How a Donor Advised Fund Works

How a Donor Advised Fund Works

by | Feb 20, 2025 | Donor Advised Fund

At Ten Talents Foundation, we believe generosity should be simple, strategic, and impactful. Yet, many people struggle to balance tax-efficient giving with supporting multiple organizations they love.

Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) have grown rapidly in popularity, with over $230 billion in assets held in DAFs across the U.S. as of 2022 (National Philanthropic Trust). Why? Because they streamline giving, provide tax advantages, and allow charitable donations to grow over time.

Most people assume generosity means writing a check, but a Donor Advised Fund is a smarter way to give—offering flexibility, simplicity, and the ability to make a greater impact.

What is a Donor Advised Fund?

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a charitable account designed to help donors give more strategically. Instead of donating to individual organizations separately, donors contribute to their DAF, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to nonprofits over time.

Think of it as a charitable investment account—one that grows tax-free and allows for long-term, intentional generosity.

How a Donor Advised Fund Works

  1. Establish a Donor Advised Fund with a foundation like Ten Talents Foundation.
  2. Contribute cash, stocks, or non-cash assets to your Fund whenever you choose.
  3. Your funds grow tax-free, increasing your potential impact.
  4. Recommend donations to your favorite nonprofits when you’re ready to give. 

Why Use a Donor Advised Fund?

  • Maximize tax benefits – Get an immediate charitable deduction and avoid capital gains taxes when donating non-cash assets.
  • Simplify your giving – Manage all donations through one account and receive a single tax receipt.
  • Increase your impact – Let your funds grow tax-free, allowing you to give more over time.
  • Plan giving intentionally – Donate when it makes sense for you and the causes you support.  You can give to your DAF now, claim tax benefits, and distribute to charities later. There’s no requirement to distribute funds immediately, allowing donors to plan their giving over time.
  • Involve family – You can include your family in charitable decision-making and even pass on giving instructions through estate planning.
  • Invest and grow – The funds in the DAF can be invested, potentially increasing the impact of charitable giving over time.

Want to Learn More?

Donor Advised Funds are powerful tools for intentional, tax-efficient generosity. Whether you’re an individual, family, or business, a Donor Advised Fund can help you simplify your giving and maximize your impact.

Contact us here to begin the process of starting a donor advised fund for you, your family or your business!

How this Church Gym is bringing Hope to one of California’s Poorest Neighborhoods

How this Church Gym is bringing Hope to one of California’s Poorest Neighborhoods

by | Jun 20, 2024 | Donor Advised Fund, Generosity

The Challenge of Leading a Church in Southeast Fresno

“God has given me the privilege of pastoring this church for 24 years.” says Pastor Elias Lorea.

Family Christian Assembly is located in Southeast Fresno and is nestled in the second poorest zip code in California. This is the church Elias Lorea has pastored for over two decades.

“It has not been an easy endeavor as finances are an issue in this area of town,” says Pastor Eli.

“God has given me the privilege of pastoring this church for 24 years.  It has not been an easy endeavor as our church is located in the second poorest zip code in California. “

Pastor Elias Loera, Family Christian Assembly Church

Despite limited financial resources, Family Christian Assembly has served as a beacon of light to the community. One way the church has done this is through hosting the only kids basketball league south of Shaw Avenue. This basketball league offered a safe way for kids to make friends, get exercise, and learn from healthy adults. The program also provided a way for the church to build relationships with parents and other community members in Southeast Fresno.

Unfortunately, several months ago, the gym became unsafe for kids to play in.

The floor was falling apart, and the space was in such desperate need of renovations, it was not usable for basketball practice.

Gym before renovations ↓

How Generosity Restored the Gym to a Space of Refuge

Several months ago, members of the Ten Talents Foundation team attended a meeting at Family Christian Assembly. During this meeting, God made it clear to the team what an important role the church gym played in their neighborhood and how desperately it needed to be renovated for continued use.

