Donor Advised Funds

Donna and Mark Bergeson established their DAF in 2020. They shared, **“Everything we have is really on loan from God and we want to share His gifts with others.”**

A donor advised fund (DAF) is a philanthropic vehicle established by a donor to make charitable contributions. The donor receives immediate tax benefits and then recommends grants from the fund to be distributed, over time, to charitable organizations. The fund is invested and continues to grow, and additional donations can be added at any time.

Donors are encouraged to recommend the majority of the grants to Catholic organizations within the archdiocese as grant recipients, but you may also include universities and non-Catholic 501(c)3 public charities. All donor advised fund grants must be in accordance with Catholic teaching. As with other community foundations, the staff at the Catholic Foundation is aware of the needs of the local Catholic community and can assist you in discovering new opportunities to make an impact with your giving.

How can you create a donor advised fund at the Catholic Foundation?

Opening a donor advised fund at the Catholic Foundation requires a signed agreement and a minimum initial gift of $5,000. Once set up, the fund advisor will have access to an online portal to track the fund, request grants, and see giving history. There are many ways to establish the fund, such as:

Start with gifts of cash, appreciated securities, real estate, cryptocurrency, or other assets.
Move a current donor advised fund from elsewhere to the Catholic Foundation.
Contribute with a grant from a DAF at another institution.
Close a private foundation and move it to a donor advised fund at the Catholic Foundation.

What are the benefits of creating a new Donor Advised Fund with the Catholic Foundation?

Ease and efficiency
Immediate tax benefits.
Simplify your philanthropic giving and tax returns.
Funds are professionally invested in agreement with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines

A DAF could be a good fit for:

A family who wants to be intentional about charitable giving involving the whole family
Someone who wants to give anonymously.
Someone who is close to retirement and wants to set aside some money now to do charitable giving in the future.
Someone who is looking to learn more about needs in the Catholic community

What amount is required to create a donor advised fund?

The Catholic Foundation manages DAFs of a variety of sizes, from thousands to millions. The minimum initial gift is $5,000.

Learn More

Please contact us to discuss your interest in creating a donor advised fund with the Catholic Foundation. Our office number is 404.497.9440. You can also view a Sample Donor Advised Fund Agreement.