Give more.
Save more.

Maximize your impact with a Giving Account—the tax-smart way to donate to your favorite charities.

Give more.
Save more.

Maximize your impact with a Giving Account—the tax-smart way to donate to your favorite charities.

A donor-advised fund, like the Fidelity Charitable Giving Account, is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about.
Tax-free growth shown with bag of money and coins illustration

TAX-FREE GROWTH

The Giving Account offers investment growth potential on charitable contributions, allowing assets to appreciate tax-free, which can increase the impact of your giving over time.

Simplify your giving shown by woman sitting in chair illustration

SIMPLIFY YOUR GIVING

All of your charitable giving is organized in one place with the Giving Account. Keeping track of your donations has never been easier with a single dedicated account. 

Lower your tax burden shown with a plant in hand illustration

LOWER YOUR TAX BURDEN 

Potentially eliminate capital gains taxes and the Medicare surtax, totaling up to 23.8%, by donating long-term appreciated assets to your Giving Account.

Is a donor-advised fund right for you?

Take this fast 6-question quiz to determine whether a donor-advised fund suits your needs.

Your questions answered

When you contribute to Fidelity Charitable, you can take the same tax deductions as donating to any public charity.

If you donate cash or checks, you're generally eligible for an income tax deduction up to 60% of your adjusted gross income (AGI).

However, if you have long-term appreciated assets, such as stocks or bonds, you have an opportunity to further maximize your deduction. By donating these types of assets directly to charity, you generally won't have to pay capital gains and you can take an income tax deduction in the amount of the full fair-market value, up to 30% of your AGI.

We accept a wide range of financial assets, from cash and checks to stocks and even non-publicly traded assets like private business interests and cryptocurrency. Learn more about turning your portfolio into a life-changing gift.

The Giving Account lets you support most IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) public charities with a minimum grant amount of just $50. Once you set up your Giving Account, you can start recommending grants to charities right away.

The Giving Account, a donor-advised fund, is one of the easiest and most tax-advantageous ways to give to charity. When you contribute cash, securities, or other assets to a donor-advised fund sponsoring public charity like Fidelity Charitable, you are generally eligible to claim an immediate tax deduction. Then those funds can be invested for tax-free growth, while allowing you to support charities on your timetable.

By using Fidelity Charitable, you're tapping into the nation's largest donor-advised fund sponsor with over 30 years of expertise. You'll have access to free resources and tools to help you make a greater impact.

Fidelity Charitable makes charitable giving accessible, simple, and effective. That's why there is no minimum to open a Giving Account and you can support as many charities as you'd like. Fidelity Charitable’s minimum grant amount is $50 to encourage giving.

With one of the lowest annual fees of any donor-advised fund, the Giving Account is generally assessed an annual administrative fee of 0.60% or $100, whichever is greater. It’s often cheaper than giving with a credit card. Learn more about Fidelity Charitable’s administrative and investment fees.

Yes, if you already have a financial advisor, they can help you take full advantage of your donor-advised fund. Check out our working with your financial advisor page to find the resources you need to get started.

The Giving Account: Why it's a smarter way to give to charity

What if there was a simplified, tax-smart account for charitable giving that empowered you to give more to the causes you care about—all from one convenient platform? That’s the power of a donor-advised fund.  (02:23)

Give.

When you contribute to Fidelity Charitable, you’re eligible for an immediate tax deduction.

Grow.

Your contribution is also invested based on your preferences, so it has the potential to grow tax-free while you decide which charities to support.

Grant.

Because a Fidelity Charitable Giving Account is a donor-advised fund, you advise us on granting the money out to your favorite charities.

Giving with a donor-advised fund vs directly to charity

Organizations you can support

Donor-advised funds

IRS-qualified public charities

Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

Public charities

Tax-free growth potential

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Donations of non-cash items

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Free online setup

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

*Cash/debit/check is free, but credit cards and many online fundraising intermediaries charge fees.

