Donor-Advised Fund
IntermediateA donor-advised fund is an account, mainly used in the United States, held by a sponsoring charity, into which a donor makes an irrevocable gift, receives an immediate tax deduction and later recommends grants to other charities over time.
Donor-advised funds separate the timing of the tax deduction from the timing of giving to specific charities. The donor contributes cash, shares or other assets to the fund. The gift is generally deductible in that year, and the money can then be invested and grow tax-free. Over the following months or years, the donor recommends grants to charities of their choice.
For example, someone with an unusually high income in one year might contribute a large sum to a donor-advised fund to receive the deduction in that year, then spread the actual grants to charities over the next ten years.
Once contributed, the money legally belongs to the sponsoring charity, which has final say over grants, although it usually follows the donor's recommendations.
Donor-advised funds are popular because they are simple and cheaper to run than a private foundation. Critics note that money can sit in the funds for years before reaching working charities, and there have been proposals to require faster payouts.
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