A donor-advised fund is a great giving option. It allows you to give money to Maine Initiatives to distribute charitably according to your recommendations. It’s like having your own foundation, but without the complications of operating a corporation.

A donor-advised account permits you to support justice and equity in Maine over time while enjoying the full value of your charitable deduction. Donor Advised Funds also permit you to get money out to the community efficiently and effectively, regardless of the size of the fund. Accordingly, we offer two Donor Advised Fund options:

• Current Use (Non-Endowed) Donor Advised Funds can be established with a minimum initial contribution of $1,000. They allow you to make grants from the principal in the account, and permit grants to be made whenever there are funds in the account. They are not typically created with an eye to perpetuity, but permit you to establish a fund and begin making grants immediately. You can make grants from a Current Use Donor Advised Fund until the principal is expended, and you can make new deposits into the fund at any time.
• Endowed Donor Advised Funds can be established with a minimum contribution of $5,000. They require a minimum balance of $25,000 to make grants, and grants are made from the interest and dividends, preserving the principal for the long-term. Endowed Donor Advised Funds are typically created when there are substantial philanthropic funds at a particular moment in time, and when the donor seeks to make a long-term commitment to grantmaking.