Skip to Main Content
Back to Main Website

Plan for your future and Wheaton's

Your planned gift creates lasting impact and strengthens your financial future.

Learn About Ways to Give

Giving Home > How to Give > Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

A donor advised fund (DAF) is a way to simplify your giving. Once you establish the fund, you recommend grants from your DAF to Wheaton and your favorite non-profit charities.

Eight Wheaton Lyons from the Artistic Swimming team competing in the pool in their Wheaton blue suits.

If you are looking for a way to simplify your annual and lifetime charitable giving to Wheaton, a donor advised fund (DAF) might be a great solution for you.

Benefits of a donor advised fund

  • Establish a flexible vehicle for annual charitable giving.
  • Benefit from a more tax and cost-efficient alternative to a private foundation.
  • Receive an estate tax deduction and savings from your gift.
  • Obtain a charitable income tax deduction in the year of your gift.

What is a donor advised fund (DAF)?

A DAF is a dedicated charitable account designed to help you support causes and organizations you value most. DAFs allow you to easily make annual gifts to Wheaton during your lifetime.

Donor advised fund video

How a donor advised fund works

  1. Choose a sponsoring organization such as a community foundation, a nonprofit that manages funds or a financial institution.
  2. Complete an application to establish your DAF account, similar to opening a bank or investment account.
  3. Make an irrevocable donation into your DAF. Acceptable contributions include cash, stocks, mutual funds, real estate of business interests.
  4. The assets in your DAF grow tax-free.
  5. You make annual recommendations on gifts to be made from your DAF to Wheaton.
  6. When you pass away, your heirs may recommend charitable gifts from your DAF and continue your philanthropic legacy. Or you could establish a planned gift by naming Wheaton as the beneficiary of your DAF.

More on donor advised funds

A donor advised fund has several advantages when compared to a private foundation. The start-up time and cost are minimal for DAFs, and gifts to DAFs are generally deductible at fair market value. A DAF is also not subject to the distribution requirements and certain excise taxes faced by private foundations.

When making your DAF gift, please reference: Wheaton College Tax ID #04-2103638.

See how a generous Founders Society member utilized a DAF at Wheaton to achieve their philanthropic goals.

Contact us

Contact us for more information to help you get started.