A DAF can function exactly as a Personal Charitable Trust would. Their structure means that the administrative burden is placed onto the trustees, who offer advice to donors and have systems in place to ensure that tax and other legal obligations are fulfilled. This empowers the donor to pursue their passion, content in the knowledge that their funds are being handled responsibly. On top of this, there is more flexibility: for example, you may choose to remain anonymous in your giving and there is no need to appoint a board of trustees.
Alongside their ability to make philanthropy both simple and effective, DAFs can also be used as a quick way to distribute funds in emergency situations, as experienced in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when the needs were both great and immediate.
Over the past 5 years, giving from Donor Advised Funds in the UK has increased by 130%, from £250.3m to £575.4m (Source: CAF ‘Philanthropy Comes of Age’ report, released 2020), testament to the effectiveness of using a DAF. However, annual charitable giving in the UK tends to be in excess of £10bn, swamping the amount given by DAFs: under 6% of this figure. It is integral that professional advisors have access to clear, accurate information surrounding the Donor Advised Fund Market- so that they can present the full palette of options to their clients. Our research has shown that each DAF has its own strengths, and there are key differences in structure and flexibility, which we summarise in the below information.
We have compiled a list of UK Donor Advised Funds. Our research outlines the key features of each, for ease of comparison.
This can be in the form of cash, shares, property and other assets. Assets accepted vary according to DAF provider. There is usually a minimum initial donation required to open the account. It is at this point that you may name your trust alongside appointing your advisors, successors and beneficiaries. After the initial minimum donation, donors can give subsequent contributions, of a smaller value. All donations are irrevocable once given.
The shares and other investments you have donated to your DAF will grow in value, meaning you have more capital at your disposal for grant giving. Not all DAF providers offer the option to hold investments in an account. Commonly promoted among Donor Advised Fund Managers to ensure total portfolio impact, is the transition of your investments to ethical, ESG or impact funds. This ensures that what you’re investing in doesn’t contradict the good work of your grant-making. The structure also invites riskier social investment: since all the assets in the fund have been earmarked for charitable giving, why not invest in projects which result in a positive impact?
Distributing your grants is made easy through a Donor Advised Fund. The donor recommends grants from their charitable account to qualified charities. The capabilities of each DAF vary: some DAFs only allow giving to UK registered charities, whereas others will go to great lengths in due diligence to allow you to give more flexibly. Some DAFs are specifically set up for dual qualified citizens. You can request one-off grants to be made or set up standing orders. This will all be managed and properly documented by the trustees.
The below list details the list of Donor Advised Funds available in the United Kingdom. Scroll down to find out more.
Cazenove Capital‘s DAF is administered by National Philanthropic Trust (NPT UK), an independent UK charity. They will collaboratively deal with all administration of your DAF which allows you to focus on the causes you care about.
The donor has complete control to request grants be paid to their selected recipients from their DAF account, in any of the Chapel & York Foundations. Grantees or recipient entities must pass due diligence and agree to terms and conditions including that the funds received must be used for charitable purposes. Once a grant request is approved, grants are typically paid within 2-4 weeks.
Investment options. In UK coming in 2025.
Investment Options in US are available for DAF clients of the Chapel & York US Foundation.
DAF fees start at £2,000 + VAT per annuum for an Individual DAF.
DAF fees start at £5,000 - £10,000 + VAT per annum for Company DAF.
Plus a 1% retention rate on DAF contributions, a 0.05% admin fee based on the percentage on balance of DAF account held at renewal.
£250 fee for due diligence at grant making in UK.
Equivalence Determination fee applied to international grants from US DAF clients.
Chapel & York work with both individuals and entities (corporations, advisor groups, employee giving programmes, etc) who wish to have a DAF and have a network of Chapel & York Foundations in the US, Canada, UK, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore to provide tax-effective giving for donors wherever they may pay tax or for multi-national companies. Our US and UK Foundations are linked so that donors paying tax in the US and UK would benefit from Gift Aid in the UK and a US tax deduction for the same donation.
Chapel & York offer a free consultation with prospective DAF applicants to talk through their aims and requirements. This can be booked online using the website address provided and scrolling to the bottom of he page to automatically schedule a time convenient to the applicant.
Clients are offered guidance and information on impact/ESG investments outside the DAF programme. Further guidance and information are available upon donor request. Chapel & York have lawyers and specialist philanthropy advisors who work with client. They have provided educational opportunities for donors to engage with charities in a structured and contained way. Clients and advisors are offered training both in person and online. Online Philanthropic briefings have been provided, which give both educational and networking opportunities. Chapel & York is currently evaluating future networking events.
Grant recipients are required to complete an annual declaration and report as to use of funds granted to them.
Email Address:
Website:
Overseas grant giving is available, as well as anonymous giving. Alternative finance structures e.g., loans, multi-year grant agreements, and social investments are allowed; however, additional charges may apply. You can give anywhere in the world, and CAF take on all added administration which comes with overseas grant making.
There are a range of investment solutions for a CAF Charitable Trust, including the investment funds offered by CAF Financial Solutions Limited. In certain circumstances, CAF may be able to work with a donor’s existing investment manager.
First £100,000- 1.40%
£100,000.01 - £500,000- 0.75%
£500,000.01 - £1,500,000- 0.35%
£1,500,000.01 - £2.500,000- 0.25%
£2,500,000.01 - £5,000,000- 0.20%
Above £5,000,000- 0.15%
Minimum annual charge: £600
Other supplementary charges are issued for a variety of services including offshore donations, bespoke grants and legal agreements, philanthropic and succession research etc.
Online account management permitted, and the service is managed by Pooled Service Model
Access to expert advice to make the most of your giving from the Private Clients Team. Tailored philanthropic advice.
Impact reporting is offered; however, additional charges may apply – more detailed information on a donor basis available on request.
Email Address: philanthropy@cafonline.org
Website: Philanthropy Services | Philanthropy Services For Private Donors | CAF (cafonline.org)
You decide how much and how often you want to give. Support as many charities and good causes as you like. Choose from thousands on our database or add your favourite at no extra cost to you or the charity (providing they are UK registered). You can set up regular or one-off standing orders.
There is no registration or set up fees for the My Giving Account. Pre-Tax Payroll Giving deposits attract a fee of 25p per donor, per month, regardless of the value of the donation. Post-Tax Credit and Debit Card deposits attract a low admin fee of 4% (including on Gift Aid).
Charities Trust engages with UK corporates of all sizes to operate Payroll Giving. This allows employees to choose to give a portion of their pay, pre-tax, to charity. The donation sits in an account, called a ‘My Giving Account’, which only incurs a 25p charge per donation. Often this administration fee is covered by the Employing Organisations. My Giving Accounts can be accessed online making your giving flexible. There are over 30k pre-vetted charities on the Charities Trust database that individuals may choose to give to.
Charities Trust can provide bespoke level accounts to support individual needs on a case-by-case basis. In this case, clients still have access to the online My Giving Account to manage their donations should they prefer. All donations will go through appropriate due diligence checks. For larger sums, clients may also suggest charities or projects outside of the pre-approved options, which Charities Trust will perform due diligence on to confirm that it is appropriate. Charities Trust does not offer philanthropy advice to donors, its sole focus is getting the grant quickly and efficiently to the desired charity. These accounts with larger sums are charged a mix of fixed and percentage fees appropriate to the amount held and the service required.
Email Address: claire.grier@charitiestrust.org
Website: https://charitiestrust.org/
Customers can give to UK-registered charities, internationally, and to organisations which aren't registered but which undertake charitable work. Customers are also able, in some circumstances, to give directly to individuals. The minimum grant amount is £250, and the maximum grant amount is the total amount held in the Giving Fund.
All grant requests are verified by the Trustee or authorised representatives of the Trustee to ensure they meet ‘charitable purpose' and ‘public benefit’ criteria. All grants will be made subject to applicable laws and regulations. The Trustee will determine, at its sole discretion, whether and how grants should be made in all cases.
Donors can express their preferences over how their Giving Fund is invested, and the Trustee will aim to accommodate these preferences as far as possible. Final discretion and responsibility for the investments sits with the Trustee.
Some donors have developed impactful investment strategies which the Master Charitable Trust is supportive of although there is not a recommended impact investment strategy for customers. The Master Charitable Trust encourages donors to consider the total impact of their Giving Fund when thinking about their philanthropic and investment goals. The Hoare family's own charitable foundation, The Golden Bottle Trust, is 100% impact invested.
