Spring Strategies for Your DAF

Spring cleaning often includes a reassessment of little-used items. Have you just forgotten to use them, or are they destined to be donated or thrown away? If you reassess your finances, you may realize that you haven’t been making good use of your donor-advised fund (DAF). Don’t let this important tool sit idle. Now is a great time to make a grant and make a difference.

Recommend a grant

Your DAF contains assets you’ve already irrevocably set aside for charitable giving. Recommending grants to us or other charities does not impact your day-to-day finances. The process is easy—just log in to get started.

Involve your family

Your DAF is an incredibly effective tool for creating a family tradition of philanthropy. Involve younger generations in giving discussions and grant recommendations, and name heirs as successors to your DAF to continue making grants well after your lifetime. Or your DAF sponsor may allow you to name us to receive any remaining funds at the end of your lifetime—an easy way to ensure that your charitable vision continues uninterrupted.

Make use of strategic advantages

There are unique, tax-smart advantages to further fund your DAF (or create a new DAF).

• Bunch gifts into one tax year. By combining two or three years’ worth of charitable contributions into your DAF in a single tax year, you can help make itemizing worthwhile (by giving more than the high standard deduction amount). You can also help ensure that your gift surpasses the new 0.5%-of-AGI giving floor (only gift amounts in excess of that floor qualify for a deduction). This can be a strategic way to maximize your tax savings this year while continuing to make regular gifts at your own pace over the coming years.
• Simplify complex gifts. If you are considering a gift of real estate, cryptocurrency, or an ownership stake in a private business, these complex assets may be challenging or time-consuming for us to accept. Fortunately, most major DAF sponsors have specialized legal and administrative teams ready to handle the necessary appraisals and liquidations. You secure an immediate tax benefit when you transfer the asset into the DAF, and you can easily recommend grants to us.

Make a difference

A small step today can become a lasting gift tomorrow. Take a few minutes this spring to recommend a grant, plan a contribution, or update your DAF’s remainder beneficiary. This is an easy, tax-wise, powerful way to make a difference.