Donor Services
Next Steps for Creating a Memorial Fund
These are the next steps that we will help you take when you are ready to begin the formal process of creating a memorial fund.
Learn MoreIf you have recently lost a loved one, we extend our condolences. Whether or not the death was expected, we understand that dealing with all the arrangements during a time of grief can be overwhelming. We want to make the process of establishing a memorial fund to honor your loved one as smooth as possible.
When a loved one passes away, many families and friends wish to create or contribute to a memorial fund in honor of their life. However, making the decision of what to support can be daunting during a time of loss. A memorial fund at the CFO gives you time to consider how to best represent your loved one’s passions and interests.
What to do now
- Contact the CFO: Contact us at (417) 864-6199 or email Caitlin Golike and let us know you want to establish a memorial fund. All you need to do at this point is select a simple name for the fund (example: the Jane Doe Memorial Fund). This alerts our office to be ready for the donations.
- Encourage donors: We recommend printing a statement in the obituary and memorial service program: “Memorial donations can be made payable to the <Name of the Fund> and mailed to: Community Foundation of the Ozarks, PO Box 8960, Springfield, MO 65801. Donations can be made online at cfozarks.org/donate.”
What can wait for later
- Completing fund documents: There will be fund agreement paperwork to complete. If we have not heard from you within a month, our staff will follow up to begin the paperwork process.
- Deciding the charitable goals: As we work with you to complete the fund documents, we’ll discuss the charitable intent of the memorial fund. Memorial funds can distribute grants to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, houses of worship or government entities.
- Sending donor acknowledgments: The CFO will send the official tax acknowledgment letters by mail for check donations within a few days of receipt of the gift. Credit card gifts receive an automatic thank you email. If you wish to send personalized notes to thank donors, the CFO maintains a list of contact information of the donors, allowing you to send notes whenever you are ready.