Annual management fee:
First £750,000 - 0.50%
Next £750,000 - 0.25%
Thereafter - 0.10%
There is a minimum fee of £1,250 plus VAT per annum.
Additional fees:
Professional auditors' fees (circa £250-£350 plus VAT) for the charity are split between each Giving Fund.
For grants to larger projects, and/or those involving international or non-registered entities a due diligence fee will be charged based on time spent – this is usually in the region of £300-£600 plus VAT. Where it is necessary to take legal advice, the fee is £1,250 plus VAT; this is in addition to fees incurred for specific legal advice, which are agreed with the customer in advance.
All customers have a dedicated, named relationship manager that is their point of contact within the Master Charitable Trust. The relationship manager will develop a personal relationship with the customer to support their philanthropic activity effectively.
Support provided includes regular reporting to donors, an annual review meeting to reflect on their Giving Fund’s activity to and their investment activity.
Customers can view their giving fund online.
The Hoare Family are experienced philanthropy and impact investing practitioners and customers can draw on their expertise.
The Master Charitable Trust team bring diverse experience in the charity sector, from charity leadership to philanthropic advice and grant support. Customers can connect with like-minded peers that share similar philanthropic aims through regular events hosted by the bank.
The Master Charitable Trust considers its impact as part of the preparation of its annual accounts.
The Master Charitable Trust team aims to have proactive discussions with donors to discuss the impact of their Giving Fund as part of an annual review. Customers may wish to request impact data directly from grantees; in other cases, for example where customers give anonymously, the Master Charitable Trust team can request updates on their behalf.
Email Address:
Website:
You can choose from one-off grants, multi-year giving, structures and performance-based grant-making, and everything in between. Founders Pledge considers themselves able to make grants which no other DAF provider is able to make, and facilitates grants to organisations and companies around the world, from early-stage charities, non-profits to complex research initiatives. All grants must be approved by the board of trustees before funds are received by recipient companies. A strict “zero-harm grant making policy” meaning no grants are allowed to reach organisations which are seen to harm people, the environment, or animals.
Zero fees for balances up to £5 million.
Open to Founders Pledge members, the DAF is one of the world's only zero-cost Donor Advised Funds. This ensures every penny donated goes to the recipient charities and has real impact. Donors can easily track and manage their account through the “member app”, where they can also make contributions, request grants and track donations. Alongside this, when donors wish to speak to a real person, a member of the team is available.
Donors have the opportunity to work with advisors every step of the way. They often begin with a consultation which can include a value discovery process, thanks to the in-house research team. This allows donors to receive individualised giving recommendations. After donations are placed in the DAF account, the in-house research team work further with the donor to understand the values of the donor, and will help map out a targeted, evidence-led philanthropic portfolio. Founders Pledge will provide regular updates on grantees progress and other relevant industry news to donors can continue to refine their giving strategy. A fully bespoke and flexible service is provided to donors which can align with their desired goals and values. There is also ample resources and guidance available which can help donors become more strategic givers.
The in-house research and advisory teams focus on providing high-impact funding opportunities so that donors can fund the most effective ways to tackle the world's biggest problems, and these recommended opportunities are regularly reviewed by the research team based on their level of impact.
Email: giving@founderspledge.com
Website: https://www.founderspledge.com/
Contributions to NPT UK can be in the form of:
-Cash
-Publicly traded shares and securities and restricted securities.
-Legacies, bequests, and testamentary gifts.
-Grants and transfers from a charity or donor-advised fund.
-Property & Art.
-Privately/closely held stock.
NPT UK accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT UK.
If your DAF has a balance greater than £500,000, you can recommend an Investment Manager to manage the DAF assets with NPT UK's approval. For DAFs with a balance lower than £500,000, DAF users can choose from a preapproved list of investment options.
NPT UK offers a range of impact investment options on their DAF investment menu.
First £250,000-0.85%
Next £250,000- 0.70%
Next £500,000- 0.35%
Above £1,000,000- 0.20%
Minimum fee of £200 per month
Legacy Giving: A 1% fee of the value of the legacy is deducted from the assets, with fees ranging from
£2,400-£25,000.
No set up fee and can be opened within 48 hours. NPT UK accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT UK.
Fund the DAF - Contributions to NPT UK can be in the form of:
Thorough and expert advice offered.
International grant recipients are required to complete an annual declaration and report as to use of funds granted to them.
Email Address: enquiries@nptuk.org
Website: www.nptuk.org
Cazenove Capital's Donor Advised Funds assets go under NPT UK. It has opened 53 accounts and funded £60m in £10m out to over 200 charities.
Contributions to NPT Transatlantic can be in the form of:
-Cash
-Publicly traded shares and securities and restricted securities.
-Legacies, bequests, and testamentary gifts.
-Grants and transfers from a charity or donor-advised fund.
-Property & Art.
Privately/closely held stock (C-corp, S-corp, LLCs); publicly traded partnerships.
NPT Transatlantic accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT Transatlantic.
If your DAF has a balance greater than £500,000/$800,000, you can recommend an Investment Manager to manage the DAF assets with NPT Transatlantic's approval. For DAFs with a balance lower than £500,000/$800,000, DAF users can choose from a pre-approved list of investment options. NPT Transatlantic offers a range of impact investment options on their DAF investment menu.
First £250,000/$400,000- 0.85%
Next £250,000/$400,000- 0.70%
Next £500,000/$800,000- 0.35%
Above £1,000,000 /$1,600,000- 0.20%
Minimum fee of £200/$300 per month
A 1% fee of the value of the legacy is deducted from the assets, with fees ranging from $3,600-$40,000.
No set up fee and can be opened within 48 hours. NPT Transatlantic accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT Transatlantic.
Fund the DAF – Contributions to NPT Transatlantic can be in the form of:
Thorough and expert advice offered.
International grant recipients are required to complete an annual declaration and report as to use of funds granted to them.
Email Address: enquiries@nptuk.org
Website:www.nptuk.org
Donations are donor-led and donors can suggest distributions with flexibility, whether in the UK or overseas, or through social impact investments for example. Grants to profit making companies are also allowed if there is a clear philanthropic aim. Donor's may recommend any charitable initiative globally, but legally the decision lies with Prism’s trustees as with any DAF. Prism has an entrepreneurial ethos that runs throughout the organisation meaning we are swift, efficient and flexible in what we can accept and distribute, as long as it complies with UK law. Most UK grants are out within 24-48 hours, and overseas grants can be made within a week or less. Prism has an award-winning due diligence, governance and compliance process with strong policies in place to ensure the funds are utilised according to the donor’s desired charitable purposes.
DAF investments are also donor-led. Donors can select an investment manager of their choice. Currently Prism holds over £300m in assets across 40 wealth management firms of which donors can choose from.
Prism charges fees based on the administrative input required to facilitate the activity of the DAF. Fees start from £1,500 plus VAT per quarter. Fees are calculated specifically for each client’s needs, measuring how many of Prism’s services the DAF will use. For example, how many charitable distributions and how complex? Or do clients use Prism Offshore, Prism’s US service or Next Gen?
Prism also offers Collective Funds, a unique model for individuals, groups and organisations looking to raise money tax effectively and swiftly for charitable purposes. Prism provides the administration, compliance and governance removing obstacles involved in setting up a standalone fundraising or operational charity. Minimum to open a Collective Fund £50,000.
If donors wish and where appropriate, Prism can make soft introductions to charities or organisations of interest to DAF clients. Prism also runs educational events to familiarise more people with the charity landscape and charities working in various fields. However, when donors are looking for a giving strategy or similar, Prism can make informed introductions to professional philanthropy advisors. Donors also receive quarterly summaries of their donations and investments performance. Furthermore, end of tax year statements summarise donors’ philanthropy for their tax return.
Donor’s grants are measured against the UN Sustainable Development Goals [SDG] to see their areas of impact. As part of its thorough due diligence processes Prism requires reporting from all its charities, allowing donors to directly see how their funds have been used to fulfil their philanthropic purpose and contribute to international charitable objectives.
Email Address: lara@prismthegiftfund.co.uk
Website: https://prismthegiftfund.co.uk/donor-advised-funds/
Grants are disbursed to qualified charitable projects in line with UK charity law and regulations including grants to registered charities both domestic and international, and other not-for-profit public benefit organisations providing social impact. All recipient organisations must fulfil Prospero World’s Due Diligence requirements before a grant will be made. There is no minimum grant size, however, the average grant is £20k.
