As you prepare for the fall charitable giving season, I wanted to provide some guidelines on how to properly reference gifts made through Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) at DJCF. Recognizing these contributions accurately is important for both compliance and donor appreciation reasons.
6 guidelines to follow when making a request!
Always check with the donor or with DJCF regarding recognition preferences. Some donors prefer anonymity or have specific instructions on how they wish to be acknowledged. This will generally be listed on the gift letter, but if you cannot locate the gift letter or wish to confirm, please do not hesitate to contact our team.
- When referencing a gift made from a DJCF DAF, use the following format:
- [Donor Advised Fund Name] at DJCF
If the donor’s name is to be included, ensure you have permission to do so. The acknowledgment could read: “This gift was made possible by [Donor’s Name] through the ABC Donor Advised Fund at DJCF
If the donor prefers to remain anonymous, use language that respects their privacy, such as: “This gift was made possible by a generous donor through a Donor Advised Fund at DJCF.
- If the DAF gift is designated for a specific project or program, mention this in your acknowledgment:
- “This initiative is funded by a gift from [Donor’s Name] through a Donor Advised Fund at DJCF.”
- Example: “The renovation of our community center is made possible by a gift from the Doe Family through a Donor Advised Fund at the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation.”
- If you are listing all your donors in a consolidated format, you do not need to repeat “a Donor Advised Fund at DJCF” for every line item. Many organizations choose to use a symbol or an asterisk and then in the footnotes reference that this gift was made from a DAF at DJCF.
- Always check with recognition preferences listed in #1.
CONSISTENCY, ACCURACY, & RESPECT
Ensure all staff involved in donor recognition are aware of these guidelines to maintain consistency across all communications.
Double-check the spelling of the donor’s name and the name of the sponsoring organization to avoid errors.
Always respect the wishes of the donor regarding anonymity and the specifics of how they want to be acknowledged.
