Ways to Give
Maximize your philanthropic impact by partnering with us.
Donor-Advised Funds
A donor-advised fund is a simple and low-cost vehicle that allows you to set aside charitable dollars in a tax-efficient way for grantmaking now or in the future. You may recommend grants to a full range of Jewish and non-Jewish charitable organizations.
Donor-advised funds are flexible and easy-to-manage:
- Set up an account by contributing a minimum of $5,000 in cash and cash equivalents; stocks and other securities; real estate; closely held, restricted, or pre-IPO stock; cryptocurrencies, sold upon receipt; transfers of private foundation assets; royalties and distribution rights; life insurance; retirement assets
- Recommend grants to qualified organizations whenever you wish
- Invest the remaining donated assets to help with the goal of increasing assets to give over time
- Choose Impact Investing portfolios and impact lending opportunities to invest and deploy philanthropic capital in ways that align with your values and goals
- Establish successor advisors or a simple charitable bequest to ensure your legacy
- Setting up a donor-advised fund with Federation Philanthropy partners also gives you access to community events, networking opportunities with like-minded donors, research about organizations and causes, and values-based giving guidance.
Learn more about how we can help you with your philanthropy:
Supporting Foundations
Our philanthropic vehicles can be tailored to your needs.
A supporting foundation is a separate charitable corporation or trust that has the tax-exempt status of a public charity. Endowed by an individual, corporation, or family, the donors may designate individuals to participate officially in the decisions of this charitable vehicle. While the donors may not control the foundation, they and their family members may have an active and perpetual role in the grantmaking and administrative decisions.
Federation Philanthropy Partners offers an integrated set of services which remove the administrative burden of running a foundation, enabling you to concentrate on the meaningful activities that create impact and change. Our services include tailored advice, grantmaking administration, tax and legal filings and administration, investment management and oversight, board meeting facilitation, and philanthropic education.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to give Jewishly?
Giving Jewishly means that we help our donors give through the perspective of four Jewish values: Taking Care of the Needy (Tzedakah), Healing the World (Tikkun Olam), Pursuing Justice (Tzedek), and Building Community (Kehillah). Our point of view is that you can give Jewishly to a very broad set of priorities, whether to specific Jewish causes or to issues in the community at-large.
Do you only support Jewish causes?
We manage grants that support both Jewish and broader community causes. In fact, two-thirds of the $200 million in assets that we grant into the community annually on behalf of our donors supports broader causes, both local and global.
Why are your fees higher than commercially-sponsored donor-advised funds?
We provide a holistic partnership that includes experienced advisors, educational events, research, and networking opportunities. Our expertise and deep connections with Bay Area and Jewish communities add value for donors while we also reinvest fees back into the community. These differentiating factors, along with our level of service, provide a more complete and enriching solution than a donor-advised fund founded by a financial services company.
What assets are good to donate?
Appreciated assets can be some of the best to donate because you may avoid capital gains tax liability as well as enjoy a current year tax deduction, if you itemize. We generally accept donations of a variety of appreciated assets such as publicly-traded and restricted stocks, real estate, shares in a privately-held company, tangible personal property, and some virtual currencies.
I already work with an advisor. How can I work with you as well?
The Federation has a long history of collaborating with professional advisors, such as estate-planning attorneys, investment advisors, and wealth managers. We work closely with you and your advisor so that your giving is streamlined with your tax, investment, and estate planning strategies.
What do the administrative fees pay for?
Federation Philanthropy Partners provides news, insights, education, and events that engage and inspire philanthropy. In addition to advice and guidance, we manage all grantmaking administration including due diligence, liquidating assets, sending grant checks, distributing quarterly and annual statements, and providing administration of the underlying platform for the efficient delivery of all these services.
What is the difference between a donor-advised fund and a donation to the Federation?
A donor-advised fund is an account that facilitates your personal giving. From this account, you can recommend grants to the thousands of approved 501(c)(3) organizations (including the Federation) that support Jewish and broader community causes. Donors with donor-advised funds are not required to support the Federation, and while our philanthropy advisors are briefed on Federation initiatives and priorities should you be interested, they are not incentivized to “sell” you on a Federation donation.
Forms
Below you will find the necessary forms to open and manage your donor-advised fund. We are here to help in any way. Please call or email if you have questions or need assistance.
To open a donor-advised fund, use these forms
For ongoing management of a donor-advised fund, use the following forms or log in to your account portal. All forms, as well as your account information, are available on the portal.
- Contribution Transmittal Form - Stock Transfer
- Contribution Transmittal Form - Wire Transfer
- Grant Recommendation Form
- Investment Selection Form
- Name Successor Advisors
- Additional Interested Parties
For Professional Advisors
Use the above forms to open a donor-advised fund for your clients.
Note: The Federation permits Fund Advisors with Fund balances of $500,000 or more to recommend investments outside of the Investment Pools, subject to the approval of the Investment Committee in its discretion.
For more information about Supporting Foundations, please contact us directly at 415.512.6211 or philanthropy@sfjcf.org.
If you have questions about opening or managing a donor-advised fund, please contact Anita Jackson, Manager, Donor-Advised Funds Team 415.512.6230 AnitaJ@sfjcf.org.