Donors may recommend charities, but legally the decision lies with the Prospero World Trustees. Entities which can receive grants include qualified charities- both domestic and international- which fulfil the due diligence process. Most grant rules are bespoke and dependant on each individual charity. The distribution policy is done on a case-by-case basis, with the time between grant request and the grant money being given out ranging from hours to months, depending on due-diligence process and other key factors.
Prospero’s DAF philosophy is to channel the DAF back into the charitable sector as swiftly, efficiently and effectively as possible. We encourage DAF clients to disburse entirety of funds over £200k within 12 months.
Prospero World offers full-service management of donor-advised fund accounts as tax-efficient philanthropic giving vehicles for donors with myriad benefits. Prospero World handles the administrative, fiduciary and reporting of DAF. accounts on behalf of the donor and provides advisory services that include grant management, strategic planning and impact measurement.
Yes, grant recommendations to potential foreign grantees may be made by Prospero World or the Donor. Due diligence is conducted on all potential grantees and grants must meet Trustee approval. Prospero World requires foreign charities to adhere to additional reporting requirements to verify use of funds.
The extensive, bespoke support given to Donors of PW DAFs is what sets Prospero World apart.
Since 2007, Prospero World has been guiding and supporting the journey of philanthropists by identifying outstanding NGOs around the world, conducting research, monitoring and evaluating charitable projects, and providing philanthropic advisory services to individuals. Prospero World offers Donors education reports, research, events, site visits and trips, and proactively researches charities and may make grant recommendations to Donors.
Prospero World nurtures relationships between donors and charities, introducing field experts to donors to either further develop existing fields of interest, or to identify areas of charitable activity that may be of particular interest. As well as organizing private meetings, Prospero World hosts events to showcase the work of exceptional organisations.
We monitor donations made ensuring they have been spent in line with the purpose for which they have been given, and evaluate the impact donations have had. We then report back to donors both verbally and through written reports. Our monitoring and evaluation work includes site visits, where appropriate.
Prospero World handles the administrative, fiduciary and reporting of DAFs on behalf of the donor and provides advisory services that include grant management, strategic planning and impact measurement.
We conduct due diligence on charities and Social Enterprises and provide robust advice to donors about their tax-efficient giving.
Prospero World assesses, identifies, and manages the risks arising from accepting donations and disbursing grants.
Prospero World conducts due diligence not only on the charities and organisations to whom we make charitable grants, but also on our Donors. The purpose of our due diligence is to assess source of funds, safeguard legal frameworks and to confirm the integrity and reputation of our Donors in both the business and charitable communities. To this end, Prospero World uses a robust but proportionate due diligence methodology to flag an early warning signs of problems regarding donations. We have chosen to bank with Triodos Bank who have a strict code of ethical banking.
Due diligence procedures will be more rigorous for large donations and for new donors who are unfamiliar, or previously unknown to Prospero World. Due diligence is always carried out directly by representatives of Prospero World and not third party contacts.
Prospero World engages in stringent “Know Your Donor” criteria. These guidelines on accepting donations from individuals are to ensure adequate safeguards that Prospero World only accepts donations that are from legal sources and are acceptable to Prospero World’s charitable mission, thus fulfilling duty of care. These guidelines are used to flag any early warning signs of suspicious donations while embarking on the due diligence process.
Prospero World verifies end use of funds and monitors donations made ensuring they have been spent in line with the purpose for which they have been given. We evaluate the impact of donations and report back to donors both verbally and through written reports. Our monitoring and evaluation work includes site visits, where appropriate.
Prospero World does not accept unsolicited proposals. If a Donor wishes to recommend a grant to a specific charity, Prospero World will initiate the due diligence process. Once successful due diligence is completed, the charity will be invited to submit a grant proposal.
Prospero World also offers the “Start Right” training academy to educate and inspire the Next Generation of philanthropists or for those who are new to giving, new to the UK or who want to gain experiential learning about a new funding area in a safe space. Min. contribution = £10,000. For more information, please visit: https://www.prosperoworld.org.uk/startright
Email Address: elizabeth@prosperoworld.org
Website: https://www.prosperoworld.org.uk/donor-advised-funds
SharedImpact follows donors' advice so long as it matches their charitable objectives, and it is feasible. Our charitable objectives include “helping charitable bodies, and non-charitable bodies pursuing a charitable purpose, to access funding solutions to help them thrive for the benefit of the public”. SharedImpact allows you to direct your donations into 'social investments'. You can lend your donation to a charity, and when they repay it lend it out again. They also permit donors to donate your account balance to charities if you wish to. You can deploy your grants both locally and internationally.
Your existing wealth manager can manage your finds. “Loan out” opportunities are possible, including impact investments, meaning you can lend money to charities, not just grant towards them.
No setup fee. Transaction-based fees are tiered, varying between 0.1% and 5% depending on transaction size.
You can get dual tax deductions if you pay tax internationally.
There is flexible one-to one support available for each donor. This allows for a safe space for donors to share concerns or ask questions. It also catalyses strong relationships between donors and their advisors.
SharedImpact do not produce individual impact reports as they do not want to subject charities to undue measurement overhead. Instead, SharedImpact take the annual reports that charities release and pass those on to the donor by way of a progress update.
Email Address: info@sharedimpact.org
Website: www.sharedimpact.org
Giving Account – up to £25,000 annually
Donor Advised Fund account - £25,000 to £500,000
Philanthropy Fund account- £500,000 and over
Donors can choose from 13,000 charities, churches and Christian workers already registered for support with Stewardship. Donors can also suggest charitable causes that are not already registered with Stewardship. While Stewardship is a Christian charity, neither donors or causes have to be Christian, as long as the objects and activities of charities receiving grants do not conflict with those of Stewardship. On average, the time between a grant request being made and, where approved, the grant being given is a week, but it can vary depending on the size of the grant and where the grant is going. Grants are made subject to due diligence processes, including a review of the charitable objectives of an organisation, and ‘Know-Your-Customer’ checks to ascertain the source of donors’ money.
Higher value, cross-Border giving is typically handled in partnership with TrustBridge Global, a Swiss foundation with an international member network. International grants handled by this partnership incur an additional 1% fee.
Social Impact Investing is an option for Philanthropy and Donor Advised Fund donors. Social Investment provides long-term capital, helping your chosen cause to scale up and become more sustainable. It has the potential to generate a return to your account which can then be ‘recycled’ into further social investments or grants.
Philanthropy and Donor Advised Fund donors can also request that Stewardship invests some or all of their account balance, with the potential to grow it over the long-term. Stewardship has three externally managed investment portfolios to offer: the Stewardship Balanced Portfolio, the Stewardship Growth Portfolio and the Stewardship Sustainable Investment Portfolio.
Stewardship has adopted an investment policy that enables its capital and resources to be directed into investments which have both financial and societal impact, with a focus on investments in churches and charities and opportunities underpinned by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Read Stewardship’s investment policy
Stewardship is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide investment, tax or legal advice, nor recommendations in relation to investments. Read Stewardship’s full investment disclaimer
|
Gift amount in calendar year |
Rate |
|
Up to £50,000 |
3% |
|
£50,001 - £250,000 |
2% |
|
£250,001 and above |
1% |
|
Philanthropy Fund fees on total assets held (including cash balances and investments): |
Rate |
|
Up to £2.5m |
0.6% |
|
£2.5m and above |
0.3% |
|
Annual minimum fee |
£6,000 |
|
Investment options: |
Rate |
|
Stewardship Equity Portfolio |
0.20% |
|
Stewardship Balanced Portfolio |
0.20% |
|
Stewardship Sustainable Investment Portfolio |
0.20% |
|
Minimum amount for initial Investment request into a portfolio(s) |
£10,000 |
|
Subsequent addition/withdrawal minimum |
£5,000 |
|
Annual minimum fee |
No annual minimum |
Philanthropy Fund donors can opt for the additional support of Stewardship’s pioneering Donor Advisory Board service, which allows the donor to include family, friends and trusted advisers in their grant-making decisions, but without the administrative burden of trusteeship.
While Stewardship is a faith-based organisation, it serves people of all faiths and those who have no faith. Charities can become a part of Stewardship’s community by opening a Partner Account to receive charitable support, including with fundraising campaigns. Stewardship handles the associated administration and Gift Aid claims.
