Donor Advised Fund

Simplify Your Giving

A donor advised fund (DAF), which is like a charitable savings account, gives you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often money is granted to a parish, school, or other entity and other qualified charities. You can recommend a grant or recurring grants now to make an immediate impact or use your fund as a tool for future charitable gifts.

You can also create a lasting legacy by naming a parish, school, or other entity the beneficiary of the entire account or a percentage of the fund. With a percentage, you can create a family legacy of giving by naming your loved ones as your successor to continue recommending grants to charitable organizations. Contact your fund administrator for a beneficiary form.

Haven’t Opened a DAF Yet? We can help!

A donor advised fund can easily be established with a simple agreement through the Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa. Allow us to help align your philanthropic passion and Catholic values with the needs found in our parishes, schools, and other not for profit organizations within the diocese.

DAF Basics

Still learning about DAFs? Discover the ease of opening a donor advised fund—plus the advantages you’ll enjoy—with your FREE guide Centralize Your Giving With Donor Advised Funds.

Please provide the following information to view the guide.

Donor Advised Fund Guide Request Form
First name is required
Last Name is required
Please include an '@' in the email address

An Example of How It Works

Happy couple calculating donations Joe and Laura want to give back to their hometown by putting their money where it will do the most good. They establish a $25,000 donor advised fund with a community foundation.

The couple receives a federal income tax charitable deduction for the amount of the gift. They also get the time they need to decide which charities to support.

After researching community needs with the foundation’s staff, Joe and Laura recommend grants for a parish, school, or other entity (which they’ve supported for years) and a local animal shelter. The foundation presents the charities with checks from the Patricia Fund, which Joe and Laura named in honor of Laura’s mother. They name a parish, school, or other entity as the beneficiary to receive the account balance after their lifetimes. Joe and Laura are delighted to start this personal legacy of giving.

Personal Estate Planning Kit

Our Top Free Resource

This comprehensive estate planning kit helps you protect your family and establish your legacy. FREE!

Download My Kit

Next Steps

  1. If you already have a fund, use our tool Take Action! Visit Your Fund to connect. No fund yet? Get our free guide.
  2. Contact Jodi Halligan at 515-237-5044 or jhalligan@cfswia.org to discuss using your donor advised funds to support a parish, school, or other entity and our mission.
  3. Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor.
  4. If you include a parish, school, or other entity in your plans, please use our legal name and federal tax ID.

Legal name: Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa
Address: 601 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309
Federal tax ID number: 45-5577090

Get More From Your DAF

Ensure you’ve made the most of your donor advised fund—for your family and for a parish, school, or other entity. Download the FREE guide Maximize the Impact of Donor Advised Funds.

Personal Estate Planning Kit

Our Top Free Resource

This comprehensive estate planning kit helps you protect your family and establish your legacy. FREE!

Download My Kit