Don't Want the Hassle Of Setting Up Your Own Foundation?

A Donor-Advised Fund is a safe and easy alternative. For people who have at least $5,000 in contributable assets, setting up a donor-advised fund is a great way to streamline your giving and increase its impact.

Donor-advised funds have been around since the early 20th century, but it was only with the establishment of several national funds, set up by financial services companies in the 1990s, that they became easily available and known to many Americans. Since then, the funds have exploded in growth. In 2006, the country's 99 largest funds had more than $19.2 billion in assets and donated more than $3.5 billion to charity each year.

For an update on this great philanthropic tool and the secrets of its success, see our article, Donor-Advised Funds: Democratized Philanthropy

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