How Do You Start a Memorial Fund for a Loved One?

Starting a memorial fund is a meaningful way to honor someone you love while supporting the charitable causes they cared about most. Through the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, families can establish a fund in their loved one's memory and invite friends and relatives to contribute.

Here are answers to three common questions about memorial funds.

What is a memorial fund, and how does it work?

A memorial fund allows families to honor someone who has passed away by directing charitable contributions toward organizations and causes that were important to them.

These funds are often established shortly after a loved one's passing, with donation information included in their obituary. In lieu of flowers, friends and family can make a charitable gift in the person's memory.

The Community Foundation helps families establish and administer memorial funds, providing a way to turn individual contributions into support for charitable causes.

How much money do you need to start a memorial fund?

There is no minimum initial balance required to establish a memorial fund through the Community Foundation. Families can open a fund without collecting a certain amount beforehand, allowing contributions to accumulate as friends, relatives and community members choose to give.

If the fund grows beyond $10,000, fund advisors may consider converting it into a traditional donor-advised fund, which offers additional opportunities for managing charitable giving over time.

Can friends and family contribute to a memorial fund?

Memorial funds allow anyone who wishes to honor a loved one to contribute, regardless of where they live. When a fund is established, the Community Foundation creates a dedicated online page featuring photos and information about the individual, along with a donation form where friends, family and community members can make gifts.

Families can share the page through an obituary, email or social media, making it easy for others to make tax-deductible contributions.

Each gift becomes part of a shared effort to remember someone through generosity and charitable support.

Article originally published in the Rome Sentinel on October 30, 2026.