Donor-Advised Funds

Donate Now and Give Over Time

What Are Donor-Advised Funds?

By making an irrevocable gift to the Georgia United Methodist Foundation to establish an account, you as the donor can recommend which churches or ministries receive grants over time. Donor-advised funds allow you to take an income tax deduction in the current year and deploy the contribution in future years. The fund may grow over time, allowing you to assist one or more Methodist churches or ministries in the future.

Children from an orphanage in Kyiv, Ukraine, look forward to dinner with United Methodists in Sibiu, Romania, after a 48-hour ordeal in which they narrowly escaped abduction. Photo: courtesy of the Romanian UMC
SSUMC Choir Procession

How Does a Donor-Advised Fund Work?

When you make a gift of at least $10,000 to the Georgia United Methodist Foundation, we establish an account named by you. After establishing the account, you may designate yourself and/or others as advisors. As an advisor you have the privilege of making grant recommendations to support public charities such as your Methodist church and other related ministries close to your heart.

What if I should pass away before all the funds in my account have been distributed?

You can designate a family member or another representative to be a successor and advise the Foundation on future distributions. Your estate plan can also instruct the Foundation concerning a distribution plan or can establish a permanent endowment to support your Methodist church or related ministries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Donor-Advised Funds (9)

A Donor-Advised Fund is an irrevocable gift to the Georgia United Methodist Foundation to establish an account you name. You, as the donor, can choose from our wide range of investment fund options designed to meet both long-and short-term investment goals. In addition, account advisors have the privilege of making grant recommendations to support public charities such as your United Methodist church and other related ministries close to your heart.

Donor-Advised Funds are appropriate for investors who want to:

  • Make an immediate, irrevocable gift
  • Take an income tax deduction in the current year and deploy the contribution in future years
  • Assist one or more United Methodist churches or ministries over multiple time periods
  • Establish a charitable fund that will grow over time and provide grants in the future

You make an irrevocable gift to the Georgia United Methodist Foundation to establish an account you name. After establishing the account, you may designate yourself and or others as advisors. As an advisor, you have the privilege of making grant recommendations to support public charities such as your United Methodist church and other related ministries close to your heart.

Yes. The minimum contribution to open a Donor-Advised Fund with the Georgia United Methodist Foundation is $10,000. The minimum grant recommendation is $500.

No. The Georgia United Methodist Foundation has been assisting donor-advised fund clients in this way for years.

  1. Obtain a copy of a Donor-Advised Fund Application by contacting the Foundation at 770.449.6726 or info@gumf.org.
  2. Complete the Donor-Advised Fund Application and mail it to the Georgia United Methodist Foundation, PO Box 922087, Peachtree Corners, GA 30010-2087. The Foundation will establish your account and be in touch to coordinate the receipt of your contribution.

No. An individual cannot receive a grant or distribution from the Donor-Advised Fund established with the Foundation. Only churches and charities the Internal Revenue Service recognizes as a “qualified charity” under code 501(c)(3) can receive a grant from your donor-advised fund. However, the Foundation does offer Life Income Gifts such as Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts, and Charitable Remainder Unitrusts that we would be happy to discuss with you.

You may make Donor-Advised Fund grant recommendations by contacting the Foundation at 770.449.6726 or info@gumf.org.

You can designate a family member or another representative to be a successor and advise the Foundation on future distributions. Your estate plan can also instruct the Foundation concerning a distribution plan or can establish a permanent endowment to support your United Methodist church or related ministries.

News From Our Donors

Donor-Advised Fund Helps Desperate Ukrainian Refugees

“God’s command is to go and make disciples of all nations. Sometimes that’s not physically possible, but our giving to missions can help others go out into the world. What’s happening in Ukraine breaks our hearts. We knew we needed to support them through this donor-advised fund.”

Charlie and Sarah Greer
Donor-Advised Fund Helps Desperate Ukrainian Refugees

“Without gifts like this to the Foundation, UMCOR would not be able to assist the people who have been displaced by the war in Ukraine. The generosity of people in, and associated with, the United Methodist Church never ceases to amaze me.”

Roland Fernandes
General Secretary, Global Ministries and United Methodist Committee on Relief

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