Join the Centennial Club
Help continue the Watertown Foundation’s legacy of support for the many special qualities that make Greater Watertown an extraordinary community. Membership in the Watertown Foundation is open to the public and this is your invitation to join us before our 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2025!
Why join? Being a member of the Watertown Foundation enables individuals, families, businesses, organizations, and corporations to expand our tradition of “Connecting our Community Through Giving.” Quite simply, more members equal more scholarships and grants to benefit our community. As a member you can then decide on the level of involvement that is best for you. All Members are invited to our Annual Meeting and Dinner held each October so that they may learn of our activities during the previous year and plans for the future. Most members choose to make an annual contribution in any amount they choose. Some members also serve on a Watertown Foundation Committee. Email us at wtnfoundationct@gmail.com for more information.
Remember, if you become a Member now you can take advantage of these Centennial Club Campaign special rates that will increase after 2025:
$100 for an individual membership.
$200 for a family membership (includes one or two adults and children up to age 22 at time of membership).
$250 for a small business (up to 25 employees) or a non-profit organization.
$500 for a large business or corporation (over 25 employees).
Donations to the Watertown Foundation are tax deductible for the maximum tax benefit allowable by law.
It’s easy to support the Watertown Foundation! New members and current members can click the Donate button below to use a Credit Card/PayPal, or complete the Donation Form to pay by check.
Click Here to Donate by Check
Did you know that you can honor a loved one, recognize someone special, or commemorate a milestone by making a donation in their name to the Watertown Foundation? A memorial gift is a meaningful way to continue the spirit and memory of a deceased family member or friend. An honor gift is perfect for celebrating a special occasion such as a birthday, holiday, or anniversary. And if someone helped or inspired you, making a gift in their honor is a thoughtful way to show your appreciation. These dedicated donations may be made throughout the year and in any amount. Acknowledgment is sent to the donor and a complete listing of gifts is sent to the family or recipient.
Members may also choose to make a larger investment in the future of our community. Donors may give cash, stock, retirement assets, bequests, and other planned gifts. The Foundation’s assets are professionally managed with oversight by the Finance Committee and Board of Trustees.
Each year the Board of Trustees establishes the amounts to be awarded in scholarships and grants, based on the endowment’s market value and the success of its investments. This distribution policy strives to maintain the “purchasing power” of the funds over the long term to protect against inflation so that today’s assets are not diminished in the future. The Board does not assess fees in the administration of Trust Funds or in the awarding of grants or scholarships.
Trust Funds
A Trust Fund in the Watertown Foundation provides the opportunity for individuals, families, businesses, or corporations to provide a lasting legacy in our community. Trust Funds create permanent endowment funds that steadily grow in value over time and produce income for academic scholarships to individuals and grants to local charitable nonprofit organizations.
The Watertown Foundation requires a minimum of $5,000 to establish a Trust Fund. This gift may be given as a lump sum or over a period of five years. Donors may also leave charitable assets upon their death in the form of a bequest in a will or trust, retirement plan designations, or beneficiary designation in a life insurance policy.
The Watertown Foundation will create a special fund in your name, in the name of your family or business, or in honor of any person or organization you choose. You receive tax benefits in the year your gift is made. Your gift will be placed into an endowment fund that is invested over time, and earnings from the fund are used to make grants addressing community needs. Your gift, and all future earnings from your gift, will provide support for scholarships and organizations helping people and programs in perpetuity.
Types of Funds
Unrestricted
An unrestricted fund provides the most flexibility to the Board to meet needs in our community. The principal of an unrestricted fund is invested and retained by the Watertown Foundation. Income from investments is pooled and is awarded annually to nonprofit community organizations by the Board of Trustees.
Field Of Interest
A Trust Fund may specify a particular field of interest such as the arts, youth athletics, education, social service, or the environment with a minimum gift of $50,000. The Board of Trustees selects projects within your field of interest and presents the award in the name of the Trust Fund.
Scholarships
Named scholarships may be created with a minimum gift of $50,000. Scholarships may be designated for study in broadly defined areas such as medicine and health careers, social service, business, engineering, and education. Criteria for selection are at the discretion of the Board of Trustees and are defined annually in the Watertown Foundation Scholarship Application. Recipients must be residents of Watertown or Oakville.
Business Community Funds
Wooster Society: $5,000 or more
Westbury Society: $2,500 to $4,999
Watertown Society: up to $2,499
Gifts may be given over five years.