What is a Donor Advised Fund?

A donor advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving vehicle that a U.S. donor establishes to fund charitable organizations. The DAF is owned and administered by the charity; however, the U.S. donor retains advisory privileges over amounts contributed to the fund. The U.S. donor can use the DAF to pool funds from multiple donors, then recommend grants from the fund to charitable organizations of their choosing.

What is CAF America, and why is my donation directed through CAF America?

Charities Aid Foundation of America (CAF America) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to make giving around the world safe, easy and effective for U.S. donors. To accomplish this mission, CAF America streamlines the grant-making process, reducing risk, reputational exposure and administrative burden, while at the same time enabling its clients to make strategic, cost-effective and tax-advantaged grants. CAF America hosts donor advised funds like the Stay Strong vs. ALS fund to enable U.S. donors to pool gifts from multiple donors into a single fund and then recommend grants from that fund to the charitable organization(s) of their choosing.

At a high level could you explain how the funds get to the charitable organizations that Stay Strong vs. ALS selects?

Your donations are made into the Stay Strong vs. ALS donor advised fund administered by CAF America. The funds are accumulated in the fund until Stay Strong vs. ALS makes recommendations for grants from the fund to be made to the organizations they have selected in support of those in search of a cure. This method of handling charitable funds is regularly used to pool funds and then support charitable organizations.

How will I know where my donations are going?

Ed will provide updates on Staystrongvsals.com on a regular basis to let donors know how their funds are being invested.

Can I just give directly to the ALS organization of Ed Rapp’s choice?

As Ed reviewed the ALS landscape, it became obvious to him that the best place to invest the funds is in specific projects that are in the works or will be developed in support of those in search of a cure. The donor advised fund allows for the accumulation of funds so, when projects are developed and need funding, Stay Strong vs. ALS will be in a position to provide the needed support. If you want to make a direct contribution we would suggest making it to Answerals.org.

Are there administrative fees associated with my donation?

Yes, CAF America does charge an administrative fee to cover their costs of collecting, handling and reporting on the donor advised fund, but more than 95% of every dollar collected goes to the charitable organizations recommended by Stay Strong vs. ALS.

Will my donation be tax deductible?

Yes, the full amount of your gift is tax deductible as a charitable contribution in the U.S. since you received no goods or services in exchange for your gift. Tax deductions on donations from foreign entities will depend on the tax laws in each country.

Is my personal information secure?

Yes, CAF America and their online payment processors are all PCI compliant. The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard is a set of requirements designed to ensure that all companies that process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.

How will my donation appear on my receipt, and what is the timing of receiving my receipt?

For gifts made online, your donation will appear on your credit card statement as being made to “Network for Good.” Your online receipt will be emailed automatically and will state that your gift was made to the Stay Strong vs. ALS fund at CAF America via Network for Good.

Offline donations will receive a receipt via postal mail within 10 business days stating that they made a charitable donation to CAF America in support of the Stay Strong vs. ALS fund.

Can I donate in a foreign currency?

CAF donations may be made in U.S. dollars to CAF America or Canadian dollars to CAF Canada. Donations coming from outside the U.S. and Canada will need to be converted to U.S. dollars before being donated to Stay Strong vs. ALS.

If I donate from a non-U.S. country using a credit card, what currency will be charged?

You will be charged in U.S. dollars.

If I want to send a check, where do I mail it and whom do I make the check out to? How can I make sure it goes to the Stay Strong vs. ALS account?

To make a donation to the Stay Strong vs. ALS fund via check, please complete the PDF Gift Form and mail it along with your check (made payable to “CAF America”) to: CAF America, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 375, Alexandria, VA 22314-2840. If you would like, you can also input “Stay Strong vs. ALS Fund” in the memo field of your check.

For Canadian Residents, please complete the PDF Gift Form and mail it along with your check (made payable to “CAF Canada”) to: Attn: Howard English, CAF Canada, 100 King Street West, Suite 5600 Toronto ON, M5X 1C9, Canada. If you would like, you can also input “Stay Strong vs. ALS Fund” in the memo field of your check.