Through intentional and God-ordained conversations, the story was shared with a Ten Talents’ Donor Advised Fund holder. This person eagerly asked that resources in their fund be allocated to help the Family Christian Assembly renovate their gymnasium.

Then, a local contractor heard about the need and offered to put new flooring in the gym for a highly discounted price.

As the renovations neared completion, those who gave to the project financially through their Donor Advised Fund, the Family Christian Assembly leaders, and members of the Ten Talents Foundation staff gathered to pray over the beautiful new space.

Standing in the church gym was a tangible reminder of God’s unmatched ability to connect people’s unique gifts with a community’s practical needs.

“When Ten Talents approached us about partnering with us to remodel and upgrade our gymnasium, we saw the faithfulness of God at work,” says Pastor Eli Loera. “Through generosity, our gym has been transformed from a dark and dreary outdated facility to a bright new room that is welcoming and warm for the kids in our community.”

Gym after renovations ↓

The New Gym’s Impact on Kids and Families

“We just completed our Little Hoopsters Basketball league for kids 7 to 12 years old [in the newly renovated gym] and it was a complete success. Eighty kids participated in a thirteen-week league in a safe environment where they prayed before every game and practice,” says Pastor Eli.

Some Little Hoopster children walked into the church gym off the streets. For at least two days a week, these kids found safety and community in the walls of the Family Christian Assembly gym.

“Since the league started in February, our church has also ministered to several families outside the league through our church,” says Pastor Eli. “Three families who were not attending any church are part of our church family now.”

Though You May Never Meet these Little Hoopsters…

“Ten Talents givers may never meet the kids whose confidence is built up through basketball; they may never meet the single mother who cannot afford the expensive leagues on the north side of town but was able to bring her kids to Little Hoopsters. They may never meet the families who spent ten Saturdays together in a church gym rooting on their kids…”

Pastor Eli continues, “[But] I thank Ten Talents [donors] for transforming our gym league and the lives of so many people in our part of town. 

Our people are faithful and so is God.”

Unified Generosity is Making Our Community Look More like Heaven

Hope grows and neighborhoods are transformed when individuals, businesses, families, nonprofits, and churches unify together through the Ten Talents Foundation to connect generosity with our community’s needs.

You have the talents. The Ten Talents Foundation is simply a “hub” designed to bring those talents together. Whether you are a church offering your gym as a safe space for kids to play basketball, a contractor using his skills to install new flooring, a business person helping to fund the project and pray for the children whose little feet will walk across the basketball court, YOU are helping our city and world look more like Heaven.

Tax Considerations for Donor Advised Fund Holders

Tax Considerations for Donor Advised Fund Holders

by | Feb 21, 2024 | Donor Advised Fund, Generosity

 At the Ten Talents Foundation, we love to educate our community about tools they can use to live a tax-wise and generous life. One of these powerful tools is called a Donor Advised Fund. A Donor Advised Fund is like a charitable investment account! When you use a Donor Advised Fund to give to causes you love, you will:

1. Receive tax deductions. Donor Advised Fund holders enjoy a federal income tax deduction of up to 60% of adjusted gross income for cash contributions and up to 30% of adjusted gross income for the appreciated securities they donate. (Source: Investopedia)

2. Simplify your giving. When you use a Donor Advised Fund to make your donations, you can give to multiple organizations you love while receiving only ONE tax receipt letter.

3. Plan ahead. A Donor Advised Fund allows you to give assets or cash into the fund, receive tax benefits based on that gift, but distribute the funds to ministries later. This allows you to be more intentional and strategic in your giving, without rushing to make a gift now.

4. Give non-cash assets. When you donate an asset into your Donor Advised Fund, we sell the asset and the proceeds fund your generosity and provide tax savings. 

5. Incur tax-free growth. Funds in your Donor Advised Fund may be invested in a variety of investment models, providing the possibility of tax-free growth. 

