Policies

Gifts to the Natural Resources Foundation are governed by a Gift Acceptance Policy. Endowed Funds are established through a Donor Agreement with Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin. Assets from all Agency, Named and Donor-Advised Funds are pooled under the Wisconsin Conservation Endowment and managed according to the Foundation’s Investment Policy.

An organization may endow their activities and programs by creating an Agency Fund with a minimum gift of $10,000. See our Agency Fund Policy.

An individual or group of individuals can also create a Designated Agency Fund to support an organization.  See our Designated Fund Policy.

With a gift of $20,000 or more, an individual may establish a Donor-Advised Fund whereby the donor advises the Foundation, on an annual basis, as to which conservation activities or programs may be supported with the Fund’s earnings. See our Donor-Advised Fund Policy.

With a minimum gift of $10,000, an individual can create a Named Fund for a specific or general conservation purpose. See our Named Fund Policy.

The Foundation establishes the endowment’s pay-out rate following an annual review of the endowment’s long-term performance. Currently (2/06) the annual payout rate for endowed funds is 5% of the average fund value over the prior 12 calendar quarters.

The Foundation annually assesses each endowed fund a modest administrative fee (1% of fund value).

Unless otherwise specified by a donor, all endowed gifts are added to the Natural Resources Fund of the Foundation, a general endowment established for supporting priority activities as determined by the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Different rules apply to impermanent (non-endowed) funds such as Spend Down and Pass Through Funds. Contact the Foundation for details at (866) 264-4096.