Donor-Advised Funds: A Critical Component of our Philanthropic Ecosystem

breiby@growyourgiving.orgIndividual & Family Giving, Professional Advisors

Debbie Wilkerson at a podium testifying to a panel of representatives from the Department of Treasury and the IRS.

CEO Debbie Wilkerson testifying at an IRS hearing on proposed donor-advised fund regulations in May 2024.

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation aims to provide donors with a great giving experience. A critical piece of that experience includes the ability to invest and grow charitable assets via donor-advised funds.

From time to time, there are rumblings of legislation or regulations impacting donor-advised funds. We always have our ear to the ground in D.C. Right now, we are working alongside many other community foundations and lobbyists to educate U.S. Senators and Representatives and the Department of the Treasury on the important role donor-advised funds play in the charitable landscape, and more specifically the value investment advisors bring to helping donors give and grow their charitable dollars at community foundations.

Over the past month, President and CEO Debbie Wilkerson has spent several days meeting with representatives from the IRS and members of Congress to discuss the latest proposed regulations related to donor-advised funds. She came away from her most recent visit to D.C. encouraged, as government officials listened intently and were receptive to gathering new information.

Read the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation’s public comments on the November 2023 proposed regulations.

The Community Foundation’s mission is to increase charitable giving, and favorable tax laws and policies are fundamentally important to that mission. Charitable giving improves the quality of life in our communities and lessens the burdens of our government, and when it’s easy to invest charitable assets, people give more.

If you have questions or concerns about any proposed regulations or legislation that may affect charitable giving, please let us know.