Donor Advised Funds
Your DAF makes it easy to donate to Cultural Survival.
Your DAF makes it easy to donate to Cultural Survival.
A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a philanthropic giving vehicle established at a community foundation, mutual fund company, or brokerage firm, for the purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about. By establishing a DAF, donors can make charitable contributions, receive immediate tax deductions, and recommend grants to charities over time.
Donor-advised funds are the most popular and fastest-growing charitable giving vehicles in the United States because they are one of the easiest and most tax-advantageous ways to give to charity. Donors can contribute to the fund as frequently as they like and then recommend grants to their favorite charitable organizations.
However, did you know that billions of dollars in charitable donations are currently held within Donor Advised Funds, waiting to be assigned to nonprofit? DAFs have inadvertently created a significant problem in which tax-deductible money meant for charity remains idle, often for years.
DAFs were built to be powerful vehicles for giving, which is why there is a new #HalfMyDAF initiative, working to motivate and accelerate DAF giving. This year, a foundation launched the #HalfMyDAF campaign to motivate DAF giving. If you pledge to pay out half of your DAF holdings, your gifts may be eligible for matching funds through more than $2 million in DAF grants, awarded via two drawings! Here’s how you can join their pledge and submit grants that could double your giving to Cultural Survival and other nonprofits!
If you have a DAF with any provider, please consider making a distribution to Cultural Survival.
Our tax identification number is 23-7182593
Our mailing address is:
Cultural Survival
2067 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
Recommending a grant from your Donor-Advised Fund typically takes only a few minutes through your fund provider’s online portal. Put your Donor-Advised Fund to work today by recommending a grant to Cultural Survival!
Questions about making a donation through your DAF?
Important disclosure about DAF giving:
DAFs are valuable tools for charitable giving, but their use is subject to strict IRS guidelines, particularly regarding personal benefits such as receiving tickets to events. Contributions to DAFs are irrevocable and must be used solely for charitable purposes. The IRS prohibits DAF grants that provide more than an incidental benefit to donors. DAF grants cannot be used to:
- Purchase event tickets, even if the donor separately pays for the non-deductible portion.
- Pay for tables or sponsorships where the donor or related individuals receive event benefits, such as meals, entertainment, or auction participation.
Ticketing Procedure for Donors Wishing to Attend Events:
If a donor wishes to attend an event while also making a charitable contribution through a DAF, they must:
1. Make a separate donation via DAF or QCD for the charitable portion of their gift.
2. Personally pay the full, published ticket price (not just the fair market value) for attendance.