Still have questions about Donor Advised Funds? Grab coffee with Ten Talents’ Chief Operating Officer, Dan Kimball, and hear a helpful overview of how a Donor Advised Fund works! ↓

Contact Ten Talents
Including Ministries in Your Will or Trust

Including Ministries in Your Will or Trust

by | Oct 6, 2023 | Donor Advised Fund, Generosity, Uncategorized

Including Ministries You Love in Your Will or Trust (with guidelines & intentionality)

Have you included the causes, ministries, or nonprofits you love in your will or trust?

Are you interested in creating a family culture of giving? Do you want to leave assets to an organization, but you’re concerned one day they will change and start operating contrary to your values?

When you allocate assets in your will or trust to your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with the Ten Talents Foundation you can give to organizations you love long-term with guidelines and intentionality. Designating resources to your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) in your will or trust allows you to: 

  • Create a family culture of giving.
    Leave giving instructions for family members on how to manage the Donor Advised Fund. This empowers your family to carry out a culture of generosity for generations.
  • Ensure the giving aligns with your values.
    Some individuals are hesitant to include a nonprofit or ministry in their will or trust out of fear the organization will eventually stop operating in line with the person’s values. Putting your assets in a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) allows you to leave guidelines a ministry must meet in order to receive gifts out of your Fund.

If you have questions about including a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) in your will or trust we are here to help. Don’t have a will or trust? If you need help setting up a will or trust, contact Ten Talents and we will direct you to the right next steps!

Contact Ten Talents
What is a “Successful” Retirement?

What is a “Successful” Retirement?

by | Jul 19, 2023 | Donor Advised Fund, Generosity

What is a “Successful” Retirement? 

“The happiest people I have worked with are not necessarily those who retire the wealthiest. They’re the ones who have a giving spirit infused in their family culture.”

~ Jeff Bradshaw, Financial Advisor & Ten Talents Board Member

Agriculture, Wall Street, & Entrepreneurship: Jeff’s Story

After moving from the Midwest to the Central Valley in his late twenties, Jeff Bradshaw developed a deep relationship with the California farming and agri-business community. He worked for companies including Monsanto, John Deere, and Netafim Irrigation, and in 2000, Jeff began his financial career at a Wall Street firm.

At this firm, Jeff quickly realized promoting commissioned products did not always best serve the client and align with his personal values. This experience led him to start his own company, Sierra Pacific Financial Services, Inc.

“Outperform the competition.” “Surpass last year’s revenue.” “Double the client base.”

These are metrics of success Jeff became very familiar with.

Yet, when a person approaches retirement or is confronted with the legacy they want to leave their family and community, defining “success” can feel more abstract and elusive. Because of this, many people don’t think about it at all. “There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing people depart this world with little to show for their efforts and no lasting legacy,” says Jeff.

Jeff Bradshaw, Financial Advisor & Ten Talents Board Member

So, what is a “successful” retirement?

“Retirement is a term created in the West,” says Jeff, “but it isn’t a Biblical concept. While a person’s season may change as they age, their life’s focus does not need to shift from giving to taking.”

“[When thinking about retirement], ’how much money have you saved?’ is not the question at all,” says Jeff.

“Instead, it is, ‘What quality of life do you want to lead?’ and how can I best use my time, skills, and experiences to help others in this next season of my life?'” It’s important to think about how you’re investing your money and how you’ll pay for important expenses later in life.

However, as Jeff defines a “successful” retirement, he also factors in a person’s relationships, physical, spiritual, and mental life. “One important element of a [vibrant retirement] is one [marked by generosity].”

“Retirement is a term created in the West, but it isn’t a Biblical concept. While a person’s season may change as they age, their life’s focus does not need to shift from giving to taking.”

~ Jeff Bradshaw

I’m far from retirement, but how can I think about leaving a legacy now?

Thinking about your legacy involves asking, what spirit am I instilling in my family now?

If I work 60 hours a week and golf every weekend, I can’t be surprised if self-centeredness is infused in my family culture.

