Philanthropy has a unique power to unite people and organizations across diverse faith traditions, highlighting shared values and a collective commitment to humanity. Recently, Rose Community Foundation and Montview Presbyterian Church formed a philanthropic partnership focused on amplifying impact. Montview’s Mission Life Committee invited the Foundation to serve as a consultant as they embarked on international large-sum grantmaking through their Mission Impact Fund—a donor-advised fund housed at Rose Community Foundation.
The Foundation’s role included designing the request for proposal, providing trust-based grantmaking training, and facilitating the decision-making process. This partnership marked a new venture for both organizations. For Montview, it was their first time partnering with a community foundation in this capacity, and for the Foundation, international grantmaking was outside their typical scope.
Despite the novelty of experiences, Montview’s commitment to values-based philanthropy reflects the core work of the Foundation and its donors. This shared dedication to values and goals was instrumental to the success of the partnership.
“The church had never been in a position to give large grants before, especially in the missions area,” says Jennifer Seward, mission life coordinator at Montview. “It was clear we could benefit from the assistance of an organization experienced in managing larger sums of money on a regular basis. Rose Community Foundation stood out because of their alignment with many of the things Montview holds dear – not just from a faith-based perspective but also from a social justice and community-based perspective.”
The Mission Impact Fund was created as part of Montview’s 2020–2024 Capital Campaign to continue their legacy of local and global mission work. Ten percent of the $8 million campaign was designated for nonprofit grants focused on transformational change. After two years of training, listening sessions, and thoughtful deliberation, $400,000 from the Fund was allocated to three international organizations: IPODERAC Children’s Home, Nepal Youth Foundation, and DIG (Development in Gardening). A second round of $400,000 will be awarded to additional organizations in 2025.
“Through this process, we successfully utilized a donor-advised fund for an international grantmaking cycle aligned with the values of both the Foundation and Montview,” says Judy Altenberg, Rose Community Foundation’s vice president of philanthropic services. “This collaboration demonstrates the power of shared goals and values while showcasing the innovative ways donor-advised funds can be leveraged to create meaningful impact.”
By fostering partnerships like this, individuals and organizations with shared values can combine resources, expertise, and networks to achieve far more than they could independently.
“Rose Community Foundation became a part of the Mission Life committee and are honorary Montview members at this point,” says Jennifer. “This partnership was a dream come true.”
Read more about the work of IPODERAC, the Nepal Youth Foundation and DIG and how these funds are positively impacting children, families, and some of the world’s most marginalized communities.
If you’re interested in opening a donor-advised fund or exploring how your resources can drive meaningful change, please contact our philanthropic services team.