No. Funds donated to a DAF cannot be withdrawn, but they can be transferred to another DAF account.

A donor makes a gift to a sponsoring charity (a role RCF can fulfill), which then establishes a DAF on the donor’s behalf. The funds are invested, and the DAF’s growth is used to support charitable organizations through grants. Once the fund is established, a donor can contribute to it as frequently as desired.

A donor gets an immediate tax benefit for the initial contribution to a DAF and for all subsequent donations. If the donor contributes capital appreciated property (i.e. stocks, mutual funds or ETFs), the donor will avoid capital gains tax when the charity sells the assets.

In most cases, DAFs provide a sound giving solution. They are especially helpful for donors who need a charitable tax deduction to offset a taxable event, are facing considerable capital gains taxes, are anticipating a major liquidity event (such as an inheritance, business liquidation or stock sale), are interested in creating a legacy of giving, or who simply want to give to multiple charities without having to manage paperwork and record keeping.

DAFs offer significant advantages over direct giving and private foundations. For starters, they reduce administrative work. They also provide immediate tax deductions. DAFs offer the option for you to send funds faster when the need arises, putting the money to work when a charity needs it the most.

RCF has a longer hold period for various asset types than many competitors. In some cases, we can hold contributed assets for more than one year. We also have teams dedicated to managing complex asset contributions. You can turn an illiquid asset into an investment for charitable gifts (further optimizing tax benefit vis-à-vis capital gains savings and increasing giving your impact).

Use our Find my Program feature to find out if your firm has a Ren DAF in-house. If not, you can get a Ren DAF directly through our 501(c)(3) partner Renaissance Charitable. Click Open a DAF to learn more.

Ren validates that charities are eligible at the time of grantmaking so you don’t have to. It is exceedingly rare that an IRS-recognized charity is not eligible for DAF grants – even small, new, and local charities are eligible. Thanks to Ren’s vetting technology, once your client’s preferred charity is vetted, it can remain approved for additional grants from your client’s DAF and others.

Nearly all advisors have multiple clients who would benefit from donor-advised funds, but we find advisors with the greatest number of applicable situations (50%+ of their client base) tend to meet at least two of the following criteria:

• Deepen a client relationship by being part of some of the most meaningful financial decisions they’ll make – their personal mission, community impact, and family legacy, or
• Help clients optimize charitable deductions, including liquidating concentrated or illiquid assets, selling a business, or just simply managing a high income year
  will find that the simplicity and flexibility of donor-advised funds make for a streamlined way to participate in the charitable giving conversation.

Most clients begin thinking about giving in late Q3 into Q4 (Giving Season) as gains and losses materialize across their portfolio. Introducing the concept earlier in the year allows for a more efficient decision-making process ahead of or during Giving Season. Clients ready to fund their donor-advised funds earlier in the year will experience faster processing times. Some clients may want to explore multiple types of charitable gift vehicles.

Yes. Ren provides the technology and services powering your client’s DAF, but we do not offer investment advice and we never manage the assets. Many financial advisors choose to work with Ren for just this reason; through our non-profit partner Renaissance Charitable, SMAs start at $20K and keep you and your investment strategies in the driver’s seat.

Yes. In fact, donating assets is often the most effective way to give because, by allowing a nonprofit to dispose of assets, the donor avoids capital gains taxes, which means the value of the gift can be higher and the cost of giving will be lower. Special planning is required, so make sure you consult with tax and legal professionals.

Yes. It is common practice for a donor, when establishing a DAF, to name his or her heirs as successor grant advisors. As an alternative, the donor may set-up successor charities to receive grants after the donor’s passing.

Yes. Although the donor no longer owns the assets contributed to the DAF and the sponsoring charity has final say on the funds’ distribution, the donor can make recommendations about which charities receive grants from the DAF. This power remains with the investor for life and can be passed on to future generations.

Depending on the complexity of the gifted assets, most DAFs are established in a matter of a few days.

Ren handles the administrative aspects of the DAF, including preparing for tax reporting, and Ren will issue gift receipt letters for every contribution the donor makes to the DAF.

DAFs offer a variety of benefits, but the most frequent reasons for donating to a DAF include the opportunity to make both an immediate and long-term impact for a cause or charity the donor believes in, to maintain some influence over how funds are granted to charities, to pass on a legacy of giving, and to reduce the impact of capital gains and other taxes.

Yes. You will receive online credentials to view information about your donor-advised fund account, make grant recommendations, and access account statements. It is important to note that valuations of crypto investments are performed daily (standard business days).

No. Ren handles distributions to charities from the DAF, with input from the donor if the donor wishes. Grants from the fund can be made to nonprofits as frequently or infrequently as seems appropriate.

No. Ren only charges industry-low DAF administrative fees.

Ren offers a fast and secure solution for charities to receive grants directly through our Charity Portal. This streamlined process ensures funds reach your charity efficiently and safely via ACH, allowing you to focus on your mission.

By claiming your charity in Ren’s Charity Portal, you can connect with a broader base of donors.

1. Visit our portal.
2. Find your organization by name or EIN.
3. Claim your charity within the portal to begin connecting with donors and receiving funds directly.

By powering the DAF market and offering tools such as recurring grants, Ren helps ensure more consistent, long-term funding from high-value donors.

Yes. RCF is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organization and sponsoring charity for DAF programs. Renaissance Charitable supports billions of dollars of DAF assets.

Ren provides tools to receive and track gifts, ensures reliable and timely grant delivery, and offers resources to help you understand DAFs. Browse our Resource Center for more detailed information.

Launch a turnkey donor‑advised fund (DAF) program with Ren. Ren’s giving platform allows you to establish a fully branded, compliant DAF that integrates seamlessly with your firm while we handle the technology, administration, and operations behind the scenes.

If your firm requires a more bespoke solution, please get in touch with our Sales team. They can provide details on available customizations, our accounting software solutions, and more to meet your specific needs.

Not at all. Ren is custody‑ and investment‑neutral. This means your advisors maintain control over managing client assets within the DAF. Clients remain with your firm, advisors don’t lose control, and assets stay in‑house.