Give to VCI Through Your
Donor Advised Fund

No, and that is intentional. You received your charitable tax deduction when you originally contributed assets to your Donor Advised Fund, not when grants are distributed to nonprofits. VCI will send a personalized acknowledgment letter confirming receipt of your grant, but it will not serve as a tax receipt or include the language typically found on charitable gift receipts.

If you have questions about your specific tax situation, please consult your financial advisor or tax professional.

A DAF grant cannot be used to satisfy a legally binding pledge. However, if you've expressed an intention to give to VCI without entering into a legally binding commitment, a DAF grant can typically fulfill that intention. If you're planning to make a significant multi-year commitment through your DAF, we recommend speaking with our team before making any pledge. We are happy to structure the arrangement appropriately.

Most DAF sponsors offer the option to make grants anonymously. If you select anonymous giving, your sponsor will not include your personal information with the payment to VCI. We will simply receive the funds and know them as an anonymous DAF grant. If you prefer anonymity through the formal grant process but would still like a personal connection with our team, you're always welcome to reach out to us directly.

After you submit your grant recommendation, your DAF sponsor typically reviews and processes the payment within 5 to 15 business days. Many major sponsors offer Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), which delivers grants directly to VCI's bank account faster and more securely than paper checks. If you want to confirm the timeline for your specific sponsor, their donor services team can give you an exact estimate.

Yes. Most DAF sponsors allow you to include a note or purpose designation with your grant recommendation. You may direct your gift toward the Foster Grandparent Program, the Senior Companion Program, the OTTER reading initiative, or general operating support. VCI will honor the intent of your designation. If you'd like to discuss the impact of supporting a specific program area, we'd love to talk with you. Contact Hue Jacobs or Scott Chauveaux directly.

Yes, and we encourage it! Most DAF portals allow you to schedule recurring annual (or other frequency) grant recommendations to VCI automatically. This is one of the most powerful features of a Donor Advised Fund. It creates a predictable, sustainable partnership with VCI without requiring you to log in each year. Recurring DAF giving is one of the most meaningful expressions of long-term commitment to our mission.

Absolutely. Most DAF sponsors allow you to designate one or more nonprofits as successor beneficiaries, meaning that when all account advisors are no longer able to manage the fund, the remaining balance flows to the charities you've named. Naming VCI as a successor beneficiary is a profound way to extend your generosity and your values across generations. Contact your DAF sponsor directly to update your succession plan, and please let us know, as we would be honored to recognize your legacy commitment.

No. IRS regulations prohibit DAF grants from being used to purchase event tickets, gala admissions, raffle tickets, auction items, preferential seating, or any benefit worth more than a de minimis amount. Your grant must go toward VCI's charitable programs and operations. We want every DAF gift to be fully IRS-compliant and tax-advantaged, so we do not apply DAF grants to event ticket purchases or membership benefits with perks.