WHat is a Donor advised fund?

A Donor Advised Fund, or DAF, is like a charitable investment account or you can think of it as a charitable savings account. You make a tax-deductible donation now, and then recommend grants to your favorite charities (like Crossing Borders) over time. It's a simple and flexible way to manage your charitable giving.

Here’s a quick look at how a DAF works:

  1. Give: You contribute cash, stocks, or other assets to the fund. This donation is tax-deductible in the year you make it.  

  2. Grow: The funds are invested and can potentially grow tax-free.  

  3. Grant: You recommend grants from the fund to the charities you want to support, whenever you're ready.

Here’s a helpful video from Fidelity and an illustration created by Bainbridge Community Foundation below:

Can anyone contribute to a Donor Advised Fund?

Yes, and here are the primary ways you can access a DAF:

  • Public charities: charities like Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and Schwab Charitable (now called DAFgiving360) are major providers of DAFs. These large national charities are often the most popular options due to their established reputations and wide range of investment options.  

  • Community foundations: These are local organizations that manage charitable funds for a specific geographic area. They often offer DAFs as a way for local donors to support their community.  

  • Financial institutions: Many banks (Chase, BofA, Wells Fargo, etc), brokerage firms, and wealth management companies (Northern Trust, Morgan Stanley, Merrill, UBS, etc.) offer DAFs to their clients.  

  • Independent sponsoring organizations: There are smaller, independent organizations that specialize in offering DAFs.

How Do I Get Started?

  1. Contact one of the organizations above and open an account. The simplest way might be with your current bank or brokerage.

  2. Contribute to your account. DAFs will accept stock, cash, real estate, crypto, and many other types of assets.

  3. Recommend Crossing Borders Ministry as a charity to receive your gifts.

Information You May Need:

Crossing Borders Ministry is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. See our Guidestar profile here.

EIN: 20-1607748

Mailing address:
P. O. Box 354
Glenview, IL 60025

(847) 260-7023
finances@crossingbordersnk.org

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