Save lives with your donor-advised fund
A donor-advised fund (DAF) allows you to make a charitable contribution and receive an immediate income tax deduction — all while helping the animals.
To give to Best Friends through your DAF account, contact your financial adviser either directly or through our website, where you can also choose from hundreds of DAF providers, including Fidelity Charitable, DAFGiving360 (formerly Schwab Charitable), Vanguard Charitable, and more.
By making a charitable contribution (whether cash, securities, or other non-cash assets) to a DAF, you’re eligible for an immediate income tax deduction. And from there, you can enjoy tax-free growth on your investments, enabling your generosity to grow over time.
By making a donor-advised fund gift to Best Friends, you support lifesaving programs across the U.S. and help keep pets where they belong: in homes with the people who love them.
What is a donor-advised fund and how can it help homeless pets?
A DAF is like a charitable savings account: You contribute to the fund as frequently as you like and then recommend grants to your favorite charity — including organizations like Best Friends — when you’re ready.
Enjoy the tax benefits of donor-advised funds — and help dogs and cats across the nation
A donor-advised fund is an easy way to make charitable giving a vital part of your lasting legacy.
Giving to Best Friends from donor-advised funds means you can avoid the administrative and legal burdens of forming a private foundation while also providing lifesaving care to homeless pets. Plus, it’s a completely tax-deductible way to give. That’s a win for both you and the animals!
What kind of donor-advised fund tax deduction will I receive?
Your DAF contributions will qualify for an immediate tax deduction in the year you contribute, even if you distribute the funds to charities years later. An immediate tax deduction gives you the flexibility to maximize tax benefits and allocate funds to charitable causes exactly how and when you like.
What are the limits of my donor-advised fund tax deduction?
When you give through a DAF, you receive a significant tax benefit. Your contributions can also be invested within the fund, and any growth of your fund is completely tax-free, meaning you’ll have even more funds available to support the causes you care about.
If you donate stock you’ve held for more than a year, you may also be able to avoid paying capital gains taxes on the increase in value and receive a deduction for the full fair market value. And because you can support multiple charities from one DAF account, you’ll receive a single, consolidated tax receipt — making recordkeeping simple and organized. As always, it’s a good idea to consult your tax adviser to understand how these benefits apply to your individual situation.
How do donor-advised fund fees work?
Donor-advised fund sponsors typically charge two donor-advised fund fees: an administrative fee (0.6%–1.5% of your balance) covering transaction processing and support and an investment management fee (0.4%–1.0%) based on your chosen funds. Combined, expect total annual DAF fees between 1%–2.5%, varying by sponsoring organization and investment strategy.
Donor-advised fund sponsors handle all vetting, disbursements, and tax documentation. You simply recommend which charities receive grants.
How to make a DAF gift
Give to the animals of Best Friends from your donor-advised fund in just three clicks.
To make your DAF gift, simply contact your financial advisor to recommend a one-time or recurring gift to Best Friends directly through your donor-advised fund or make your gift with DAFpay.
Giving to the animals of Best Friends using DAFpay is easy and secure. Powered by Chariot, DAFpay connects directly with most major DAF sponsors, allowing you to recommend a grant online safely and seamlessly. DAFpay uses encrypted, bank-level security protocols and never stores your personal financial information.
Here's how to make your gift using DAFpay:
When you make a DAF gift directly from our page, you can track your gift from beginning to end, ensuring it arrives smoothly. And better yet, we’re notified instantly about your donation, so we can welcome you to the Best Friends family and give a personal thank-you on behalf of the animals.
By using DAFpay on our website, you're choosing the fastest and easiest way to give from hundreds of donor-advised fund providers, including:
- Fidelity Charitable
- DAFGiving360 (formerly Schwab Charitable)
- Vanguard Charitable
If you have a donor-advised fund that does not participate in DAFpay, be sure to ask your financial adviser to designate a gift to Best Friends Animal Society. And, if this donation is in honor of a person or event, please be sure to include your note in the message field of the DAFpay button.
