Mission Statement
The mission of the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund is to encourage lasting contributions from individuals and organizations to fulfill specific public interests for the city of Duluth in the areas of arts and culture, beautification, economic development, education, the environment, human services, and parks and recreation.
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How You Can Help
If you want to contribute to the betterment of our city, a gift to the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund is a powerful way to do that. This fund was established with a long-term vision—to provide public project support to the city of Duluth for generations to come.
When you give to the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund, you can be assured your gift will be put to good use, and that your charitable goals will be realized effectively. Because the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund is a fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, you receive permanence, public accountability and professional management. Contributions to the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund are tax deductible.
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About Us
The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, now 25 years old, has grown to include more than 270 charitable funds all housed under its 501 (C) (3) status. Since inception, the assets have increased to $50 million and the Community Foundation has returned over $29 million to the region through grants made from its funds. The Duluth Legacy Fund, which was established in 2005, joined those ranks in 2008 by dispersing its first grants to benefit the city as a whole. The fund provides a vehicle for Duluthians to make a lasting gift or bequest to support the passions they hold close to their hearts – to ensure the future.
Holding funds for public entities is not new to the Community Foundation as endowments for the Duluth Public Schools, the Cloquet Educational Foundation, the Proctor Rails Endowment, and Bayfield Community Education Foundation are managed under the Community Foundation umbrella. Like the Duluth Public Schools, the Duluth Legacy Fund governs its own operations utilizing the Community Foundation's policies.
Eleven Advisory Board members are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. All are city residents, serve four year terms and receive no compensation. The Advisory Board acts by majority vote and requires a quorum of six in order to act. The Advisory Board will establish its own bylaws, build assets of the fund, establish grant making guidelines and a review process. The Community Foundation manages the daily operations of the Fund including receipting, acknowledgements, financial reports, tax reporting, and administration.
The Advisory Board evaluates which requests will best benefit the community and fulfills a public purpose as defined. It approves and recommends specific distributions and their amounts for various city projects to the Community Foundation Board of Trustees. No wages or benefits for city employees are dispersed from this fund.
In short, the Duluth Legacy Fund Committee has the pleasure of enjoying the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation's mission of Private Giving for the Public Good. It is a win-win-win partnership for the City of Duluth, the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation and, most importantly, for present and future generations of Duluthians.
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