Stewardship is developing a dedicated community for next-generation philanthropists supported by small-scale events, discussions and other resources. Stewardship also leads ‘Journey of Generosity’ retreats, which create a space for philanthropists to reflect on their giving motivations and aspirations.
For Donor Advisory Board donors, a quarterly impact review and annual impact report are provided. This service can be extended to other Philanthropy Services donors if desired. Stewardship’s in-house grant managers rigorously explore the proposed impact of major grants and impact assessments are received from recipient charities, typically 12 months after a major grant has been made. For those wanting a more detailed evaluation of the impact of their fund, Stewardship partners with Eido Research.
Dual UK and US taxpayers wanting to donate with impact and efficiency are served by TrustBridge member and US public charity International Generosity Foundation (IGF), which can facilitate donations with the benefit of tax relief in both countries.
Email Address: philanthropy@stewardship.org.uk
Website: https://www.stewardship.org.uk/philanthropy-services
Grants must be given to organisations working on projects deemed charitable as defined by legislation. There is no limit to distribution and no set minimum/maximum time. People can give globally to charities registered in their own country. There are extensive due diligence checks on prospective charities for donations.
Investments are usually managed by client's existing advisors, but impact investment options are provided for clients looking to further leverage their philanthropic capital. An entire suite of options is provided for clients to choose from when selecting their impact/ESG investment providers.
Charities do not need to apply, as there is a pro-active outreach.
Philanthropic strategy development support, education opportunities, working with professional advisors, due diligence on prospective charities, pro-active research to identify prospective charities and projects that meet donor interests, criteria and values, impact monitoring and assessment, participatory grant making, family philanthropy. Clients also receive training both in person and online, and networking events are provided primarily in person with some online activities.
The Good Works Company works with clients to define desired impact and seek partners to fulfil this, then work with them on reporting mechanisms.
Email Address: Allan@goodworkscompany.org
Website: www.goodworkscompany.org
All grants must be made to UK registered charities and exempt charities. The trustees are required to approve all grants in line with Charity Commission rules. Donors can choose when they wish to make grants to charities and how much they want to give. Donors can make regular payments, give away income generated in the portfolio or donate lump sums.
Investment options are available via UBS Wealth Management. UBS will work with you to choose an investment strategy which suits each clients’ charitable account.
Investment manager fees if required, a fee will be charged for the management of assets in your DAF.
Donations are hugely flexible, with no minimum or maximum amount. The donor's personal client advisors will be able to carry out the donors' instructions. All donations are irrevocable.
UBS continually offers clients/advisors training, and views this as part of their day job. UBS also runs Philanthropy events; however, these are not DAF specific.
Impact is not measured directly through the DAF, as UBS wishes to make giving as easy and simple as possible.
Email Address: sh-ukphilanthropyservices@ubs.com
Website: https://www.ubs.com/uk/en.html
As place-based funders, community foundations have developed their own grant making and eligibility criteria in response to the specific needs of their areas. Grants are normally made to registered charities, or community organisations with a charitable purpose, and some community foundations make grants to individuals. Grants can be as small as £50 and as large as £50,000 or more, depending on the donor’s wishes. The network of community foundations covers the whole of the UK and Ireland, and individual community foundations often collaborate with each other to distribute grant funding for particular donors across multiple areas of the country. Community Foundation Northern Ireland and Community Foundation Ireland provide cross-border support through their All-Island Fund. National programmes, centrally managed by UKCF, can include some or all the UK nations depending on the size and objectives for the fund.
Building a long-term, permanent resource for the benefit of local communities is at the heart of what community foundations do. Many have built up sizeable, professionally managed long-term endowment funds comprising individual donor funds which are pooled for investment purposes. This income is available year after year, and many donor funds have now made grants totalling more than the original donations, whilst protecting the real term value of the funds into the future. Each community foundation has its own investment policy, but they all share many years’ experience of managing endowment funds on behalf of a wide range of donors. Increasingly these donors are involving their children in grant giving, and many community foundations have succession planning arrangements in place for the inter-generational transfer of the funds. Community foundations also offer a flow-through revenue fund option, where the donation is available for immediate use and can be topped up at any time. Many also offer a hybrid fund option, which allows donors to respond to immediate grant-making priorities whilst building an endowment fund for the long term.
Community foundations also work with charitable trusts and other charities with dormant or inactive assets to revitalise them into active funds through transferring the assets to the community foundation. They liaise with the Charity Commission to provide the trustees with support and advice throughout the transfer. Community foundations can receive donations in the form of shares, property or land on which there can be tax relief available to the donor.
Community foundations offer a high-quality, individually tailored philanthropy advice service and fees vary depending on the level of service each donor requires. Individual community foundations have their own fee structures, but typically an endowment fund might attract an annual contribution to the community foundation’s costs of between 1% and 3% of the capital value of the fund. A flow-through fund service might cost a one-off 10% of the value of the donation.
Community foundations are embedded within their communities in perpetuity and receive legacy gifts, working with family members, friends and/or professional advisers to ensure the legator’s wishes are met.
Community foundations have extensive knowledge of their local communities, needs and aspirations and can provide donors with all the support they need to make the most of their charitable giving. This bespoke service includes professional investment management, charity due diligence, grants administration, project visits and other educational opportunities, research reports, events and networking opportunities. Community foundations also work closely with professional advisers in their area to enhance the quality of the philanthropic advice available to their clients.
UK Community Foundations (UKCF) is the membership body for 47 accredited community foundations which cover every postcode of the UK, and four international members in Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, and Bermuda.
Community foundations inspire place-based philanthropy, transforming private wealth into community resources for both now and the long term. Collectively, the national network of community foundations holds over £800 million in endowed funds and distributes over £70 million each year to local groups and organisations that are tackling the biggest issues facing communities today.
The UKCF network has a profound impact across the UK. Each community foundation collects impact information on the grants it makes and reports publicly on its impact each year. Many foundations also share data through the online data tool, 360 Giving, to enhance learning on grant making nationally. The network is committed to transparent reporting and to developing our understanding of the impact we have; new data tools will enable us to report in future years in more detail on our collective impact as a network.
Community foundations are locally embedded and our grant making is based on a sophisticated understanding of local need and how funding can be used for greatest impact. Members produce regular social needs reports that help identify grant-making priorities and influence other bodies, supporting a shared agenda for action and investment. UKCF pulls together the network’s data on local giving each year, and you can find its Philanthropy 2023 Report here.
To find your nearest foundation, please visit the UKCF website. If you would like to find out more about giving through UKCF, please get in touch.
Grants must be for a minimum of £1,000. Grants can be made to UK registered charities. Grants to Community Interest Companies (CICs) and overseas not-for-profit organisations are also possible, although these are subject to extra due diligence to ensure that a grant would be used in accordance with UK charitable purposes. We have extensive experience in making overseas grants.
We believe that funds set aside for charitable giving should beinvested in a responsible and ethical way. As a consequence, we're committed to investing funds in accordance with environmental, social and governance standards set out in our investment policy.
Our default investment manager is Castlefield, an investment firm with a long standing commitment to ESG investing. That said, we are expanding our range of investment providers and welcome requests from new donors to add new investment management firms.
An account administration charge is levied on the total value of funds in a DAF account. Standard fee rates are:
0.40% per annum on the first £1m.
0.20% per annum on the next £4m.
0.15% per annum on funds above £5m.
Account administration fees are charged quarterly based on the fund valuation at the start of each quarter. All accounts will be charged a minimum fee of £650 per quarter.
We do not charge an account set up fee although, if a DAF is closed within 3 years of account opening, we reserve the right to charge an early closing fee of up to £1,000.
As a small DAF provider, we aim to provide all our donors with a personal and responsive service. All donors have a dedicated relationship manager and receive quarterly reports on their funds.
The Charity Service offers a philanthropy advice service as an optional extra for DAF account holders that want support with developing a philanthropic strategy, researching and selecting charities, and monitoring and evaluating grants made.
We are not prescriptive about how best to measure impact. We recognise there are a range of different approaches and tailor impact assessment according to the philanthropic objectives of each donor.
