Donor-Advised Funds
Consolidate your giving with donor-advised funds. If you support multiple organizations and you would like to simplify your giving, a donor-advised fund might be the right giving option for you.
A donor-advised fund allows you to streamline your charitable giving, allowing your investment to potentially grow over time and designate gifts to charitable organizations like the National Geographic Society on your schedule.
DAF sponsoring organizations are public charities that manage and administer DAFs for donors. There are many national sponsors and community foundations that offer the service.
Donating From Your Donor-Advised Fund
Help equip our Explorers to answer the important questions and deepen our understanding of wildlife, ecosystems and human history by making a gift through your DAF.
How to Make a Gift through a Donor-Advised Fund
- In consultation with your tax or financial advisor, open a donor-advised fund.
- Fund your account with cash, securities or other assets. You are eligible for a charitable deduction for donations to your DAF.
- Request a grant to:
- The National Geographic Society at 1600 M Street, Washington, D.C. 20036
- 501(c)(3) federal tax identification number is 53-0193519
- Notify us of your gift so we can say thank you and properly record your gift.
Why Choose a Donor-Advised Fund
Plan, prepare and protect your legacy.
- Donations to a donor-advised fund are generally tax-deductible in the year you make your gift to the DAF. You do not receive an additional deduction when making a grant from your DAF to the National Geographic Society.
- You can use cash, stock or other property to fund your DAF, and you can add to it at any time, providing you with an additional charitable deduction.
- The DAF administrator manages all record-keeping of your donations, provides tax receipts and can invest your Fund, allowing it to grow until your next grant.
- A grant to the National Geographic Society has an immediate impact on our Explorer-led research, conservation and education programs and provides you with the opportunity to direct it to an area that is most important to you.
Name Your Beneficiaries
Ensure that you have a plan for all funds remaining in your Donor-Advised Fund after your lifetime. This can include naming charitable beneficiaries to receive the remainder, or naming a family member as the successor advisor. This is a great way to involve your family or loved ones in your philanthropy by allowing them to continue your legacy by supporting your favorite causes in the future. Learn more about beneficiary designation.
Please talk to your financial or legal advisor about how a donor-advised fund may benefit you. Our gift-planning experts are available to share additional information and help guide you with questions to ask your advisors.
Contact us today: email legacy@ngs.org, call 800-226-4438 or fill out our contact form.
The National Geographic Society cannot provide tax or legal advice and this information is not intended as such. Please contact an advisor before making a charitable gift to the Society.
More Ways to Give
See All Legacy Giving Options
Explore all the ways you can plan, prepare and protect your legacy with the National Geographic Society.