What is the 5% rule for donor-advised funds?

There is no 5% rule for donor-advised funds. The 5% mandatory annual payout rule applies only to private foundations. Donor-advised funds currently have no required distribution minimum, allowing assets to grow tax-free over time. However, active granting is strongly encouraged to support operational charities.

How much of a donation to a donor-advised fund is tax-deductible?

Cash contributions to a DAF are deductible up to 60% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). Appreciated long-term assets are deductible at their fair market value up to 30% of your AGI. Any contributions that exceed these annual limits can be carried forward for up to five subsequent tax years.

What are the tax benefits of a donor-advised fund vs. a private foundation?

Donor-advised funds offer higher AGI deduction limits (60% for cash and 30% for appreciated assets) compared to private foundations (30% for cash and 20% for appreciated assets). Additionally, DAFs offer simpler compliance, lower setup costs, and no annual excise taxes on investment income, unlike private foundations.

How much money do you need to open a donor-advised fund?

The amount of money needed to open a donor-advised fund depends entirely on the sponsoring organization. Many large national sponsors now have a $0 minimum to open an account, though they expect you to fund it shortly thereafter. Other sponsors require minimum initial contributions ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. National financial institutions frequently have higher minimums, sometimes starting at $10,000, because they offer highly personalized advisory services to help you identify local community needs. Once the account is open, subsequent contribution minimums are usually much lower, often starting around $250.

How Save the Children Accepts Donor-Advised Fund Grants

Save the Children is an IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) organization, and DAF grants already help fund our work for children in the U.S. and around the world. A DAF is well suited to this kind of giving because your contribution is already earmarked for charity, you can recommend a grant the moment a crisis hits or build a recurring grant into your giving plan, so our emergency response, health, and education programs have steady support year-round. When you recommend a grant to us from your DAF, it goes directly toward the work already underway, delivering emergency relief when disaster strikes, keeping children healthy, and keeping them in school. To learn more about granting funds to Save The Children, visit our DAF Giving page . To give to Save The Children, please find our Employer Identification Number (EIN) below: Save the Children Federation, Inc. (EIN: 06-0726487) 501 Kings Highway East, Suite 400, Fairfield, CT 06825

How Giving Tuesday Matching Gifts Work

A Giving Tuesday matching gift is a pledge from a donor, company or foundation to match the gifts other supporters make during a set window, up to a set amount. Depending on the match, your gift could be doubled, tripled or multiplied even more, so each dollar you give does more for children.

Giving Tuesday matching donations are one of the simplest ways to increase your impact on the biggest giving day of the year. Here's how they work and how to make the most of one.

What Is a Giving Tuesday Match?

A Giving Tuesday match is a fundraising challenge. A matching donor agrees to give a set amount, but only as supporters like you give during the campaign. Your gift unlocks theirs.

Every match has two limits:

A deadline. Only gifts made during the match window are matched.
A cap. The matching donor commits up to a set total. Once that amount is reached, the match ends.

Giving Tuesday is held each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Learn more about Giving Tuesday 2026.

How Much Does a Match Multiply My Gift?

It depends on the match. A 2X match doubles your gift, a 3X match triples it, and some matches go even higher. Here's what a $50 gift becomes with different matches:


Match	Also called	Your gift	Total for children
2X	1:1 match	$50	$100
3X	2:1 match	$50	$150
5X	4:1 match	$50	$250

How Do Save the Children's Giving Tuesday Matches Work?

Each Giving Tuesday, Save the Children works with generous supporters to offer a match on eligible gifts. The match amount, partner, deadline and eligible gifts are announced before Giving Tuesday and shown on our donation form.

When a match is active, you don't need to do anything extra. Give through the Giving Tuesday donation form during the match window, and your eligible gift is matched automatically.

What Happens if the Match Goal Is Met?

When the match cap is reached, the match ends, even if the deadline hasn't passed. Gifts made after that point aren't multiplied, but they still go to work for children, providing food, health care, education and protection.

That's why giving early on Giving Tuesday is the best way to make sure your gift is matched.

Can My Employer Match My Gift?

Many employers match their employees' charitable gifts, and an employer match is separate from a Giving Tuesday match. That means you may be able to multiply the same gift twice.

For example, if you give $100 during a 2X Giving Tuesday match, your gift becomes $200. If your employer also matches 1:1, they add another $100, for $300 in total support for children.

To request an employer match, check with your HR team or giving portal. You'll usually need Save the Children's legal name, our EIN (06-0726487), and your gift date and amount. See if your employer will match your donation!

How to Make the Most of a Giving Tuesday Match

Check the match details. Confirm the deadline and which gifts qualify on the donation form.
Give early. Matches end when the cap is reached, so earlier gifts are most likely to be matched.
Save your receipt. You'll need it for your taxes and for any employer match request.
Request your employer match. Submit it soon after you give, since many companies have deadlines.
Share the match. Let friends and family know their gifts can be multiplied too, using #GivingTuesday.

Frequently Asked Questions About Giving Tuesday Matching Donations

Are Giving Tuesday matches real?

Yes. A Giving Tuesday match is a real commitment from a donor, company or foundation to give a set amount, released as supporters give during the match window.

Is my matched gift tax-deductible?

Your own gift to Save the Children is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The matching portion is the matching donor's gift, so you can only deduct the amount you gave. Check with a tax advisor for your situation.

Do I need to do anything to get my gift matched?

No. If a match is active, eligible gifts made through the Giving Tuesday donation form during the match window are matched automatically. Employer matches are separate and need to be requested through your employer.

What's the difference between a 2X and a 3X match?

A 2X match doubles your gift, so $50 becomes $100. A 3X match triples it, so $50 becomes $150.

Can a small donation make a difference with a match?

Yes. A match multiplies every eligible gift, so even $25 can do two, three or more times the good for children.