General Information

Investment Philosophy

The investment policies of the Homer Foundation are designed to ensure effective management of the Foundation’s assets in order to serve current needs and long term best interests of the southern Kenai Peninsula. The Homer Foundation assets are a collection of individual donations from private citizens and other organizations. The investment policy is primarily designed to provide additional annual income for the support of local charitable needs. This investment policy was developed with the long term interests of the community in mind, adheres to accepted investment principles, and reflects the mission of the Homer Foundation.

See our Annual Reports for current and past investment performance reports.


Funds

A principal goal of the Homer Foundation is to attract many donors to help build discretionary funds to provide both flexible and permanent funding sources for meeting changing community needs. By law all assets held by the Foundation are unrestricted. The Foundation recognizes that there will be donors who will wish to restrict the use of their contributions, either by advising us from time to time as to the beneficiaries they wish the income from their contributions to benefit, or by designating one or more beneficiaries when the gift is made. The Foundation accepts such restricted contributions provided they are in accordance with our established purpose and polices and federal law and tax code.

See our Establish a Fund page for more information and forms.


Community Grants Policy

A principal goal of the Homer Foundation is to provide charitable benefit to the residents and communities within the Foundation’s service area through its various distributions, including community grants and scholarships, and to assure that the process is fair and equitable.

You can find grant applications on our Grants and Scholarships Page.


Gift Acceptance Policy

The strength behind community foundations is the ability for individuals to collectively build permanent philanthropic assets for their community. The Homer Foundation provides a simple, powerful, and highly approach to giving. Our donors have found many creative ways to make a tax-deductible donation to support their community.


Fiscal Sponsorship Policy

The Homer Foundation recognizes the importance, beyond its role as grant maker, of Foundation involvement in and support of community initiatives and other charitable endeavors. Fiscal sponsorships are common to community foundations. They are also essential to meeting the changing opportunities and needs of the southern Kenai Peninsula communities. The Foundation is eager to fulfill this role in appropriate circumstances consistent with its vision, mission and capacity.

The purpose of this policy is to describe the manner in which the Foundation will consider and process the various types of fiscal sponsorships that may be requested. The Foundation shall use its existing grant-making policies unless so specified below.