There are still steep mountains to climb to address the world’s most pressing problems. Still, today’s philanthropists are savvier than ever before, thanks to the one-stop giving convenience and simplicity of donor-advised funds (DAFs). The DAF model amplifies the power of individual giving by creating a tool that allows more strategic giving and engagement and empowers donors to be global citizens and make a global impact.

 Globalization—the cross-border integration of markets, trade, and investments—has transformed the modern world, affecting how people conduct business, travel, and connect. Technological innovations and advancements in communication and transportation make connecting on a global scale more accessible than ever and deliver economic benefits to many. 

 At the same time, globalization has also opened our eyes to the pressing needs around the world. Political and economic stability facilitate globalization. However, if we want to reap the benefits of globalization, we also share a responsibility to help the world achieve sustainable development. That requires cross-border giving, which can be complicated.

One-Stop Giving: The Convenience and Simplicity of Donor Advised Funds

A DAF, which is like a charitable savings account, gives you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often money is granted to qualified charities. For example, you can recommend a grant or recurring grants now to make an immediate impact or use your fund as a tool for future charitable gifts.

 A DAF is an attractive option for donors who wish to make global charitable gifts, referred to as “international philanthropy” or “global philanthropy,” for numerous reasons. 

• Immediate tax benefits on the contribution to the fund (depending on the philanthropic rules in the donor’s country) 

• Administrative convenience

• Due diligence ensures that the complex network of conditions and regulations, including domestic tax laws in their country, international taxation rules, anti-corruption and counter-terrorism laws, and sometimes foreign law governing contributions, are met.

Simple Action, Big Impact

Several DAFs have mechanisms in place to administer international contributions, but the TrustBridge Global model is unique. Because TrustBridge Global is structured as a charity that sponsors a DAF program, there are no fees. Instead, it shares the cost of operating the foundation among the DAFs equitably, assessing them based upon their proportionate balance or activity. In addition, the assessments are made against amounts already held within the foundation, not paid separately as a fee might be.

Donors can establish a centralized charitable account to make charitable contributions and recommend grants over time. In essence, a TrustBridge Global DAF functions as a charitable savings account.

Donations to a charity fund can be made via cash, cash equivalents, securities, or other assets, enabling the selected charity to accumulate funds before drawing them down to their bank account. Unlike other DAFs, TrustBridge is recognized as a sponsoring organization of DAFs and a public charity. In Switzerland, it’s structured as a charitable organization at the cantonal and federal levels.

TrustBridge also has significantly lower expenses than its competitors. For example, CAF and Global Giving would subject a $50,000 international gift to a five percent fee (Global Giving charges 12 percent on the first $5,000 contribution, five percent for US or UK charities). However, the same gift would only require a one percent operating costs assessed by TrustBridge Global. 

International donations made with a TrustBridge Global Charity Fund deliver more of your gift to charity, so more of your contributions are used to make a difference in the world.

TrustBridge Global is part of a global network ensuring that your funds are distributed where they can make a meaningful difference to create a stable world. In addition, our partnership with UBS, the largest bank in the world, ensures that your contributions are secure. 

A DAF is the most dependable and efficient path to successful global philanthropy. A TrustBridge Global DAF can handle the complexities of cross-border giving to increase the power of your donations.