You have decided to give. The next question is quieter but just as important: should you say exactly what your money is for, or let the charity decide? That choice is the whole of restricted vs unrestricted funds, and it shapes what your gift can do for years.
A restricted gift comes with conditions the donor sets. An unrestricted gift comes with trust instead. Neither is better in every case, and both have a place.
This guide explains the difference in plain terms. It covers what a restriction asks of the nonprofit that accepts it, when a restriction is worth adding, how to word one so it still works decades from now, and how you point a gift at a specific fund at the Miami County Community Foundation.
Restricted vs unrestricted funds: the short version
A restricted fund is money a donor has limited to a stated purpose, a stated time, or both. An unrestricted gift can be spent on whatever the organization’s board decides serves its mission best.
| Restricted gift | Unrestricted gift | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides how it is used | The donor, through the terms of the gift | The nonprofit’s board and staff |
| Typical wording | “For the scholarship program” or “for use after 2027” | “For general support” |
| What it is good for | A cause you care about specifically, or a memorial with a clear purpose | Whatever is most urgent, including rent, staff and the unglamorous work |
| The trade-off | Certainty for the donor, less flexibility for the charity | Flexibility for the charity, less control for the donor |
Restrictions come in two common shapes. A purpose restriction says what the money must support. A time restriction says when it can be used.
Since 2018, nonprofit financial statements have sorted money into just two groups under the