Email Address: enquiries@charityservice.org.uk
Website: https://charityservice.org.uk/
The Princes Exchange Foundation is under the care of Turcan Connell. For more information please contact: enquiries@turcanconnell.com
A DAF can function exactly as a Personal Charitable Trust would. Their structure means that the administrative burden is placed onto the trustees, who offer advice to donors and have systems in place to ensure that tax and other legal obligations are fulfilled. This empowers the donor to pursue their passion, content in the knowledge that their funds are being handled responsibly. On top of this, there is more flexibility: for example, you may choose to remain anonymous in your giving and there is no need to appoint a board of trustees.
Alongside their ability to make philanthropy both simple and effective, DAFs can also be used as a quick way to distribute funds in emergency situations, as experienced in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when the needs were both great and immediate.
Over the past 5 years, giving from Donor Advised Funds in the UK has increased by 130%, from £250.3m to £575.4m (Source: CAF ‘Philanthropy Comes of Age’ report, released 2020), testament to the effectiveness of using a DAF. However, annual charitable giving in the UK tends to be in excess of £10bn, swamping the amount given by DAFs: under 6% of this figure. It is integral that professional advisors have access to clear, accurate information surrounding the Donor Advised Fund Market- so that they can present the full palette of options to their clients. Our research has shown that each DAF has its own strengths, and there are key differences in structure and flexibility, which we summarise in the below information.
We have compiled a list of UK Donor Advised Funds. Our research outlines the key features of each, for ease of comparison.
This can be in the form of cash, shares, property and other assets. Assets accepted vary according to DAF provider. There is usually a minimum initial donation required to open the account. It is at this point that you may name your trust alongside appointing your advisors, successors and beneficiaries. After the initial minimum donation, donors can give subsequent contributions, of a smaller value. All donations are irrevocable once given.
The shares and other investments you have donated to your DAF will grow in value, meaning you have more capital at your disposal for grant giving. Not all DAF providers offer the option to hold investments in an account. Commonly promoted among Donor Advised Fund Managers to ensure total portfolio impact, is the transition of your investments to ethical, ESG or impact funds. This ensures that what you’re investing in doesn’t contradict the good work of your grant-making. The structure also invites riskier social investment: since all the assets in the fund have been earmarked for charitable giving, why not invest in projects which result in a positive impact?
Distributing your grants is made easy through a Donor Advised Fund. The donor recommends grants from their charitable account to qualified charities. The capabilities of each DAF vary: some DAFs only allow giving to UK registered charities, whereas others will go to great lengths in due diligence to allow you to give more flexibly. Some DAFs are specifically set up for dual qualified citizens. You can request one-off grants to be made or set up standing orders. This will all be managed and properly documented by the trustees.
The below list details the list of Donor Advised Funds available in the United Kingdom. Scroll down to find out more.
Cazenove Capital‘s DAF is administered by National Philanthropic Trust (NPT UK), an independent UK charity. They will collaboratively deal with all administration of your DAF which allows you to focus on the causes you care about.
The donor has complete control to request grants be paid to their selected recipients from their DAF account, in any of the Chapel & York Foundations. Grantees or recipient entities must pass due diligence and agree to terms and conditions including that the funds received must be used for charitable purposes. Once a grant request is approved, grants are typically paid within 2-4 weeks.
Investment options. In UK coming in 2025.
Investment Options in US are available for DAF clients of the Chapel & York US Foundation.
DAF fees start at £2,000 + VAT per annuum for an Individual DAF.
DAF fees start at £5,000 - £10,000 + VAT per annum for Company DAF.
Plus a 1% retention rate on DAF contributions, a 0.05% admin fee based on the percentage on balance of DAF account held at renewal.
£250 fee for due diligence at grant making in UK.
Equivalence Determination fee applied to international grants from US DAF clients.
Chapel & York work with both individuals and entities (corporations, advisor groups, employee giving programmes, etc) who wish to have a DAF and have a network of Chapel & York Foundations in the US, Canada, UK, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore to provide tax-effective giving for donors wherever they may pay tax or for multi-national companies. Our US and UK Foundations are linked so that donors paying tax in the US and UK would benefit from Gift Aid in the UK and a US tax deduction for the same donation.
Chapel & York offer a free consultation with prospective DAF applicants to talk through their aims and requirements. This can be booked online using the website address provided and scrolling to the bottom of he page to automatically schedule a time convenient to the applicant.
Clients are offered guidance and information on impact/ESG investments outside the DAF programme. Further guidance and information are available upon donor request. Chapel & York have lawyers and specialist philanthropy advisors who work with client. They have provided educational opportunities for donors to engage with charities in a structured and contained way. Clients and advisors are offered training both in person and online. Online Philanthropic briefings have been provided, which give both educational and networking opportunities. Chapel & York is currently evaluating future networking events.
Grant recipients are required to complete an annual declaration and report as to use of funds granted to them.
Email Address:
Website:
Overseas grant giving is available, as well as anonymous giving. Alternative finance structures e.g., loans, multi-year grant agreements, and social investments are allowed; however, additional charges may apply. You can give anywhere in the world, and CAF take on all added administration which comes with overseas grant making.
There are a range of investment solutions for a CAF Charitable Trust, including the investment funds offered by CAF Financial Solutions Limited. In certain circumstances, CAF may be able to work with a donor’s existing investment manager.
First £100,000- 1.40%
£100,000.01 - £500,000- 0.75%
£500,000.01 - £1,500,000- 0.35%
£1,500,000.01 - £2.500,000- 0.25%
£2,500,000.01 - £5,000,000- 0.20%
Above £5,000,000- 0.15%
Minimum annual charge: £600
Other supplementary charges are issued for a variety of services including offshore donations, bespoke grants and legal agreements, philanthropic and succession research etc.
Online account management permitted, and the service is managed by Pooled Service Model
Access to expert advice to make the most of your giving from the Private Clients Team. Tailored philanthropic advice.
Impact reporting is offered; however, additional charges may apply – more detailed information on a donor basis available on request.
Email Address: philanthropy@cafonline.org
Website: Philanthropy Services | Philanthropy Services For Private Donors | CAF (cafonline.org)
You decide how much and how often you want to give. Support as many charities and good causes as you like. Choose from thousands on our database or add your favourite at no extra cost to you or the charity (providing they are UK registered). You can set up regular or one-off standing orders.
There is no registration or set up fees for the My Giving Account. Pre-Tax Payroll Giving deposits attract a fee of 25p per donor, per month, regardless of the value of the donation. Post-Tax Credit and Debit Card deposits attract a low admin fee of 4% (including on Gift Aid).
Charities Trust engages with UK corporates of all sizes to operate Payroll Giving. This allows employees to choose to give a portion of their pay, pre-tax, to charity. The donation sits in an account, called a ‘My Giving Account’, which only incurs a 25p charge per donation. Often this administration fee is covered by the Employing Organisations. My Giving Accounts can be accessed online making your giving flexible. There are over 30k pre-vetted charities on the Charities Trust database that individuals may choose to give to.
Charities Trust can provide bespoke level accounts to support individual needs on a case-by-case basis. In this case, clients still have access to the online My Giving Account to manage their donations should they prefer. All donations will go through appropriate due diligence checks. For larger sums, clients may also suggest charities or projects outside of the pre-approved options, which Charities Trust will perform due diligence on to confirm that it is appropriate. Charities Trust does not offer philanthropy advice to donors, its sole focus is getting the grant quickly and efficiently to the desired charity. These accounts with larger sums are charged a mix of fixed and percentage fees appropriate to the amount held and the service required.
Email Address: claire.grier@charitiestrust.org
Website: https://charitiestrust.org/
Customers can give to UK-registered charities, internationally, and to organisations which aren't registered but which undertake charitable work. Customers are also able, in some circumstances, to give directly to individuals. The minimum grant amount is £250, and the maximum grant amount is the total amount held in the Giving Fund.
All grant requests are verified by the Trustee or authorised representatives of the Trustee to ensure they meet ‘charitable purpose' and ‘public benefit’ criteria. All grants will be made subject to applicable laws and regulations. The Trustee will determine, at its sole discretion, whether and how grants should be made in all cases.
Donors can express their preferences over how their Giving Fund is invested, and the Trustee will aim to accommodate these preferences as far as possible. Final discretion and responsibility for the investments sits with the Trustee.
Some donors have developed impactful investment strategies which the Master Charitable Trust is supportive of although there is not a recommended impact investment strategy for customers. The Master Charitable Trust encourages donors to consider the total impact of their Giving Fund when thinking about their philanthropic and investment goals. The Hoare family's own charitable foundation, The Golden Bottle Trust, is 100% impact invested.
