Donor Advised Funds

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Donor Advised Funds

Donor advised funds offer a flexible, convenient and cost-effective way to organize your giving.

You can make tax deductible contributions and recommended grants to donors and nonprofit organizations on your own time, while the Spano Foundation handles the paperwork. Because charitable assets are invested, you’ll be able to grant more over time to nonprofits. You may replenish your find with additional gifts based on your giving schedule and tax situation.

Ideal for:

1. Donors who wish to remain active in their giving, without the paperwork.

2. Donors who want the flexibility of recommending the organizations they wish to support or partnering with the Spano Foundation and other donors to support high-impact initiatives.

3. Individuals who wish to involve future generations of their family.

4. Private foundations seeking to fulfill their minimum 5% payout or those seeking a simple alternative.

Questions about Donor Advised Funds (coming soon): Find answers to common questions related to establishing a fund, investments and fees, and grant-making.

Why choose a donor advised fund with the Spano Foundation?

Begin Your Legacy Today
At the Spano Foundation, we use our knowledge of the most pressing regional issues and connections to local nonprofits to guide you as you begin your philanthropic journey.

By working together, we identify your values and interests, evaluate your philanthropic budget, and discuss your goals for involving successive generations. Using our expertise and deep knowledge of the community, we devise a philanthropic plan that is personally rewarding, targeted, and measurable, while making a lasting impact on our communities.

Through this process, we will establish your permanent legacy. Charitable funds at the Spano Foundation are permanently recognized, ensuring that your legacy continues in perpetuity. After a fund’s advisory privilege expires, the fund will become endowed, enabling the Foundation to carry on your charitable legacy. When establishing the fund, you can direct how best to continue your legacy.

GIVE

It’s easy to start a fund.

We draft a simple fund agreement. You choose the name of the fund and who will be the “Advisors” who are able to recommend grants from it.

You give $10,000 or more via check, credit card, stock, real estate, or other assets (please talk with us if you’re considering a non-cash gift). If a gift of $10,000 isn’t possible, our Build a Fund option allows you to start with an opening gift of $2,000 and add to it to reach the funding minimum within five years. Gifts to a fund are irrevocable. If you are planning to raise money for the fund in any way, please let us know.

GROW the FUND

Your fund is pooled with other funds we hold with Stifel Financial Corporation. Under the watchful eye of our investment and advisor, we invest for growth and protection in downturns – so that grant-making can steadily increase. With our combined assets, we enjoy good attention from our advisors. Our support fee is assessed to the fund separately to cover the cost of administration and to continue our important work in the community.

Leaving a legacy is not just for the wealthy. If you consider the value of your home, retirement and savings accounts, life insurance, etc., you may be surprised how quickly it adds up! Here is an example of the possibility (depending on markets/community).

Start your fund

  • Add up home, savings, life insurance, etc. and plan a gift
  • Leave $20,000 (5% of a $400,000 estate)

After 25 years

  • $29,000 granted into the community
  • $26,000 balance in your fund

After 50 years

  • $90,000 granted into the community
  • $85,000 balance in your fund

Ready to get started?

Contact the Spano Foundation at (234) 254-2831 or info@spanofoundation.com today.