Spending Policies

Many community foundations are discussing their spending policy percentages and calculation mechanisms as well as the merits of spending from underwater endowment funds. This topic was recently the focus of a conference call held April 15, 2009 (listen to audio below). We are pleased to provide resources (available below to CMF members) for foundations to use as they think about their spending policy and how they calculate their administration fees.

Here is a list of the content you will find in the documents below as well as in the conference call audio:

• UMIFA and UPMIFA’s impact on spending from underwater funds
• Michigan tax credit implications when spending from underwater funds
• Review of a brief spending policy survey conducted via the CF CEO Listserve
• Discussion of calculating administration fees based on a rolling quarter average
• Outline of Battle Creek’s decision to switch to calculating administration fees based on a rolling quarter average

CMF Members: please note that you must log in to download these documents.