Annual management fee:
First £750,000 - 0.50%
Next £750,000 - 0.25%
Thereafter - 0.10%
There is a minimum fee of £1,250 plus VAT per annum.
Additional fees:
Professional auditors' fees (circa £250-£350 plus VAT) for the charity are split between each Giving Fund.
For grants to larger projects, and/or those involving international or non-registered entities a due diligence fee will be charged based on time spent – this is usually in the region of £300-£600 plus VAT. Where it is necessary to take legal advice, the fee is £1,250 plus VAT; this is in addition to fees incurred for specific legal advice, which are agreed with the customer in advance.
All customers have a dedicated, named relationship manager that is their point of contact within the Master Charitable Trust. The relationship manager will develop a personal relationship with the customer to support their philanthropic activity effectively.
Support provided includes regular reporting to donors, an annual review meeting to reflect on their Giving Fund’s activity to and their investment activity.
Customers can view their giving fund online.
The Hoare Family are experienced philanthropy and impact investing practitioners and customers can draw on their expertise.
The Master Charitable Trust team bring diverse experience in the charity sector, from charity leadership to philanthropic advice and grant support. Customers can connect with like-minded peers that share similar philanthropic aims through regular events hosted by the bank.
The Master Charitable Trust considers its impact as part of the preparation of its annual accounts.
The Master Charitable Trust team aims to have proactive discussions with donors to discuss the impact of their Giving Fund as part of an annual review. Customers may wish to request impact data directly from grantees; in other cases, for example where customers give anonymously, the Master Charitable Trust team can request updates on their behalf.
Email Address:
Website:
You can choose from one-off grants, multi-year giving, structures and performance-based grant-making, and everything in between. Founders Pledge considers themselves able to make grants which no other DAF provider is able to make, and facilitates grants to organisations and companies around the world, from early-stage charities, non-profits to complex research initiatives. All grants must be approved by the board of trustees before funds are received by recipient companies. A strict “zero-harm grant making policy” meaning no grants are allowed to reach organisations which are seen to harm people, the environment, or animals.
Zero fees for balances up to £5 million.
Open to Founders Pledge members, the DAF is one of the world's only zero-cost Donor Advised Funds. This ensures every penny donated goes to the recipient charities and has real impact. Donors can easily track and manage their account through the “member app”, where they can also make contributions, request grants and track donations. Alongside this, when donors wish to speak to a real person, a member of the team is available.
Donors have the opportunity to work with advisors every step of the way. They often begin with a consultation which can include a value discovery process, thanks to the in-house research team. This allows donors to receive individualised giving recommendations. After donations are placed in the DAF account, the in-house research team work further with the donor to understand the values of the donor, and will help map out a targeted, evidence-led philanthropic portfolio. Founders Pledge will provide regular updates on grantees progress and other relevant industry news to donors can continue to refine their giving strategy. A fully bespoke and flexible service is provided to donors which can align with their desired goals and values. There is also ample resources and guidance available which can help donors become more strategic givers.
The in-house research and advisory teams focus on providing high-impact funding opportunities so that donors can fund the most effective ways to tackle the world's biggest problems, and these recommended opportunities are regularly reviewed by the research team based on their level of impact.
Email: giving@founderspledge.com
Website: https://www.founderspledge.com/
Contributions to NPT UK can be in the form of:
-Cash
-Publicly traded shares and securities and restricted securities.
-Legacies, bequests, and testamentary gifts.
-Grants and transfers from a charity or donor-advised fund.
-Property & Art.
-Privately/closely held stock.
NPT UK accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT UK.
If your DAF has a balance greater than £500,000, you can recommend an Investment Manager to manage the DAF assets with NPT UK's approval. For DAFs with a balance lower than £500,000, DAF users can choose from a preapproved list of investment options.
NPT UK offers a range of impact investment options on their DAF investment menu.
First £250,000-0.85%
Next £250,000- 0.70%
Next £500,000- 0.35%
Above £1,000,000- 0.20%
Minimum fee of £200 per month
Legacy Giving: A 1% fee of the value of the legacy is deducted from the assets, with fees ranging from
£2,400-£25,000.
No set up fee and can be opened within 48 hours. NPT UK accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT UK.
Fund the DAF - Contributions to NPT UK can be in the form of:
Thorough and expert advice offered.
International grant recipients are required to complete an annual declaration and report as to use of funds granted to them.
Email Address: enquiries@nptuk.org
Website: www.nptuk.org
Cazenove Capital's Donor Advised Funds assets go under NPT UK. It has opened 53 accounts and funded £60m in £10m out to over 200 charities.
Contributions to NPT Transatlantic can be in the form of:
-Cash
-Publicly traded shares and securities and restricted securities.
-Legacies, bequests, and testamentary gifts.
-Grants and transfers from a charity or donor-advised fund.
-Property & Art.
Privately/closely held stock (C-corp, S-corp, LLCs); publicly traded partnerships.
NPT Transatlantic accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT Transatlantic.
If your DAF has a balance greater than £500,000/$800,000, you can recommend an Investment Manager to manage the DAF assets with NPT Transatlantic's approval. For DAFs with a balance lower than £500,000/$800,000, DAF users can choose from a pre-approved list of investment options. NPT Transatlantic offers a range of impact investment options on their DAF investment menu.
First £250,000/$400,000- 0.85%
Next £250,000/$400,000- 0.70%
Next £500,000/$800,000- 0.35%
Above £1,000,000 /$1,600,000- 0.20%
Minimum fee of £200/$300 per month
A 1% fee of the value of the legacy is deducted from the assets, with fees ranging from $3,600-$40,000.
No set up fee and can be opened within 48 hours. NPT Transatlantic accepts illiquid assets. Every illiquid asset is unique and subject to approval by NPT Transatlantic.
Fund the DAF – Contributions to NPT Transatlantic can be in the form of:
Thorough and expert advice offered.
International grant recipients are required to complete an annual declaration and report as to use of funds granted to them.
Email Address: enquiries@nptuk.org
Website:www.nptuk.org
Donations are donor-led and donors can suggest distributions with flexibility, whether in the UK or overseas, or through social impact investments for example. Grants to profit making companies are also allowed if there is a clear philanthropic aim. Donor's may recommend any charitable initiative globally, but legally the decision lies with Prism’s trustees as with any DAF. Prism has an entrepreneurial ethos that runs throughout the organisation meaning we are swift, efficient and flexible in what we can accept and distribute, as long as it complies with UK law. Most UK grants are out within 24-48 hours, and overseas grants can be made within a week or less. Prism has an award-winning due diligence, governance and compliance process with strong policies in place to ensure the funds are utilised according to the donor’s desired charitable purposes.
DAF investments are also donor-led. Donors can select an investment manager of their choice. Currently Prism holds over £300m in assets across 40 wealth management firms of which donors can choose from.
Prism charges fees based on the administrative input required to facilitate the activity of the DAF. Fees start from £1,500 plus VAT per quarter. Fees are calculated specifically for each client’s needs, measuring how many of Prism’s services the DAF will use. For example, how many charitable distributions and how complex? Or do clients use Prism Offshore, Prism’s US service or Next Gen?
Prism also offers Collective Funds, a unique model for individuals, groups and organisations looking to raise money tax effectively and swiftly for charitable purposes. Prism provides the administration, compliance and governance removing obstacles involved in setting up a standalone fundraising or operational charity. Minimum to open a Collective Fund £50,000.
If donors wish and where appropriate, Prism can make soft introductions to charities or organisations of interest to DAF clients. Prism also runs educational events to familiarise more people with the charity landscape and charities working in various fields. However, when donors are looking for a giving strategy or similar, Prism can make informed introductions to professional philanthropy advisors. Donors also receive quarterly summaries of their donations and investments performance. Furthermore, end of tax year statements summarise donors’ philanthropy for their tax return.
Donor’s grants are measured against the UN Sustainable Development Goals [SDG] to see their areas of impact. As part of its thorough due diligence processes Prism requires reporting from all its charities, allowing donors to directly see how their funds have been used to fulfil their philanthropic purpose and contribute to international charitable objectives.
Email Address: lara@prismthegiftfund.co.uk
Website: https://prismthegiftfund.co.uk/donor-advised-funds/
Grants are disbursed to qualified charitable projects in line with UK charity law and regulations including grants to registered charities both domestic and international, and other not-for-profit public benefit organisations providing social impact. All recipient organisations must fulfil Prospero World’s Due Diligence requirements before a grant will be made. There is no minimum grant size, however, the average grant is £20k.
