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An early choice every philanthropic family must make is: What is our purpose as a philanthropic family? What do we want to accomplish? How can we make gifts in a way that meets our needs and the needs of those we want to serve? … Read More

There are many and varied reasons donors and families choose donor-advised funds as a primary giving vehicle. Here are a selection of real-life success stories highlighting some of the many reasons the DAF structure is so popular… Read More

Donor-advised funds are one of the fastest growing philanthropic vehicles. Here are the latest numbers, along with links to a variety of other data sources and analysis on the use and effectiveness of this important tool for giving… Read More

When setting up a philanthropic vehicle, families often wonder whether to give directly to charitable organizations (check-book giving), or to set up a more formal planned giving vehicle, such as a donor-advised fund (DAF), private foundation, or charitable trust… Read More

Before opening a DAF, donors need to be clear on the services, fees, and restrictions of a fund, as they vary widely among sponsor organizations… Read More

Before opening a DAF, donor families should talk with their trusted professional advisors about the benefits and tax implications. Professional advisors might include the family CPA or attorney, financial or estate-planning advisors, heads of family offices, or professional philanthropic advisors… Read More

Before opening a DAF, families should reflect on and talk about their values and goals for their philanthropy—individually, and as a family—and their specific needs for what the vehicle should deliver… Read More

Donor-advised fund sponsor organizations offer a wide range of services to donors. These services vary among individual sponsor types and organizations. … Read More

Today, there are an estimated 1,000 or more DAF sponsor organizations in the U.S. Broadly, these sponsor organizations fall into three types: community foundations, single-issue non-profits, and national non-profits (which include both commercial gift funds and noncommercial organizations)… Read More

Each sponsor organization will have its own set of rules and restrictions on the donor-advised funds they offer—so be sure read the fine print on fund agreements. However, in general, here’s what you need to know about DAFs… Read More