We’ve compiled four of the most frequently requested topics from new donors and added them to this Quick Start Guide. Find the topic you want to know more about and click the Show More button. You will see a quick overview of the topic and then additional resources if you want more information.
We can’t wait to see the charitable impact you make!
Recommend your first grant
To recommend a grant, log in to your account and hover over Grants in the top menu. Click Recommend a Grant to search for a charity by name, cause, location or EIN (Employer Identification Number). If you can’t find the charity you’re looking for, you can suggest a charity. You also have open access to NAVi, our Nonprofit Aid Visualizer, an innovative tool that helps you find and support local or international charities. We also provide lists of charities working on the front line of recent natural disasters.
Once you select a charity, simply follow the prompts to complete the grant recommendation. After you’ve completed the grant recommendation, you can follow the grant status by logging back in to your account, clicking Grant Activity, and tracking the progress over time.
Complete your contribution or add a new one
Adding charitable assets to your account is easy, but sometimes knowing what to give can be the hardest part. You can add donations of cash (check, wire, EBT), stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and complex assets.
If you have a Vanguard account, you can link both accounts and give directly from your Vanguard account. If you have a private foundation or another DAF account, consolidating your assets with Vanguard Charitable often results in lower fees and makes tax time much easier!
Select your investment options or make an exchange
Investing charitable assets in our proprietary investment lineup holds great potential for profound charitable impact. Once invested, those assets can grow tax-free over time. This allows you to recommend grants now and in the future as the account grows over time. The investments we offer make it easy to tailor your investment strategy to your risk tolerance and charitable goals. You can change your investment allocation anytime by recommending an exchange.
- Here's an investing Overview
- All of your investment options in one place
- Take a look at investment performance
Plan for your giving legacy
One unique benefit of our DAF is the ability to pass the account on—to loved ones or charity—just like you would name beneficiaries to your estate. Take a few minutes to review your succession plan now. If your priorities change in the future, you can update the plan any time.
To find your succession plan, log in to your account, select the Documents & statements icon at the top of the screen, and then click Account Details, and scroll down to My succession plan. There you can learn more about succession planning (link to the right) and edit the plan when needed. Be sure to check out our mission-driven funds, too, which some donors include in their succession plans.