What Is a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)?

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a flexible, tax-advantaged charitable giving vehicle that lets you support causes you care about — like the Neurocritical Care Foundation — in a planned and strategic way. Think of a DAF as your own philanthropic giving account: you make a charitable gift now, receive an immediate tax benefit, and then recommend grants to qualified charities when you’re ready.

When you contribute to a DAF, you can donate cash, securities, or other assets. The sponsoring organization—often a community foundation, financial institution, or public charity — legally owns the assets, while you retain advisory privileges to recommend distributions to IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) charities, like NCCF.

How Donor-Advised Funds Work

  1. Open and Fund Your DAF: Contribute cash or assets to a sponsoring organization, receive an immediate tax deduction, and make an irrevocable gift.
  2. Invest and Grow: Your contribution can be invested to grow tax-free until you recommend grants.
  3. Recommend Grants: Request grants to qualified charities anytime; the organization reviews and distributes the funds.
  4. Support Causes You Care About: Give one-time or recurring gifts, support multiple charities, involve family, and build a legacy of giving.

Benefits of Giving Through a DAF

Giving through a donor-advised fund offers several advantages: 

  • Immediate Tax Savings: You receive an immediate tax deduction in the year you make your contribution. 
  • Strategic Philanthropy: You can time your grants to support causes when they matter most. 
  • Growth Potential: Assets in a DAF can grow tax-free over time, potentially increasing the amount available for grants. 
  • Family Engagement: DAFs allow families to involve future generations in giving decisions. 
  • Simplified Giving: DAFs consolidate your charitable giving in one place, simplifying record-keeping and annual planning. 

How to Recommend a Gift to the Neurocritical Care Foundation

To support the Neurocritical Care Foundation with a gift from your donor-advised fund:

  1. Contact your DAF sponsoring organization and indicate your intention to support the Neurocritical Care Foundation.
  2. Provide our legal name and tax ID (noted below) when making your recommendation.
  3. Once approved by your sponsoring organization, the grant will be sent directly to us.

Legal Name: Neurocritical Care Foundation
Employee Identification Number/Tax ID: 86-2541862

Your DAF gift helps amplify our work in advancing neurocritical care research, education, and patient support — and it provides you with a meaningful way to make a lasting impact.

If you’d like help with your donor-advised fund gift or have questions about making a recommendation, please contact us anytime.

How to Submit a Gift Through a DAF

To recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund, please contact your DAF sponsoring organization and request that a gift be made to the Neurocritical Care Foundation. Once approved, the sponsoring organization will send the grant directly to us.

When submitting your recommendation, please use the following information:

Legal Name
Neurocritical Care Foundation (NCCF)

Mailing Address (Lockbox)
Neurocritical Care Foundation (NCCF)
PO Box 773248
Chicago, IL 60677