Background, Diversity & Service For Donors
BACKGROUND 
The Festival Foundation was created in 2008 by representatives of the National Cherry Festival in order to provide a means by which the greater Grand Traverse communities could support education and charitable efforts focusing on agriculture, tourism, and the National Cherry Festival. The Festival Foundation was created as a public charity and formed with a Board of Directors independent of the National Cherry Festival.
The Festival Foundation provides an opportunity for greater collaboration between the National Cherry Festival and the community in which it serves by enhancing the opportunity for restricted and unrestricted donations to the charitable and educational purposes authorized by its Board of Directors, and consistent with section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Although nothing prevents it from conducting charitable projects to benefit the community, the Festival Foundation also expects to provide grants to the National Cherry Festival and other community organizations to enhance educational, charitable, and cultural activities emphasizing agriculture and tourism in northern Michigan. Initial consideration of the Festival Foundation includes fundraising and grant making related to scholarships for studies in the fruit industry and northern Michigan agricultural, and enhancement of the Traverse City bay front (including the Open Space Park and Clinch Park), which is generously provided for summer activities by the city of Traverse City.
DIVERSITY
The services of the Festival Foundation are as broad as the interest of its donors. Donors do not so much contribute to the Festival Foundation as they contribute through the Foundation to the charitable cause of their choosing. If a Donor is undecided over which philanthropic cause to support, the Festival Foundation can identify charitable causes in need of funding.
SERVICES FOR DONORS
The Festival Foundation allows Donors an alternative to creating their own foundation in order to pursue the Donor’s charitable purpose. That purpose may be limited to our charitable organization or it may be broad and change over time. A Donor, who establishes a fund, can immediately obtain the maximum tax benefits permitted by law for their contribution, while avoiding the administrative tasks and unknown expenses associated with establishing a private foundation.
