A foundation is a type of philanthropic organization set up by individuals or institutions as a legal entity, for the purpose of distributing grants to support causes in line with the foundation mission.

Supporting foundations

A supporting foundation is a charitable corporation or trust which, by affiliating with the Jewish Community Federation's Endowment Fund, obtains 501(c)(3) tax status as a public charity — earning maximum tax deductibility. A supporting foundation may be created by families, affiliated groups, nonprofit organizations, businesses, or it may be created from an existing private foundation. Many groups have chosen to establish a supporting foundation at the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. A few examples include:

• Mount Zion Health Fund
• North Peninsula Jewish Campus
• Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life

Family foundations

A family foundation is a powerful way to anchor meaning, purpose and continuity of family philanthropy by engaging multiple generations.

An example of a family foundation is the Sarlo Foundation, established by venture capitalist George Sarlo and his wife Sejong in 1992. The Sarlo Foundation recognizes that most Americans were once immigrants, many of whom were provided life-transforming opportunities by community agencies. Its intent is to reciprocate by supporting education, training, counseling, medical crisis intervention, and other services which make a significant difference in the lives of individuals.

For more information contact:
Phyllis Cook at 415.512.6211 or phyllisc@sfjcf.org