Options for Family Philanthropy: Comparing Donor-Advised Funds and Private Foundations

Overview

When starting with family philanthropy, a family can choose a donor-advised fund or establish a private foundation. Each option has different requirements and management issues, including start-up costs, privacy matters, control of grants and assets, and flexibility in impact investing. Serving as a general guidance for you and your experienced advisor, this chart provides comparison data between donor-advised funds and private foundations that can help you choose the option that is best for you and your family.

Advisor Thinking