Donors may recommend charities, but legally the decision lies with the Prospero World Trustees. Entities which can receive grants include qualified charities- both domestic and international- which fulfil the due diligence process. Most grant rules are bespoke and dependant on each individual charity. The distribution policy is done on a case-by-case basis, with the time between grant request and the grant money being given out ranging from hours to months, depending on due-diligence process and other key factors.
Prospero’s DAF philosophy is to channel the DAF back into the charitable sector as swiftly, efficiently and effectively as possible. We encourage DAF clients to disburse entirety of funds over £200k within 12 months.
Prospero World offers full-service management of donor-advised fund accounts as tax-efficient philanthropic giving vehicles for donors with myriad benefits. Prospero World handles the administrative, fiduciary and reporting of DAF. accounts on behalf of the donor and provides advisory services that include grant management, strategic planning and impact measurement.
Yes, grant recommendations to potential foreign grantees may be made by Prospero World or the Donor. Due diligence is conducted on all potential grantees and grants must meet Trustee approval. Prospero World requires foreign charities to adhere to additional reporting requirements to verify use of funds.
The extensive, bespoke support given to Donors of PW DAFs is what sets Prospero World apart.
Since 2007, Prospero World has been guiding and supporting the journey of philanthropists by identifying outstanding NGOs around the world, conducting research, monitoring and evaluating charitable projects, and providing philanthropic advisory services to individuals. Prospero World offers Donors education reports, research, events, site visits and trips, and proactively researches charities and may make grant recommendations to Donors.
Prospero World nurtures relationships between donors and charities, introducing field experts to donors to either further develop existing fields of interest, or to identify areas of charitable activity that may be of particular interest. As well as organizing private meetings, Prospero World hosts events to showcase the work of exceptional organisations.
We monitor donations made ensuring they have been spent in line with the purpose for which they have been given, and evaluate the impact donations have had. We then report back to donors both verbally and through written reports. Our monitoring and evaluation work includes site visits, where appropriate.
Prospero World handles the administrative, fiduciary and reporting of DAFs on behalf of the donor and provides advisory services that include grant management, strategic planning and impact measurement.
We conduct due diligence on charities and Social Enterprises and provide robust advice to donors about their tax-efficient giving.
Prospero World assesses, identifies, and manages the risks arising from accepting donations and disbursing grants.
Prospero World conducts due diligence not only on the charities and organisations to whom we make charitable grants, but also on our Donors. The purpose of our due diligence is to assess source of funds, safeguard legal frameworks and to confirm the integrity and reputation of our Donors in both the business and charitable communities. To this end, Prospero World uses a robust but proportionate due diligence methodology to flag an early warning signs of problems regarding donations. We have chosen to bank with Triodos Bank who have a strict code of ethical banking.
Due diligence procedures will be more rigorous for large donations and for new donors who are unfamiliar, or previously unknown to Prospero World. Due diligence is always carried out directly by representatives of Prospero World and not third party contacts.
Prospero World engages in stringent “Know Your Donor” criteria. These guidelines on accepting donations from individuals are to ensure adequate safeguards that Prospero World only accepts donations that are from legal sources and are acceptable to Prospero World’s charitable mission, thus fulfilling duty of care. These guidelines are used to flag any early warning signs of suspicious donations while embarking on the due diligence process.
Prospero World verifies end use of funds and monitors donations made ensuring they have been spent in line with the purpose for which they have been given. We evaluate the impact of donations and report back to donors both verbally and through written reports. Our monitoring and evaluation work includes site visits, where appropriate.
Prospero World does not accept unsolicited proposals. If a Donor wishes to recommend a grant to a specific charity, Prospero World will initiate the due diligence process. Once successful due diligence is completed, the charity will be invited to submit a grant proposal.
Prospero World also offers the “Start Right” training academy to educate and inspire the Next Generation of philanthropists or for those who are new to giving, new to the UK or who want to gain experiential learning about a new funding area in a safe space. Min. contribution = £10,000. For more information, please visit: https://www.prosperoworld.org.uk/startright
Email Address: elizabeth@prosperoworld.org
Website: https://www.prosperoworld.org.uk/donor-advised-funds
SharedImpact follows donors' advice so long as it matches their charitable objectives, and it is feasible. Our charitable objectives include “helping charitable bodies, and non-charitable bodies pursuing a charitable purpose, to access funding solutions to help them thrive for the benefit of the public”. SharedImpact allows you to direct your donations into 'social investments'. You can lend your donation to a charity, and when they repay it lend it out again. They also permit donors to donate your account balance to charities if you wish to. You can deploy your grants both locally and internationally.
Your existing wealth manager can manage your finds. “Loan out” opportunities are possible, including impact investments, meaning you can lend money to charities, not just grant towards them.
No setup fee. Transaction-based fees are tiered, varying between 0.1% and 5% depending on transaction size.
You can get dual tax deductions if you pay tax internationally.
There is flexible one-to one support available for each donor. This allows for a safe space for donors to share concerns or ask questions. It also catalyses strong relationships between donors and their advisors.
SharedImpact do not produce individual impact reports as they do not want to subject charities to undue measurement overhead. Instead, SharedImpact take the annual reports that charities release and pass those on to the donor by way of a progress update.
Email Address: info@sharedimpact.org
Website: www.sharedimpact.org
Giving Account – up to £25,000 annually
Donor Advised Fund account - £25,000 to £500,000
Philanthropy Fund account- £500,000 and over
Donors can choose from 13,000 charities, churches and Christian workers already registered for support with Stewardship. Donors can also suggest charitable causes that are not already registered with Stewardship. While Stewardship is a Christian charity, neither donors or causes have to be Christian, as long as the objects and activities of charities receiving grants do not conflict with those of Stewardship. On average, the time between a grant request being made and, where approved, the grant being given is a week, but it can vary depending on the size of the grant and where the grant is going. Grants are made subject to due diligence processes, including a review of the charitable objectives of an organisation, and ‘Know-Your-Customer’ checks to ascertain the source of donors’ money.
Higher value, cross-Border giving is typically handled in partnership with TrustBridge Global, a Swiss foundation with an international member network. International grants handled by this partnership incur an additional 1% fee.
Social Impact Investing is an option for Philanthropy and Donor Advised Fund donors. Social Investment provides long-term capital, helping your chosen cause to scale up and become more sustainable. It has the potential to generate a return to your account which can then be ‘recycled’ into further social investments or grants.
Philanthropy and Donor Advised Fund donors can also request that Stewardship invests some or all of their account balance, with the potential to grow it over the long-term. Stewardship has three externally managed investment portfolios to offer: the Stewardship Balanced Portfolio, the Stewardship Growth Portfolio and the Stewardship Sustainable Investment Portfolio.
Stewardship has adopted an investment policy that enables its capital and resources to be directed into investments which have both financial and societal impact, with a focus on investments in churches and charities and opportunities underpinned by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Read Stewardship’s investment policy
Stewardship is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide investment, tax or legal advice, nor recommendations in relation to investments. Read Stewardship’s full investment disclaimer
|
Gift amount in calendar year |
Rate |
|
Up to £50,000 |
3% |
|
£50,001 - £250,000 |
2% |
|
£250,001 and above |
1% |
|
Philanthropy Fund fees on total assets held (including cash balances and investments): |
Rate |
|
Up to £2.5m |
0.6% |
|
£2.5m and above |
0.3% |
|
Annual minimum fee |
£6,000 |
|
Investment options: |
Rate |
|
Stewardship Equity Portfolio |
0.20% |
|
Stewardship Balanced Portfolio |
0.20% |
|
Stewardship Sustainable Investment Portfolio |
0.20% |
|
Minimum amount for initial Investment request into a portfolio(s) |
£10,000 |
|
Subsequent addition/withdrawal minimum |
£5,000 |
|
Annual minimum fee |
No annual minimum |
Philanthropy Fund donors can opt for the additional support of Stewardship’s pioneering Donor Advisory Board service, which allows the donor to include family, friends and trusted advisers in their grant-making decisions, but without the administrative burden of trusteeship.
While Stewardship is a faith-based organisation, it serves people of all faiths and those who have no faith. Charities can become a part of Stewardship’s community by opening a Partner Account to receive charitable support, including with fundraising campaigns. Stewardship handles the associated administration and Gift Aid claims.
