A Donor-Advised Fund is an easy, flexible, and effective way to make charitable donations to organizations and causes that are important to you. It is like a charitable checking account that you can use to recommend grants to recipients of your own choosing at any time, all while qualifying for significant tax benefits.
With a Donor-Advised Philanthropic Fund, you decide when to make tax-deductible deposits and when to recommend distributions from the assets to any properly constituted charitable organization whose goals are not inconsistent with Jewish Community values and goals. Donate when it's good for you; recommend distributions when you think it is good for the recipient. In the meantime, your fund's assets are being professionally managed.
The Fund is typically named for donor(s), and the donors and their family members are the ones that make all the distribution recommendations. Charitable gifts may be made from either the principal or the income generated by the Fund.
Without a Fund such as this, the only way to enjoy the same tax benefits and flexibility might be to establish a private foundation - which entails management responsibilities, administrative expense, and burdensome regulatory requirements.
Any asset may be donated, but if you contribute appreciated stock, you can often get more bang for your buck.