End of Year Giving

Smart Giving. Lasting Impact.

The final months of the year are a key time to align your charitable goals with tax-smart strategies. Whether you are a fundholder, a professional advisor, or an agency partner, Community Foundation Tampa Bay offers the tools, expertise, and resources to make giving simple, effective, and lasting.

End of Year Giving

Smart Giving. Lasting Impact.

The final months of the year are a key time to align your charitable goals with tax-smart strategies. Whether you are a fundholder, a professional advisor, or an agency partner, Community Foundation Tampa Bay offers the tools, expertise, and resources to make giving simple, effective, and lasting.

Key Dates for End-of-Year Giving

Important Dates to Make a Gift to Your Fund

  • Online Donation: Deadline is midnight EST on December 19, 2025. (Please be aware, many organizations require additional time to process online donations. Fundholders should reach out to their financial institution to ensure they meet any additional deadlines.)
  • Wire and ACH Transfers: Instruct your financial institution to wire your contribution by December 29, 2025 (check with your institution for their specific deadlines).
  • Checks: Checks must be postmarked on or before December 31, 2025.
  • FedEx or UPS deliveries: Must be received by staff before December 31, 2025 (our office will be closed on the 31st).
  • Stock: Must be received by December 31, 2025 in Community Foundation Tampa Bay's securities gift account at Schwab. See instructions.

Important Dates for Donor Advised Fund Grant Recommendations

  • Thanksgiving: Submit grant recommendations through the fundholder portal by Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 12 p.m. EST to ensure delivery before Thanksgiving.
  • End-of-Year: Submit recommendations by Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 12 p.m. EST to ensure delivery before year-end.
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End of Year Giving Resources

Fundholder Resources

Not yet a fundholder at Community Foundation Tampa Bay? To learn how to open a Donor Advised Fund before the end of 2025, please reach out to Community Foundation Tampa Bay's Director of Philanthropy, Kevin Clarke, at kclarke@cftampabay.org

Resources for Professional Advisors

Resources for Nonprofit Fundholders and Nonprofits

To learn more, please see our Frequently Asked Questions, below. Note: Frequently Asked Questions and corresponding answers are for general information purposes only and should not be considered personal legal advice. For details, please consult your tax attorney or a member of our team.

FAQ's

If I’m giving through my corporate foundation, does that change the timing for my gift?

Possibly; giving through a corporate foundation introduces another layer. For instance, gifts from may have different limits, tax deduction ceilings, or documentation requirements. If you have additional questions, please contact our team.

Can I donate appreciated assets (stock, mutual funds, crypto) at year-end?

Yes — the Community Foundation accepts a variety of gifted assets beyond cash, including appreciated stock, privately held business interests, real estate, and cryptocurrency. Gifting appreciated non-cash assets directly can provide a better tax benefit than gifting cash or selling an appreciated asset and gifting the proceeds. Check with your advisors or a member of our team to determine which assets would be best to use for your year-end giving.

If I want a tax deduction this year but want to recommend grants to my favorite charities later, can I do that?

Yes — this is precisely how donor-advised funds work at Community Foundation Tampa Bay. You can make your donation now, receive the tax deduction now, and then recommend grants out of the fund later, over time. This option provides flexibility.

I’m not yet a fundholder. Can I set up a donor-advised fund (or another type of fund) at the community foundation at year-end and still get the deduction this tax year?

Yes — if you establish the fund and make your contribution before the deadline (dependent on the type of asset you are gifting), you can claim that donation in the current tax year.

Can I make a qualified charitable distribution from an inherited IRA?

Yes; in general, Community Foundation Tampa Bay allows QCDs from “traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs” including inherited IRAs. The key is that the distribution must satisfy the QCD rules. Inherited IRAs must meet the same restrictions (age requirement, type of receiving fund, etc.). It’s wise to verify details with your IRA custodian and tax advisor.

Can I make an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to my donor advised fund or family foundation fund?

No; Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) are not eligible recipients of Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) under current IRS regulations. QCDs must go directly to certain types of funds/charities (e.g. unrestricted funds, field-of-interest funds, designated funds, endowment funds) at Community Foundation Tampa Bay. Note: you may make a gift from your IRA to your donor advised fund or family foundation fund, but it would not be considered a QCD. Please check with your tax advisors on tax treatment of gifts from your IRA.

Questions? Let's connect.

Reach out to Kevin Clarke, Director of Philanthropy, at kclarke@cftampabay.org with any questions about end-of-year gifts.

Kevin Clarke
Diretor, Filantropia