Give to OSU

Donor Advised Funds

Enjoy favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to support Ohio State and your favorite charities.

A donor advised fund (DAF), which is like a charitable savings account, gives you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often money is granted to The Ohio State University Foundation and other qualified charities. You can recommend a grant or recurring grants now to make an immediate impact or use your fund as a tool for future charitable gifts.

With The Ohio State University Foundation's Donor Advised Fund, you decide which Ohio State programs and other eligible charities to support according to your own interests and timetable. Your fund has the potential to grow tax-free in one of our investment options, ready to support your next philanthropic endeavor when the moment is right for you. If you already have your own fund with another provider, use our search tool below to connect now and make an impact.

How It Works

  1. Establish your donor advised fund with a gift of cash, appreciated stocks, bonds or other eligible marketable assets ($10,000 minimum gift). Receive an immediate charitable income tax deduction.
  2. Grow your fund in one of our investment options. Your fund has the potential to grow based on your investment preferences. Assets are managed and administered through our partner, The Columbus Foundation, which gives you the option to invest in one of the approved Vanguard family of funds.
  3. Distribute your fund by recommending grants to Ohio State and other desired charities according to your own timetable and interests. At least 50 percent of total gifts must be designated to Ohio State. The donor advised fund will make the grant payment, manage tax reporting and provide you with a tax receipt.

DAF Basics

Still learning about DAFs? Discover the ease of opening a donor advised fund—plus the advantages you’ll enjoy—with your FREE guide Centralize Your Giving With Donor Advised Funds.

Please provide the following information to view the guide.

Donor Advised Fund Guide Request Form
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How To Start

  1. If you already have a fund, use our tool Take Action! Visit Your Fund to connect. No fund yet? Get our free guide.
  2. Contact the Office of Estate and Gift Planning at 614-292-2183 or giftplan@osu.edu to discuss using your donor advised funds to support Ohio State and our mission.
  3. Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor.
  4. If you include Ohio State in your plans, please use our legal name and federal tax ID.

Legal name: The Ohio State University Foundation
Address: 14 E. 15th Ave., Columbus, OH 43201
Federal tax ID number: 31-1145986

Payments for Life

Your payments depend on your age at the time of the donation. If you are younger than 60, we recommend that you learn more about your options and download this FREE guide Plan for Retirement With a Deferred Gift Annuity.

View My Guide

An Example of How It Works

Happy family Joe and Laura want to give back to their community by putting their money where it will do the most good. They establish a $25,000 donor advised fund with The Ohio State University Foundation.

The couple receives a federal income tax charitable deduction for the amount of the gift. They also get all the time they need to decide which Ohio State programs and other charities to support.

After researching Ohio State and community needs, Joe and Laura recommend grants for Ohio State (which they’ve supported for years) and their local animal shelter. The Ohio State University Foundation makes the grant payments from the fund and manages all tax reporting. Joe and Laura are delighted to start this personal legacy of giving.

An Example of How It Works

Happy family Joe and Laura want to give back to their community by putting their money where it will do the most good. They establish a $25,000 donor advised fund with The Ohio State University Foundation.

The couple receives a federal income tax charitable deduction for the amount of the gift. They also get all the time they need to decide which Ohio State programs and other charities to support.

After researching Ohio State and community needs, Joe and Laura recommend grants for Ohio State (which they’ve supported for years) and their local animal shelter. The Ohio State University Foundation makes the grant payments from the fund and manages all tax reporting. Joe and Laura are delighted to start this personal legacy of giving.

Create Your Own Giving Plan

Create a secure plan for you, your loved ones, and the causes you care about with our complimentary Personal Estate Planning Kit.

Access My Kit

A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to The Ohio State University Foundation a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

"I give to The Ohio State University Foundation, a nonprofit corporation currently located at 14 E. 15th Ave., Columbus, OH 43201, or its successor thereto, ______________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to Ohio State or other charities.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to Ohio State as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to Ohio State as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and Ohio State where you agree to make a gift to Ohio State and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
Personal Estate Planning Kit Request Form

Please provide the following information to view the materials for planning your estate.

First name is required
Last Name is required
Please include an '@' in the email address

Guide Request Form

Please provide the following information to view the guide.

First name is required
Last Name is required
Please include an '@' in the email address