Contrarily, if I expose my children through my example of volunteering for important causes they can get involved in too, I am cultivating something countercultural. I am cultivating a generational spirit of giving of time, talent, and financial resources.

Some of us feel like we need to be millionaires to leave a legacy. Is this true?

“It takes the same heart to give $25 as it does to give $25 million,” says Jeff. The amount of money is less important than the intentionality behind your legacy plan.

As an example, Jeff says you can create a trust, or a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), pick a few organizations your family loves to support, and allow your kids to give out of this fund for years into the future.

Usually, we don’t care about an investment until we have skin in the game.

Opening a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a great way to get your family’s skin in the game. When you put funds into the account, they can’t be removed for personal spending. It’s like putting money into an envelope you get to then give out of in the future, providing a level of accountability for those managing the fund.

It’s also important to remember, says Jeff, leaving a legacy of giving starts in your home and in your neighborhood. Generosity can involve money, but it can also be as simple as cooking a meal with your family and delivering it to a neighbor.

Money without heart doesn’t go far, but a heart of generosity can impact generations.

“Leaving a legacy starts in your home and neighborhood. Generosity can involve money, but it can also be as simple as cooking a meal with your family and delivering it to a neighbor.”

~ Jeff Bradshaw

I want to leave a legacy of generosity. But how do I know what to give to?

First, you need to know your identity. What are your values? What is your “North Star” determining what those values are? What are your unique passions?

Then, start strategically giving to organizations and causes aligning with your values and passions.

“The giver is becoming more astute about where their money goes,” says Jeff. Organizations like the Ten Talents Foundation are great resources to help you align your passions and giving with organizations effectively meeting the needs of your community.

Sometimes people need a sounding board, coaching, or education on giving, says Jeff. Ten Talents can help people start the discussion, look at their assets, identify assets no longer being utilized, set up funds to save in taxes, and ensure every penny of giving aligns with their values.

The Ten Talents Foundation is deeply thankful for people like Jeff who are inspiring our community to invest their resources to serve others beyond their own lives. If you have questions about starting a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), setting up a legacy plan, or where to begin in thinking about these topics, we would love to connect with you!

Together, we can mobilize a movement of generosity impacting our community for generations to come.

“First, you need to know your identity. What are your values? What are your unique passions? Then start strategically giving to organizations and causes aligning with your values and passions.”

~ Jeff Bradshaw

Contact Ten Talents
11 Benefits of Using a Donor Advised Fund

11 Benefits of Using a Donor Advised Fund

by | May 9, 2023 | Donor Advised Fund

Over a million individual Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), were opened by the end of 2021 according to the National Philanthropic Trust, 2021. They report that “contributions to Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) in 2021 totaled $72.67 billion, an all-time high.”

The growing popularity of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) is a reflection of the unique and significant value they provide for generous individuals, families, and businesses.

11 Benefits of Donor Advised Funds

– Offer significant tax benefits.

– Allow you to give non-cash assets (i.e. appreciated stocks, business interests, crops & more).

– Allow you to give anonymously.

– Have no minimum fund distributions.

– Help you plan ahead. Give now, receive tax benefits, distribute later. (Read more.)

– Are more private and less expensive than a personal foundation.

– Simplify your giving. Give to multiple organizations you love while receiving ONE tax deduction letter!

– Provide the opportunity to involve your family in giving decisions.

– Give you the ability to include instructions for the next generation as a beneficiary in your trust or will.

–  Include the support of a Foundation like Ten Talents who can connect you with ministries and causes aligning to your passions.

– Allow you to combine gifts with others who have Donor Advised Funds to increase the impact of your gift!

Donor Advised Fund Testimonials

A Business Perspective: Mark Ford

A Family Perspective: Rick Harrison

The Ten Talents Foundation has helped many businesses, families, and community members launch their Donor Advised Funds in the Central Valley. Click the button below, call (559) 387-5534 or email info@tentalentsfoundation.org. to learn more about launching YOUR Donor Advised Fund today.

Open a Donor Advised Fund