Donor-advised fund giving

Give through your donor-advised fund

If you have a donor-advised fund (DAF), you can recommend a grant to Cancer Explained in about two minutes — right from your fund, with no letter, phone call, or separate login to track down.

Give from my DAF

Opens our secure DAF giving page, powered by DAFpay.

What is a donor-advised fund, in plain terms?

Think of a DAF as a charitable savings account. You put money or assets into it — often through a brokerage like Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard, or through a community foundation — and typically get a tax deduction for that contribution right away. The money then sits in the account, invested and growing tax-free, until you decide which charities should receive it. When you're ready, you "recommend a grant," and the fund's sponsoring organization sends the money on your behalf.

Millions of donors already have one — DAFs now direct more charitable giving in the U.S. than any single type of foundation. If your household has ever given appreciated stock to charity, bundled several years of giving into one tax year, or mentioned a "giving account," there's a good chance a DAF was involved.

How to recommend a grant to us

Start your grant

Open our DAF giving page and choose "Donor Advised Fund" as your payment method.

Pick your DAF provider

DAFpay looks up your fund by provider — Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, National Philanthropic Trust, and hundreds of others are supported.

Confirm the grant

You'll be securely connected to your provider's site (or asked for a few details, depending on your provider) to confirm the amount and recommend the grant.

We receive it

Your provider sends the grant to National Cancer Information Foundation (EIN 42-3639534) — usually by check or ACH — no letter or phone call required from you.

Start my DAF grant

What your grant supports

National Cancer Information Foundation publishes Cancer Explained: free, plain-language, evidence-based cancer education for patients, caregivers, and families — no ads, no paywall, no account required. Grants from donor-advised funds help keep it that way, and help us keep guidance current as medical research and treatment guidelines change.

Curious how gifts are handled? Our funding and editorial independence policy explains the firewall between funders and content.

Frequently asked questions

What is a donor-advised fund?

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving account. You (or your family) put money, stock, or other assets into the account, usually get a tax deduction in the year you contribute, and then recommend grants out of the account to charities like ours over time. The fund itself is managed by a sponsoring organization — often attached to a brokerage (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard) or a community foundation — not by you directly.

How is this different from just donating?

With a regular gift, your money goes straight from your bank or card to us. With a DAF, the money already sits in your charitable account — recommending a grant just tells your DAF's sponsoring organization to send some of it to us. Many donors find it a convenient way to give appreciated stock or a lump sum once, then distribute it to charities over several years.

Do I get a tax deduction for a DAF grant?

Your deduction happens when you originally contribute to your DAF, not when the fund grants money out to us — that part is a distribution from an account you no longer control, so it isn't deducted again. For how your specific contribution is treated, check with your DAF sponsor or your own tax advisor.

Is my grant tax-deductible if I give this way?

National Cancer Information Foundation (EIN 42-3639534) is recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity, so DAF sponsors can grant to us. As above, the deduction question applies to your original contribution to the DAF, not to the grant itself.

What is DAFpay?

DAFpay is the tool that powers our DAF giving page, built by Chariot. It looks up your DAF by provider and routes your grant recommendation directly to your fund's sponsor — so you don't have to leave our giving page, find your provider's portal yourself, or mail a letter.

I don't have a DAF, or I'm not sure. What should I do?

If you're not sure whether you have one, check with your financial advisor or brokerage — DAFs are often opened alongside a regular investment account. If you don't have one, our regular donation page takes cards, bank transfers, PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App.

Other questions about giving this way? Email [email protected].

Cancer Explained does not sell medical information or require payment to access its educational tools. Donations help support source verification, accessibility, technology, translations, and free patient resources.

National Cancer Information Foundation is recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, effective July 7, 2026, and is classified as a public charity under Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi). Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law; your own deductibility depends on your individual tax situation, so please consult your tax advisor for specifics. This covers gifts made on or after July 7, 2026 — including gifts made before the IRS letter itself arrived — since the exemption is effective retroactive to that date.

No goods or services are provided in exchange for donations unless specifically stated.