Income tax deduction*
*Percentage of adjusted gross income (AGI)

Donor-advised funds

60% for cash

30% for appreciated assets*

*Appreciated assets held for over a year are generally deductible at Fair market Value (this applies to both publicly and non-publicly traded assets)

Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

60% to qualifying charities*

*When donating to a public charity. 30% when donating to a private foundation.

Capital gains benefit

Minimize this tax whether you itemize or take the standard deduction

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

N/A

Option to support charities anonymously

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Ability to name successors

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Consider this when

Donor-advised funds

You want a turnkey giving solution with low costs and the potential to grow tax-free over time.

Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

You want to make one-off donations and manage your own donation receipts at tax time.

Phil and Susan used their Giving Account to support Parkinson's research

Instead of writing checks to separate causes as they come up, Phil and Susan established a Giving Account. They contributed $25,000 through a wire transfer, which was immediately available for a tax deduction of up to 60% of their adjusted gross income. That contribution was invested in one of Fidelity Charitable’s Investment Pools, where it has the potential to grow tax-free—possibly increasing the amount of money they’ll ultimately be able to use for grant recommendations to qualified charities.

In the meantime, they’ve set up an automatic grant recommendation from their Giving Account to their church for tithing every month. When their university’s annual fundraiser comes up, or a friend or neighbor asks for support, they simply recommend another grant.

Phil and Susan’s new approach to supporting Parkinson’s research improved in the same ways: better than writing checks here and there, they’ve set up a recurring wire transfer from their checking account to Fidelity Charitable. They’re actively making a series of automated charitable contributions, then recommending how they would like their donation to be invested, giving their Giving Account the potential to grow tax-free. Their goal is to support Parkinson’s research for as long as possible, in the smartest way possible, and the Giving Account from Fidelity Charitable is helping them do just that.

Use your long-term appreciated securities to make a greater impact

Giving non-cash assets, including stock, bonds, and mutual funds, is often more tax-advantageous than giving via cash or credit cards, but it can be difficult for many charities to accept these charitable contributions.

 

Contributing assets other than cash is simple with the Giving Account. Consider this potential tax-savings example:

 Original cost of securities $25,000
Federal long-term capital gains rate 23.8%2.
Value of securities: $40,0003

Capital gains and Medicare surtax paid on $150,000 (23.8%)

Selling your securities and donating the proceeds

-$3,570

Donating your securities to Fidelity Charitable

$0

Total contribution to charity (after deducting federal taxes)

Selling your securities and donating the proceeds

$36,430

Donating your securities to Fidelity Charitable

$40,000

Selling your securities and donating the proceeds
Donating your securities to Fidelity Charitable

Additional amount dedicated to charity

+$3,570

1Total Cost Basis of Shares is the amount of money you have invested in the shares of a particular fund or individual security. It represents the basic dollar amount that, when compared to the price at which you sell your shares, tells you how much of a capital gain or loss you have realized.

2This assumes all realized gains are subject to the maximum federal long-term capital gains tax rate of 20% and the Medicare surtax of 3.8%. This does not take into account state or local taxes, if any.

3Amount of the proposed donation is the fair market value of the appreciated securities held more than one year that you are considering to donate.

Our distinct difference

Fidelity Charitable is committed to strengthening the entire philanthropic sector through smarter philanthropy. We make your charitable giving accessible, simple, and effective by providing expert consultants with world-class service and free resources. We are committed to a seamless donor experience, making it easier, safer, and more sustainable for you to give by driving innovation in philanthropy. Getting support to nonprofits quickly and securely is always our priority. We inspire and enable donors like you to make the world a better place through the support of charitable causes. 

 

  • Proven experience: Since 1991, we have been a leader in charitable planning and giving solutions. Join more than 350,000 donors who choose Fidelity Charitable to make their giving simple and more effective.
  • No minimum & low fees: Fidelity Charitable has no minimum initial contribution requirement and one of the lowest annual fees of any donor-advised fund. 
  • Expert support & service: Trust Fidelity Charitable to guide you from beginning to end with our world-class service and in-house expertise in handling donations of non-publicly traded assets. We can also work with your financial advisor to think through a variety of scenarios, helping to facilitate your charitable giving plan.
  • Easy-to-use tools: With Fidelity Charitable, recordkeeping has never been easier since you can view your statements online at any time, and our mobile capability makes sure you're always connected to the causes you care about. Plus, you'll have access to a premium Guidestar subscription to do additional research for greater confidence when giving.