Stewardship is developing a dedicated community for next-generation philanthropists supported by small-scale events, discussions and other resources. Stewardship also leads ‘Journey of Generosity’ retreats, which create a space for philanthropists to reflect on their giving motivations and aspirations.
For Donor Advisory Board donors, a quarterly impact review and annual impact report are provided. This service can be extended to other Philanthropy Services donors if desired. Stewardship’s in-house grant managers rigorously explore the proposed impact of major grants and impact assessments are received from recipient charities, typically 12 months after a major grant has been made. For those wanting a more detailed evaluation of the impact of their fund, Stewardship partners with Eido Research.
Dual UK and US taxpayers wanting to donate with impact and efficiency are served by TrustBridge member and US public charity International Generosity Foundation (IGF), which can facilitate donations with the benefit of tax relief in both countries.
Email Address: philanthropy@stewardship.org.uk
Website: https://www.stewardship.org.uk/philanthropy-services
Grants must be given to organisations working on projects deemed charitable as defined by legislation. There is no limit to distribution and no set minimum/maximum time. People can give globally to charities registered in their own country. There are extensive due diligence checks on prospective charities for donations.
Investments are usually managed by client's existing advisors, but impact investment options are provided for clients looking to further leverage their philanthropic capital. An entire suite of options is provided for clients to choose from when selecting their impact/ESG investment providers.
Charities do not need to apply, as there is a pro-active outreach.
Philanthropic strategy development support, education opportunities, working with professional advisors, due diligence on prospective charities, pro-active research to identify prospective charities and projects that meet donor interests, criteria and values, impact monitoring and assessment, participatory grant making, family philanthropy. Clients also receive training both in person and online, and networking events are provided primarily in person with some online activities.
The Good Works Company works with clients to define desired impact and seek partners to fulfil this, then work with them on reporting mechanisms.
Email Address: Allan@goodworkscompany.org
Website: www.goodworkscompany.org
All grants must be made to UK registered charities and exempt charities. The trustees are required to approve all grants in line with Charity Commission rules. Donors can choose when they wish to make grants to charities and how much they want to give. Donors can make regular payments, give away income generated in the portfolio or donate lump sums.
Investment options are available via UBS Wealth Management. UBS will work with you to choose an investment strategy which suits each clients’ charitable account.
Investment manager fees if required, a fee will be charged for the management of assets in your DAF.
Donations are hugely flexible, with no minimum or maximum amount. The donor's personal client advisors will be able to carry out the donors' instructions. All donations are irrevocable.
UBS continually offers clients/advisors training, and views this as part of their day job. UBS also runs Philanthropy events; however, these are not DAF specific.
Impact is not measured directly through the DAF, as UBS wishes to make giving as easy and simple as possible.
Email Address: sh-ukphilanthropyservices@ubs.com
Website: https://www.ubs.com/uk/en.html
As place-based funders, community foundations have developed their own grant making and eligibility criteria in response to the specific needs of their areas. Grants are normally made to registered charities, or community organisations with a charitable purpose, and some community foundations make grants to individuals. Grants can be as small as £50 and as large as £50,000 or more, depending on the donor’s wishes. The network of community foundations covers the whole of the UK and Ireland, and individual community foundations often collaborate with each other to distribute grant funding for particular donors across multiple areas of the country. Community Foundation Northern Ireland and Community Foundation Ireland provide cross-border support through their All-Island Fund. National programmes, centrally managed by UKCF, can include some or all the UK nations depending on the size and objectives for the fund.
Building a long-term, permanent resource for the benefit of local communities is at the heart of what community foundations do. Many have built up sizeable, professionally managed long-term endowment funds comprising individual donor funds which are pooled for investment purposes. This income is available year after year, and many donor funds have now made grants totalling more than the original donations, whilst protecting the real term value of the funds into the future. Each community foundation has its own investment policy, but they all share many years’ experience of managing endowment funds on behalf of a wide range of donors. Increasingly these donors are involving their children in grant giving, and many community foundations have succession planning arrangements in place for the inter-generational transfer of the funds. Community foundations also offer a flow-through revenue fund option, where the donation is available for immediate use and can be topped up at any time. Many also offer a hybrid fund option, which allows donors to respond to immediate grant-making priorities whilst building an endowment fund for the long term.
Community foundations also work with charitable trusts and other charities with dormant or inactive assets to revitalise them into active funds through transferring the assets to the community foundation. They liaise with the Charity Commission to provide the trustees with support and advice throughout the transfer. Community foundations can receive donations in the form of shares, property or land on which there can be tax relief available to the donor.
Community foundations offer a high-quality, individually tailored philanthropy advice service and fees vary depending on the level of service each donor requires. Individual community foundations have their own fee structures, but typically an endowment fund might attract an annual contribution to the community foundation’s costs of between 1% and 3% of the capital value of the fund. A flow-through fund service might cost a one-off 10% of the value of the donation.
Community foundations are embedded within their communities in perpetuity and receive legacy gifts, working with family members, friends and/or professional advisers to ensure the legator’s wishes are met.
Community foundations have extensive knowledge of their local communities, needs and aspirations and can provide donors with all the support they need to make the most of their charitable giving. This bespoke service includes professional investment management, charity due diligence, grants administration, project visits and other educational opportunities, research reports, events and networking opportunities. Community foundations also work closely with professional advisers in their area to enhance the quality of the philanthropic advice available to their clients.
UK Community Foundations (UKCF) is the membership body for 47 accredited community foundations which cover every postcode of the UK, and four international members in Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, and Bermuda.
Community foundations inspire place-based philanthropy, transforming private wealth into community resources for both now and the long term. Collectively, the national network of community foundations holds over £800 million in endowed funds and distributes over £70 million each year to local groups and organisations that are tackling the biggest issues facing communities today.
The UKCF network has a profound impact across the UK. Each community foundation collects impact information on the grants it makes and reports publicly on its impact each year. Many foundations also share data through the online data tool, 360 Giving, to enhance learning on grant making nationally. The network is committed to transparent reporting and to developing our understanding of the impact we have; new data tools will enable us to report in future years in more detail on our collective impact as a network.
Community foundations are locally embedded and our grant making is based on a sophisticated understanding of local need and how funding can be used for greatest impact. Members produce regular social needs reports that help identify grant-making priorities and influence other bodies, supporting a shared agenda for action and investment. UKCF pulls together the network’s data on local giving each year, and you can find its Philanthropy 2023 Report here.
To find your nearest foundation, please visit the UKCF website. If you would like to find out more about giving through UKCF, please get in touch.
Grants must be for a minimum of £1,000. Grants can be made to UK registered charities. Grants to Community Interest Companies (CICs) and overseas not-for-profit organisations are also possible, although these are subject to extra due diligence to ensure that a grant would be used in accordance with UK charitable purposes. We have extensive experience in making overseas grants.
We believe that funds set aside for charitable giving should beinvested in a responsible and ethical way. As a consequence, we're committed to investing funds in accordance with environmental, social and governance standards set out in our investment policy.
Our default investment manager is Castlefield, an investment firm with a long standing commitment to ESG investing. That said, we are expanding our range of investment providers and welcome requests from new donors to add new investment management firms.
An account administration charge is levied on the total value of funds in a DAF account. Standard fee rates are:
0.40% per annum on the first £1m.
0.20% per annum on the next £4m.
0.15% per annum on funds above £5m.
Account administration fees are charged quarterly based on the fund valuation at the start of each quarter. All accounts will be charged a minimum fee of £650 per quarter.
We do not charge an account set up fee although, if a DAF is closed within 3 years of account opening, we reserve the right to charge an early closing fee of up to £1,000.
As a small DAF provider, we aim to provide all our donors with a personal and responsive service. All donors have a dedicated relationship manager and receive quarterly reports on their funds.
The Charity Service offers a philanthropy advice service as an optional extra for DAF account holders that want support with developing a philanthropic strategy, researching and selecting charities, and monitoring and evaluating grants made.
We are not prescriptive about how best to measure impact. We recognise there are a range of different approaches and tailor impact assessment according to the philanthropic objectives of each donor.
Email Address: enquiries@charityservice.org.uk
Website: https://charityservice.org.uk/
The Princes Exchange Foundation is under the care of Turcan Connell. For more information please contact: enquiries@turcanconnell.com