Best Friends’ tax ID information
Legal name: Best Friends Animal Society
Address: 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741
Tax ID #: 23-7147797
Best Friends Animal Society is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit.
Let us know about your gift
Commonly asked questions about donor-advised funds
What is a donor-advised fund?
A donor-advised fund is a charitable giving account you set up with a sponsoring organization. First, you make an irrevocable contribution. Then, you’ll receive an immediate tax deduction. And after that, you can make grant recommendations to qualified 501(c)(3) charities, such as Best Friends Animal Society.
How do I give through a donor-advised fund?
If you already have a DAF, you can recommend a grant to Best Friends either through your fund administrator or to us directly via our online partner grant recommendation tool, DAFpay.
What are the benefits of donor-advised funds?
It simplifies giving. It may sound complicated or confusing at first, but don’t worry! Your fund administrator will handle all paperwork, recordkeeping, and tax receipts.
A DAF allows flexible giving. With a DAF, you have the power to choose when and where to disburse grants and make contributions, which means you can receive a tax deduction when it fits your schedule.
It’s tax efficient. All contributions to your DAF are tax deductible, meaning any investment growth is federally tax free. It also means you can avoid capital gains tax when you donate assets like appreciated securities.
You’ll create a legacy of kindness. By choosing Best Friends or a family member as your DAF beneficiary, you ensure your philanthropic vision will continue well into the future, providing love, comfort, and second chances to homeless pets across the nation.
What is Best Friends’ tax ID, legal name, and address?
Legal name: Best Friends Animal Society
Address: 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741
Tax ID #: 23-7147797
Best Friends Animal Society is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit.
Email: dafs@bestfriends.org
How do I ensure my DAF gift is acknowledged?
When recommending a grant, we encourage you to use the DAFpay feature on our website, which ensures immediate gift delivery in just three simple clicks.
If you prefer to go directly to your DAF sponsoring organization, please be sure to include your full name, fund name, contact information, and if available your donor ID/account number when submitting your grant.
Additionally, you can let us know about your gift by filling out this form or sending a quick email to dafs@bestfriends.org. We’d love to say thank you and chat about your giving plans.
Can I use my DAF to pay for event tickets, tables, or sponsorships?
According to IRS regulations and DAF sponsor policies, DAF donations cannot be used, either in whole or in part, to pay for fundraising events, tickets, tables, sponsorships, or anything that provides more than an incidental benefit to the donor. Additionally, if it includes goods or services that are not fully tax deductible (such as meals, entertainment, or sponsorships that include recognition with promotional value), it cannot be used either.
If you have questions or would like help ensuring your gift is eligible, feel free to contact us at dafs@bestfriends.org.
What can my donor-advised funds be used for?
Donor-advised funds can be used to recommend grants to qualified 501(c)(3) public charities, such as Best Friends.
However, DAFs cannot be used for any contribution that provides more than an incidental benefit to you, the donor. This means they cannot pay for fundraising events, tickets, tables, sponsorships, or any gift that includes goods, services, or promotional value that is not fully tax deductible under IRS regulations and DAF sponsor policies.
If you’re unsure whether a particular gift is eligible, our team is happy to help. Reach out to a member of our team at dafs@bestfriends.org.
Partners in lifesaving
The animals are incredibly grateful for your support today — and we are too. Please know that your gift goes straight to work providing lifesaving care and life-changing opportunities to homeless pets around the country.
We’re here to help
For your questions about donor-advised fund gifts, please contact a member of the Best Friends donor services team at 435-274-7520 or dafs@bestfriends.org.
Got a question about a recent donation or a gift you’re planning to make? Go here to get answers, renew your membership, manage your gift, update your contact information, and more:
Contact donor services
Log in to your member center
Transparency, accountability, and trust
At Best Friends, we aim for transparency and authenticity — two of our guiding principles — in every aspect of the work we do. And because we not only depend on but trust our family of supporters, we are committed to open, two-way communication and to financial transparency across the organization.
