Donor-Advised Fund Gifts 

A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is an excellent opportunity to involve you and your family in a long-term charitable giving plan.

You can establish a DAF with a charitable sponsor by signing an agreement and making a contribution to the fund. Charitable fund sponsors include community foundations as well as the charitable arms of for-profit financial institutions. Examples include:

  • Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
  • Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
  • Chicago Community Trust

You and/or other individuals may serve as fund advisors and recommend grants to charities, including gifts to SGFoundation.

Benefits of Giving Through a Donor-Advised Fund

  • Take a tax deduction immediately and make grants to charities on your own time.
  • Pool your annual gifts into one large charitable deduction.
  • Enjoy professional management of your funds until they are distributed.

How to Donate to SGFoundation Through a Donor-Advised Fund

  • If you have a donor-advised fund with Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund, you may donate to SGFoundation directly.
  • If your donor-advised fund is through other financial or charitable institutions, please contact your fund administrator to coordinate a gift to SGFoundation.

Questions?

For any questions about giving through a donor-advised fund, please contact the Development Department at:
📧 [email protected]

Positive Outcomes of Self-Initiated Engagement

Research consistently shows that teens engaged in afterschool activities of their choice demonstrate better academic and social outcomes. For instance, students who participate in extracurricular activities have a 21% higher GPA on average than those who do not​. The autonomy in selecting these activities drives intrinsic motivation, which translates to greater commitment and perseverance​.

Self-directed engagement is also linked to increased resilience and emotional well-being. Teens participating in arts, sports, or STEM clubs report higher levels of self-esteem and problem-solving skills. Qualitative studies highlight how personal passion projects instill a sense of purpose and identity, which are crucial during the adolescent years​.

Negative Outcomes of Non-Engagement

The absence of structured afterschool involvement is strongly correlated with negative behavioral and academic outcomes. Teens without such activities are 30% more likely to engage in risky behaviors, including substance abuse and truancy​. Additionally, they are at a higher risk of experiencing social isolation, which exacerbates mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.

For underserved teens, systemic barriers such as lack of access to affordable programs and transportation worsen the issue. Data from community-level studies reveal that low-income youth without engagement opportunities are 24% more likely to drop out of school than their peers​.  

References

  1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. The Impact of Afterschool Activities on Youth Development. PubMed Central, 2019. 
  2. Pilot studies on micro-grants and their effects on minority youth participation and skill development. Journal of Community Interventions, 2020​