Terry Holley
Sr. Vice President for Programs & Regional Development
East Tennessee Foundation
625 Market Street, Suite 1400
Knoxville, TN 37902
toll-free: 1-877-524-1223
Phone: (865) 524-1223
Fax: (865) 637-6039
E-mail: tholley@etf.org

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