Your Philanthropic Services team compiled this comprehensive resource guide to help with your year-end giving. Please call your dedicated Help Line at (415) 733-8590 or email us at donorservices[at]sff.org if you have any additional questions.
Important Year-End Giving Deadlines
- November 15, 2021: Recommended date to initiate gifts of mutual fund shares
- December 1, 2021: Recommended date to initiate gifts of securities or wire transfers.
- December 3, 2021: Recommended date to initiate an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution.
- December 13, 2021: Grant recommendations due by 5:00 p.m. PDT.
- December 31, 2021: This is the final date for charitable contributions to be tax deductible for 2021. (San Francisco Foundation office is closed on this day. We are also closed the week of January 3, 2022.)
On this page (click below to jump to a section):
- Contribute to Your Fund
- Gift Planning Strategies: the IRA Charitable Rollover
- 2021 End of Year Give Guide: Advancing Racial Equity in the Bay Area
- Your Philanthropy Services Team is Here to Support You
Contribute to Your Fund
Your donor advised fund is a simple tool to help you meet your tax planning goals for this year. As you look at your charitable giving for the end of the year, please consider the following:
- All contributions into your fund receive the maximum income tax deduction allowed by the IRS.
- If you contribute long-term, appreciated securities (e.g., publicly traded stocks) to your fund, you qualify for an immediate income tax deduction equal to the full market value of the stock, and you avoid paying capital gains taxes. It’s a great way to front-load your giving, receive an income tax deduction and have flexibility in when you support your favorite causes.
Make Gifts of Stock
Please notify us in writing when you plan to transfer a gift of securities and send a copy of the instructions you give to your broker to donorservices[at]sff.org or fax to (415) 399-1610. Please include a description of the security (e.g., 50 shares of XYZ stock), the name of your fund, and the name of the donor for tax purposes (e.g., living trust).
Please contact us at donorservices[at]sff.org for the account information to send your stock gift or if you plan to donate mutual fund shares.
Make a Gift with a Check
Send a check payable to The San Francisco Foundation. Indicate the name of your fund in the memo line and mail the check to:
The San Francisco Foundation
P.O. Box 889275
Los Angeles, CA 90088-9275
Wells Fargo, our bank, recently transitioned to a new processing location.
- If you mail a check, the envelope must be postmarked by December 31 by USPS to count as a gift for 2021.
- Gifts delivered by a private service company (e.g., Fed Ex) must arrive at the Foundation before December 31. (We do not recommend this option while we are working remotely and out of the office.)
- Credit card gifts must be made before 12 midnight on December 31 in your time zone.
Please call our dedicated Help Line at (415) 733-8590 or email us at donorservices[at]sff.org if you have any additional questions.
Recommend Grants from Your Fund
Please log in to our online portal, Donor Center, to easily make new or repeat grant recommendations.
Gift Planning Strategies: the IRA Charitable Rollover
The IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution is a unique federal provision allows anyone 70½ years or older to make an outright gift directly from their IRA to The San Francisco Foundation or other favorite charitable organizations of up to $100,000, without paying income tax on the distribution. Please note that Qualified Charitable Distributions are not permitted to donor advised funds. See Detailed Giving Instructions.
Who can make a gift through their IRA?
Anyone with a traditional or Roth IRA who is 70½ years old or older.
How much can be donated this way?
Up to $100,000 per person in any one year, no matter what your income is.
Can I donate to a foundation Donor Advised Fund this way?
Unfortunately, no. IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions are not permitted to a DAF, private foundation, or to fund life income gifts (such as a charitable remainder trust).
Permissible contributions to The San Francisco Foundation include:
- Artistic Hubs Cohort #8554
- Bay Area Leads Fund #8362
- Hope SF Fund #8287
- Keep Oakland Housed #8433
- Rapid Response Fund #8396
- Youth Access to Nature Fund #8358
- Youth Access to Opportunity Fund #8470
- SFF’s Endowment Fund #1309, which supports our annual grantmaking
If I make a gift from a traditional IRA, am I required to take a required minimum distribution (RMD)?
If you direct your IRA plan administrator to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (under $100,000 in a calendar year), the distribution may count towards your RMD. We encourage you to consult with your financial advisor to discuss your specific retirement plan(s) and how this may affect your personal tax situation.
Do I get a federal income tax deduction?
No, but you are not required to pay federal income tax on the withdrawal either. NOTE: Some states may not exclude gift amounts withdrawn from an IRA for state income tax purposes. We encourage you to consult with your tax advisor to discuss your personal tax situation.
Do gifts from other retirement accounts qualify?
Gifts from retirement accounts other than IRAs—such as 401(k), 403(b) and SEP accounts—are not eligible to make direct transfers. However, donors may be able to make qualified, tax-free transfers to their IRA, and then make the IRA charitable rollover gift. We encourage you to consult with your tax advisor to discuss your personal tax situation.
How do I make a gift to The San Francisco Foundation this way?
Contact your retirement plan administrator well before the December 31 deadline to learn how to initiate the gift. We recommend you do so by
December 3.
See Detailed Giving Instructions to ensure that the gift is made directly to the San Francisco Foundation. All check donations should be mailed to our lockbox at:
Prior to November 5, 2021:
The San Francisco Foundation
P.O. Box 399275
San Francisco, CA 94139-9275
After November 5, 2021:
The San Francisco Foundation
P.O. Box 889275
Los Angeles, CA 90088-9275
Wells Fargo, our bank, is transitioning to a new processing location on November 5, 2021.
- If you mail a check, the envelope must be postmarked by December 31 by USPS to count as a gift for 2021.
- Gifts delivered by a private service company (e.g., Fed Ex) must arrive at the Foundation before December 31. (We do not recommend this option while we are working remotely and out of the office.)
- Credit card gifts must be made before 12 midnight on December 31 in your time zone.
Can I use my IRA checkbook to make this gift?
Yes, if you have check writing privileges, please make the check payable to “The San Francisco Foundation.” Please note that for tax purposes, the gift date is the date that the funds leave your IRA account and not the postmark on the envelope. Therefore, please allow enough time for the check to clear to ensure that the funds are withdrawn during your preferred tax year.
Want to learn more about this unique giving option?
Contact Stephanie Dustman at sdustman[at]sff.org.
2021 End of Year Give Guide: Advancing Racial Equity in the Bay Area
To help spark ideas for your year-end giving, our team is offering this Give Guide, curated by local experts, highlighting community-based organizations that are making significant advancements for racial equity in the Bay Area. We invite you to join us and donors in the SFF community in recommending a grant by December 13, 2021, to help make 2022 a more prosperous and powerful year for everyone who calls the Bay Area home. Our team of Philanthropic Advisors would be thrilled to offer additional or customized recommendations at your request as well. See the Give Guide and learn more.
Your Philanthropic Services Team is Here to Support You
We look forward to answering your questions, conducting research for you, and providing information on services and programs that help support your charitable goals.
We can help you:
- Develop a personalized giving plan and engage your family in philanthropy
- Research, evaluate, and select nonprofit organizations, preserving your anonymity
- Connect you to like-minded individuals who share your philanthropic interests
- Donate a variety of complex assets and choose the best giving solution for your needs
- Establish funds for your children or grandchildren
- Create a charitable legacy
Contact your Philanthropic Advisor or call our dedicated Help Line at (415) 733-8590 or email us at donorservices[at]sff.org.
