Year-End Giving with a Donor-Advised Fund: Deadlines, Guidelines and Resources
AS THE YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE, many of us look for meaningful ways to give back—whether it’s supporting communities, addressing urgent challenges or advancing innovative solutions. This is what we call Giving Season, and a donor-advised fund (DAF) provides a simple, tax-efficient way to support the causes that matter most to you.
This page will guide you through the essentials of year-end giving with a DAF, including important contribution deadlines, grant recommendation guidelines and other useful tools to help you achieve your charitable goals during this busy time.
To receive 2025 credit for tax purposes in connection with your charitable contributions, NPT must take possession of your contribution by the last day of the year, December 31.
Most assets require the submission of a Contribution Agreement, which may be completed online via the donor portal.
NOTE: This form does not initiate the transfer of assets; NPT cannot initiate transfers on your behalf. Except as noted below, assets in-transit are not considered received by NPT.
The below guide outlines the steps you must take to send assets to NPT to complete your contribution.
Mutual Funds*
- Begin the transfer by November 28.
- Assets must be received by December 31.
Submit a Contribution Agreement to NPT, then submit a transfer request to the financial institution holding the funds. Find transfer instructions here.
Stocks, Bonds and ETFs*
- Begin the transfer by December 24.
- Assets must be received by December 31.
Submit a Contribution Agreement to NPT, then submit a transfer request to the financial institution holding the funds. Find transfer instructions here.
Money Wire
- Begin the transfer by December 24.
- Funds must be received by December 31.
Submit a Contribution Agreement to NPT, then submit a transfer request to the financial institution holding the funds. Find wire instructions here.
Check
- USPS: Ensure your check is postmarked by December 31.
- Non-USPS (FedEx, UPS, etc.): Ensure your check is delivered by 3 p.m. ET on December 31.
Submit a check payable to National Philanthropic Trust. Note the DAF name and account number in the memo section.
Credit Card
- Submit by 11:59 p.m. ET on December 31.
In your donor portal, click on Contribute with Credit Card. Once processed, all donations are irrevocable.
The following types of assets require additional processing. Please contact NPT at (888) 878-7900.
Special Securities, Real Estate and Closely Held Stock
- Initiate transfer ASAP. Due diligence can sometimes take up to 8 weeks or longer. Contact NPT at (888) 878-7900.
Cryptocurrency
- Documentation must be received by December 20.
- Assets must be received by December 31. Contact NPT at (888) 878-7900.
* For gifts of stock, bonds, ETFs or mutual funds, please note that the external custodian currently holding the assets may require that you submit a Letter of Instruction to initiate the transfer of the assets; if so, please present originals of the completed Letter of Instruction to the external custodian and not to NPT.
Many of your favorite charities will be making their year-end appeals soon. If you want a charitable grant to be received by the end of 2025, you should submit your recommendations as soon as possible to ensure NPT has enough time to review, approve and send the funds.
If your grant requires due diligence, it may delay the grant.
For NPT to review, approve and send grant payments in 2025:
- Enter grant recommendations by 11:59 ET on December 15.
- Enter grant recommendations by 11:59 ET on September 30 for international charities.
Approved grants will be mailed on or before December 31.
For NPT to have your grant recommendation approved in 2025 with a grant payment sent early in 2026:
- Enter grant recommendations by 11:59 ET on December 19.
- Enter grant recommendations by 11:59 ET on September 30 for international charities.
Approved grants in 2025 will be mailed on or before January 6, 2026.
Please note that National Philanthropic Trust’s offices will have limited hours for the Thanksgiving holiday:
Thursday, November 20, 2025: CLOSED
Friday, November 21, 2025: 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET
To support your year-end giving, National Philanthropic Trust will then offer extended hours starting December 1:
Monday–Friday: 8:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. ET
These hours will be in effect through year-end, except on the following special days:
Wednesday, December 25, 2024: CLOSED
Wednesday, January 1, 2025: CLOSED
Additional evening and weekend hours are available by appointment. Please contact us at (888) 878-7900 or npt@nptrust.org with any questions or to schedule an appointment. This season and always, we are proud to be your partner in giving.
Additional Resources
Discover what charitable causes and purposes you can—and can’t—support through a DAF.
Explore how to effectively support disaster relief efforts and maximize your philanthropic impact during times of crisis.
Learn how to take proactive steps to communicate your philanthropic intentions in a legacy plan.
Discover five tips to maximize your year-end grantmaking impact and tax benefits.
Use NPT’s advisor toolkit to identify DAF prospects, prepare for client meetings and engage clients about their year-end philanthropic goals.
Get expert insights on how a DAF can help clients reach their giving goals tax-efficiently and tips to keep their philanthropic goals on track.
