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FUNDING FOR IMPACT

Donor Advised Funds

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Personalized Philanthropy

Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) allow you to contribute cash, securities and other assets to your fund, take an immediate tax deduction, invest in tax-free growth, and distribute assets to charities of your choice. Jewish Community Foundation DAFs offer access to our expertise in Jewish philanthropy, competitive fees, a convenient, web-based platform for transactions, and support for donors, including those with complex assets such as small business interests and real estate.

 

Contribute to a Fund

Donate Now

Collaborative Giving Opportunities

Make your check payable to the Jewish Community Foundation and include the fund name in the memo line.

Mail to: Jewish Community Foundation
6101 Executive Blvd
North Bethesda, MD 20852

Security Transfer Instructions: Your financial advisor/broker may require a written request to process your gift to The Jewish Federation. For your convenience, we created a Transfer Request letter to send to your financial advisor/broker. If used, please send a copy to the Donor Center (contact information below). If a written request is not required, please provide your financial advisor/broker with the information below, as applicable.

Equity transfers (e.g. stocks, ETFs and UITs)

DTC Transfers

  • Account Title: The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
  • Account #: 5G 58435
  • DTC #: 0221
  • Contact:
    • Attention: Nicole Lyons and Mark Rosenberg
      UBS Financial Services, Inc.
      1 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2500
      Chicago, IL 60606
      312-525-4643

ACAT/Mutual Fund Transfers

For firms that do not have DTC capabilities and for mutual funds:

  • Account Title: The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
  • ACAT #: 0221
  • Account #: 5G 58435
  • Please identify the donor name when processing the transfer.
    • If your mutual fund is held with Vanguard or directly with another mutual fund company and not a broker, please have the fund company contact Nicole Lyons directly at 312-525-4643 as mutual fund transfers may require additional processes.

Deadlines to Initiate Transfers

Please initiate your gift by the following dates to maximize the chance that the transfer is complete by year end.

  • Mutual Fund Transfers (directly held with the fund company): November 1
  • ACAT Transfers (For firms that do not have DTC capabilities and for mutual funds): December 1
  • DTC Transfers (equities [e.g., stocks, ETFs and UITs]): December 15

Contact Us

  • The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
    Attn: Donor Center
    6101 Executive Blvd., Suite 200
    North Bethesda, MD 20852
    Phone: 301-230-7239
    Fax: 301-560-6548
  • Gift receipt is determined when the investment reaches The Jewish Federation’s brokerage account. The “gift value” is determined by the average of the high and low prices on the day the investment is received in Federation’s brokerage account.
  • The Jewish Community Foundation does not provide legal, financial, or tax advice. Donors are encouraged to seek independent tax and legal counsel

Contact us at foundation@shalomdc.org or 301-230-7230.

YOUR JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION DAF

  • Can be established quickly and easily with a minimum of $10,000
  • Can be funded with cash, securities, or other types of assets, including complex assets
  • Invests your fund in a sophisticated, professionally managed portfolio where it can grow tax-free
  • All investment returns are credited to your DAF
  • Charitable giving is kept confidential
  • Anonymous giving is supported as desired

Open a Donor Advised Fund

OUR CUSTOMIZED FUNDHOLDER SUPPORT INCLUDES

  • Personalized service and philanthropic guidance, including opportunities to engage your children or other family members in philanthropy and grow the impact of your giving
  • Competitive fees and a convenient web-based transaction platform
  • The capacity to accept gifts of complex assets, including small business interests and real estate
  • Access unique communities of learning grounded in Jewish values
  • Communal action and collaborative funding vehicles to leverage the impact of your giving with others who share your interests

 

FURTHER QUESTIONS?

Get In Touch

 

Frequently Asked Questions

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a charitable fund you establish and name at the Jewish Community Foundation. You, or anyone you designate, can recommend grants from the liquid assets in your fund to your favorite charitable organizations in or outside the Jewish community.

You contribute assets of any kind (cash, securities, closely-held stock, insurance, real estate, among others) into the fund. You recommend grants to the charitable organizations of your choice in and outside the Jewish community when you desire. We process the grants, and maintain the online records, which you can view through the online platform. You receive simple receipts and statements for your gifts to your DAF for tax reporting purposes.

Your gifts to your DAF are fully tax-deductible as permitted by law. The Jewish Community Foundation is a division of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, a 501(c)(3) public charity.

All investment earnings are credited to the donor advised fund.

You select the name of the fund. Use your own name, a family name, or a name that is meaningful to you. The fund can also be anonymous.

When you establish a DAF, you will name advisors, and if you choose, successor advisors for the fund. Advisors will be able to use the web platform to recommend grants and view fund activity.

You can establish a fund with a minimum balance of $10,000.

We use a sliding fee scale depending on the size of your DAF. Funds up to $500K are charged an annual fee of 1%. Fees on the next $9.5M are charged 0.5%. For higher balances, a sliding fee scale is used. These fees are subject to change by Foundation’s Trustees.

Our fees support general Foundation services, donor learning and collaborative funding communities, and community projects of the Foundation focused on building a better world and vibrant Jewish community.

DAF assets are invested in a sophisticated portfolio overseen by an investment committee of seasoned professionals and investment advisors, who oversee the Foundation’s Investment Consultant, Graystone Consulting. For DAFs of $5 million or more, you may recommend your own investment advisor for the fund. The investment earnings are credited to your fund, giving you more to contribute to the community.

You can recommend a minimum grant of $100.

Grants may not result in impermissible benefits, such as dinners, event tickets, auction items, or tuition, for donors, advisors, or people connected to them.

Grants are processed weekly on Fridays. Checks are mailed within 7 to 10 business days (excluding holidays) of your recommendation.

Currently, there are no rules that require donor advised funds to grant a minimum amount during a specific period. However, there are ongoing discussions at both the state and federal levels to impose minimum granting requirements on donor advised fundholders. We will keep you abreast of any developments.

DAF Private Foundation
DAFs are often more tax advantageous than private foundations. DAFs have higher limits for charitable deductions. Lower limits for charitable deductions. May incur investment taxes.
No required annual distribution 5% required annual distribution
Cost of maintaining the DAF is covered by annual fees (1% or lower) Can be more expensive to maintain. Some advisors recommend upwards of $10 million to start, because of operational costs.
DAF sponsors handle all reporting requirements Private foundations are responsible for all legal and accounting fees associated with filing taxes, acquiring and maintaining a 990 status with the IRS.
Donors make recommendations to a sponsoring organization (the Foundation) that manages and distributes the grant money to qualified non-profits.

Investments typically managed in a pool with other DAFs held at the sponsoring organization

 Donors have complete control over how funds are invested and distributed
Donors may make grants anonymously All grant making is on the public record including foundation name, income, board members, and foundation salaries as filed on the private foundation tax return.
Staffing is provided by the sponsoring organization Can hire and compensate staff dedicated solely to the private foundation
“Giving through our DAF aligns with our Jewish values and commitment to Jewish community and the Federation…we now have a unique opportunity to take advantage of the bull stock market by using appreciated stock to fuel our giving, and specifically, double our gifts to local Jewish agencies through the Foundation’s DAF match program; truly a win, win, win.”
- FUND HOLDER

Questions?

Contact Elizabeth Goldstein or call 301-230-7228.

The Jewish Community Foundation and The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington do not offer tax, financial, or legal advice. Please consult your advisors.

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