First, think about what works better for you – online or in-person.

Do you want the IRL experience? Many folks choose to host a Vote Run Lead event or salon, for as few as four and as many as 40+. Supporters have hosted breakfasts at home, held a brunch at co-working spaces and clubs, and planned evening soirees at event spaces. Often a VRL representative can join you in person to facilitate conversation.

Online fundraisers more your speed? Social platforms Facebook and Instagram make set-up easy. And, while other platforms like Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn don’t have fundraiser functionality built in, you can always share your fundraising posts on those apps. Get in touch with terry@voterunleadaction.org if you need more information.

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are accounts that offer streamlined giving and significant tax benefits, allowing deductions of up to 60% of adjusted gross income for cash contributions. DAFs are like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about – like Vote Run Lead.

Not at all. You can launch a DAF usually within a day, with a minimum contribution of anywhere between $0-$25,000. While the data shows that DAFs are most often opened by donors in their 50s, lower contribution minimums have encouraged younger donors to adopt this vehicle too. We read that the average DAF account size in 2023 was $141,120, with an average grant size of about $5,000. That’s far from a million!

You can go through multiple avenues and companies. Some nonprofits will house your DAF, such as community foundations and other organizations like Amalgamated Foundation and Pledgeling Foundation. Financial organizations such as Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard, Charles Schwab, Bank of America, and more will also host your DAF.

Donor-advised funds accept a wide variety of assets, including non-cash and complex assets. Compared to private foundations, DAFs provide fewer administrative controls but more flexibility in accepting non-cash assets, often aligning better with donor preferences.

There’s a movement called HalfMyDaf that encourages donors to spend -down their DAF by half, so that the funds can benefit 501c3 organizations like Vote Run Lead sooner than later. HalfMyDaf also matches grant funds to make it doubly valuable to organizations like us.

We’re currently in the process of making this an easy process for donors who want to give stock. For now, reach out to terry@voterunleadaction.org for more information.

You definitely can. An estate tax, charged by the federal government and 12 additional state governments, is based on the value of property and assets at the time of the owner’s death. Because of the high threshold, most individuals will not encounter these taxes, but those who might would want to take steps to ensure estate planning aligns with their financial goals. Giving to charity reduces your estate value and potential tax.

Of course. Reach out to Terry Selucky, Head of Development, for more info about Vote Run Lead / Action at terry@voterunleadaction.org. VRL/A staff are not tax professionals, and this info is not meant to stand in for advice from a tax professional. Talk with them if you have nitty-gritty questions about how to make the most of your tax savings while contributing to the future of our democracy.