Donor Advised Fund
Harness the Giving Power of a Private Foundation
Support What Matters
Learn more about donor advised funds. View and download the FREE guide One-Stop Giving: The Convenience and Simplicity of Donor Advised Funds.
View My GuideA donor advised fund, which is like a charitable savings account, gives you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often money is granted to Step Up For Students and other charities.
It's simple. You transfer cash or other assets to a tax-exempt sponsoring organization such as a public foundation. You can then recommend — but not direct — how much and how often money is granted. In addition, you avoid the cost and complexities of managing a private foundation.
In return, you qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction at the time you contribute to the account. This also allows for a centralized giving and record-keeping system in one location.
*Step Up For Students does not manage a donor advised fund. Local community foundations may be a helpful resource for donor advised funds.
An Example of How It Works
A couple wants to give back to their hometown by putting their money where it will do the most good. They establish a $25,000 donor advised fund with a community foundation.
The couple receives a federal income tax charitable deduction for the amount of the gift. They also get all the time they need to decide which charities to support.
After researching community needs with the foundation’s staff, the couple recommends a grant for a charity (which they've supported for years), like Step Up. The foundation presents the charity with a check from a fund that the couple named in honor of their granddaughter. The couple is delighted to start this personal legacy of giving.
