{"id":109717,"date":"2026-10-15T09:08:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T13:08:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/?p=109717"},"modified":"2026-10-15T11:16:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T15:16:42","slug":"creating-an-endowment-fund-to-leave-a-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.centraide-mtl.org\/en\/blog\/creating-an-endowment-fund-to-leave-a-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating an endowment fund to leave a legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new assignment landed on my desk at the end of the summer: an interview with two sisters who had just set up an endowment fund. \u201cA what?\u201d I asked. Centraide of Greater Montreal offers many ways to give, but I hadn\u2019t heard of this one before. A bit of research clarified the basics: the purpose of an endowment fund is essentially to provide an organization with stable, long-term financial support by generating income on invested capital. Now I was ready to meet the S\u00e9guin sisters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Par Marie-Christine Beaudry<\/strong>
Research and Content Advisor, Centraide of Greater Montreal<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I visited them on a beautiful day in mid-September. The air was crisp, the sun filtered gently through the leaves. I was happy to get out my fall clothes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I made my way to a small garden on the Plateau Mont-Royal, where Colette S\u00e9guin lives. Her sister France was already there, waiting for my colleague from the Planned giving department and me. We settled in while Colette shuttled between kitchen and patio, serving black coffee from an Italian coffee maker. She dropped a little sugar into her sister\u2019s cup, knowing her tastes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A reflection shaped over time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

France opened the conversation with stories of her travels. She had spent her career abroad, working for multinational corporations. Her role was to study the social impacts of mining and oil projects on local communities. It was a job that demanded empathy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same empathy drew her to volunteer with various agencies after she returned to Montreal. \u201cI had just retired,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI still had boundless energy and wanted to keep working.\u201d Then, in 2016, a Centraide employee told her about bequests, and the seed was planted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never having had children, and fortunate in life, as she often says, France found the idea of a legacy gift appealing. Over the following years, she visited community agencies supported by Centraide and attended a webinar on the subject. She learned more about Centraide\u2019s work and did some thinking. \u201cI had to give the seed time to grow in my mind,\u201d she explained. \u201cAt 60, I felt I still had plenty of time ahead of me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colette returned with the coffee pot and joined the conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrance was always very involved,\u201d she said. \u201cShe always talked about her projects, her volunteer work and the causes close to her heart. I wasn\u2019t directly involved but I heard all about it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, in May 2026, shortly after Colette was diagnosed with a serious illness, France attended a Centraide coffee meet-up on endowment funds, and something clicked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI immediately wanted to do this with Colette,\u201d she recalled. \u201cAll our lives, we\u2019ve always been very close. She went to join me in Africa and spent months there with me. We bought a building together when we were young. I often say we\u2019re twins\u2014with a two-year difference!\u201d They exchanged a glance and laughed. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Colette picked up the story: \u201cFor us, this endowment fund is a symbol of continuity. When you realize the end is near, you have to do something. We\u2019re making this gift to Centraide of Greater Montreal out of empathy, in the spirit of giving back.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The difference between a bequest and an endowment fund is that a bequest is a gift made after the donor\u2019s passing while an endowment fund is established during the donor\u2019s lifetime. Every year, a portion of the interest generated by the fund is paid out to the beneficiary organization to support its work. As the S\u00e9guin sisters put it, \u201cWe can see the impact while we\u2019re still here.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A brighter future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Asked what impact they hope their gift will have, the S\u00e9guin sisters have a long list at the ready: \u201cMore social solidarity, more housing, more help for women who are victims of domestic violence, for Indigenous people, for low-income families. By giving to Centraide, we are confident that the money will go to the right places, to support many causes that are close to our hearts. It\u2019s reassuring.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cCentraide is a cornerstone organization that supports all the others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A year ago, neither Colette nor France knew what an endowment fund was. One meeting on the subject and some conversations with Centraide advisors later, they had found the philanthropic vehicle best suited to leaving a meaningful legacy for the community. \u201cIt was all very simple and natural,\u201d said France. \u201cI felt welcomed, respected and guided.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that their legacy is secured, the S\u00e9guin sisters can savour every moment together, knowing their impact will endure long into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1 out of 5 people receives our help.
5 out of 5 people benefit from it.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s all lend a hand<\/font><\/b><\/span>\n <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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