The Triskeles Foundation provides you with a simple, effective way to maximize your giving and increase your tax savings.

What it is
A Triskeles Donor Advised Fund provides you with a philanthropic tool. Your gift (DAF) may be pooled with other donors' gifts, invested in socially responsible vehicles, and after review, grants are made at your recommendation to charitable organizations.

How it works
You make the donation, take the tax deduction, and recommend grants anytime after the fund has been established.  This eliminates the year-end pressure to select a charity, and make a donation.  And, you don't have any of the administrative responsibilities such as annual IRS filings and taxes.  

Establishing a charitable Donor Advised Fund at the Triskeles Foundation is easy and can be done in a couple simple steps. 

1. Open an account.  Complete and sign the Donor Advised Fund Agreement Form (available online under DAF Forms), and return it to us after your investment professional has reviewed it. 
   
   
2. Fund the account. Make an initial irrevocable contribution of $10,000 or more.  This contribution can consist of multiple assets and securities.
   
   Within the context of the Triskeles Foundation's Investment Policy and practices, we will consider investment recommendations that you may have.

Once these steps are complete, you can recommend a grant.

Tips on opening an account.

When you complete the Donor Advised Fund Agreement, keep these items in mind.

• Name your donor(s). You are the donor.  You can name additional donors who are joint contributors to the account.

• Name your account.  You may want to name the account after your family or name the fund to reflect the account's charitable goals.  For example, the David Jones Fund or the Susan Smith Educational Fund.

• Name your account advisors.  You may name one or more advisors (yourself included) to your account.  Advisors can recommend grants during the donor's lifetime.

• Designate your successors and/or beneficiaries.     You may name one or more successor(s) and/or beneficiary(ies) to your account.  A successor, upon the death of all the original donors, may make contributions, recommend grants, and name advisors and successors.  A charity may be named as the account beneficiary if you want the remaining assets in the account granted to a charitable organization upon the death of all original donors.

• Choose your charitable area of interest.  Please indicate any specific charities you may want to support over time.  The Triskeles Foundation will make reasonable attempts to contact the donor or named successors of record.  If the Triskeles Foundation cannot contact those parties, the Trustees will direct grants from the account.

Ways to Fund the Account

• Cash can be wired, transferred from an existing account, or mailed to the Triskeles Foundation.  Checks must be made payable to: Triskeles Foundation with your fund's name indicated in the memo section of the check.
  
  
• Publicly traded stock, bonds and mutual funds can be transferred from an existing account with any financial institution.
  
  
• Deferred contributions, such as naming the account as the beneficiary of a bequest, charitable remainder trust, charitable lead trust, or a qualified retirement plan, can also be used.
  
  
• After you make your contribution, all gift recommendations must be reviewed and approved through the Triskeles Foundation.
  
  
• You will receive a confirmation once your contribution has been accepted along with a tax receipt for your records.  If a contribution is not accepted, it will be returned to your original account.  For contributions of appreciated publicly traded securities, the Triskeles Foundation's receipt will be a good faith estimate of the fair market value on the date of the contribution.

In certain circumstances, the Triskeles Foundation may accept restricted, closely held or non-publicly traded securities. If the contribution involves restricted stock or other non-publicly traded securities, please contact your investment professional and the Triskeles Foundation's staff for assistance.