Benefits of a supporting organization (SO)
You should consider an SO if you:

Have greater flexibility in grant-making and investment management than what a donor-advised fund alone provides
Contribute non-liquid assets that would not receive a fair-market-value (FMV) deduction if given to a private foundation
Hire staff and pay operating expenses (due diligence costs, mission trips, philanthropic counsel, etc.)
Expand your giving beyond direct-to-charty cash and checks
Have greater tax benefits than those found in a private foundation

Comparison chart: the SO and other solutions
Many people that choose an SO also use a Giving Fund (donor-advised fund) to manage grants to charities. Others decide to choose a Giving Fund or private foundation instead of an SO ... download comparison chart (PDF)

Get started: Supporting organization application
If you're ready to begin the process of starting an SO with us, you can use our supporting organization application to share with us details about your goals and objectives for ministry and grant-making activity ... download application

How we can assist your SO
From helping with its creation to board representation to operational support, we can provide a full range of assistance for your SO. Read this comprehensive list of services we offer ... learn more

What to expect
To prepare you for what will take place in creating your SO, we've compiled a list of steps in the process. This includes completing SO and Giving Fund applications, talking with your professional advisor, receiving our SO proposal, and signing our agreement ... read more

Steps to create your SO
It takes about six weeks to create an SO under our group exemption, but if you create your SO outside of the our group exemption, you should anticipate about 6-8 months at a minimum. The first step in getting started is ... learn more

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