 

Giving with a donor-advised fund vs directly to charity

Organizations you can support

Donor-advised funds

IRS-qualified public charities

Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

Public charities

Tax-free growth potential

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Donations of non-cash items

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Free online setup

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

*Cash/debit/check is free, but credit cards and many online fundraising intermediaries charge fees.

Income tax deduction*
*Percentage of adjusted gross income (AGI)

Donor-advised funds

60% for cash

30% for appreciated assets*

*Appreciated assets held for over a year are generally deductible at Fair market Value (this applies to both publicly and non-publicly traded assets)

Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

60% to qualifying charities*

*When donating to a public charity. 30% when donating to a private foundation.

Capital gains benefit

Minimize this tax whether you itemize or take the standard deduction

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

N/A

Option to support charities anonymously

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Ability to name successors

Donor-advised funds
Yes
Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit
No

Consider this when

Donor-advised funds

You want a turnkey giving solution with low costs and the potential to grow tax-free over time.

Directly to charity with check, cash, or credit

You want to make one-off donations and manage your own donation receipts at tax time.

Phil and Susan used their Giving Account to support Parkinson's research

Instead of writing checks to separate causes as they come up, Phil and Susan established a Giving Account. They contributed $25,000 through a wire transfer, which was immediately available for a tax deduction of up to 60% of their adjusted gross income. That contribution was invested in one of Fidelity Charitable’s Investment Pools, where it has the potential to grow tax-free—possibly increasing the amount of money they’ll ultimately be able to use for grant recommendations to qualified charities.

In the meantime, they’ve set up an automatic grant recommendation from their Giving Account to their church for tithing every month. When their university’s annual fundraiser comes up, or a friend or neighbor asks for support, they simply recommend another grant.

Phil and Susan’s new approach to supporting Parkinson’s research improved in the same ways: better than writing checks here and there, they’ve set up a recurring wire transfer from their checking account to Fidelity Charitable. They’re actively making a series of automated charitable contributions, then recommending how they would like their donation to be invested, giving their Giving Account the potential to grow tax-free. Their goal is to support Parkinson’s research for as long as possible, in the smartest way possible, and the Giving Account from Fidelity Charitable is helping them do just that.

Use your long-term appreciated securities to make a greater impact

Giving non-cash assets, including stock, bonds, and mutual funds, is often more tax-advantageous than giving via cash or credit cards, but it can be difficult for many charities to accept these charitable contributions.

 

Contributing assets other than cash is simple with the Giving Account. Consider this potential tax-savings example:

 Original cost of securities $25,000
Federal long-term capital gains rate 23.8%2.
Value of securities: $40,0003

Capital gains and Medicare surtax paid on $150,000 (23.8%)

Selling your securities and donating the proceeds

-$3,570

Donating your securities to Fidelity Charitable

$0

Total contribution to charity (after deducting federal taxes)

Selling your securities and donating the proceeds

$36,430

Donating your securities to Fidelity Charitable

$40,000

Selling your securities and donating the proceeds
Donating your securities to Fidelity Charitable

Additional amount dedicated to charity

+$3,570

1Total Cost Basis of Shares is the amount of money you have invested in the shares of a particular fund or individual security. It represents the basic dollar amount that, when compared to the price at which you sell your shares, tells you how much of a capital gain or loss you have realized.

2This assumes all realized gains are subject to the maximum federal long-term capital gains tax rate of 20% and the Medicare surtax of 3.8%. This does not take into account state or local taxes, if any.

3Amount of the proposed donation is the fair market value of the appreciated securities held more than one year that you are considering to donate.

Our distinct difference

Fidelity Charitable is committed to strengthening the entire philanthropic sector through smarter philanthropy. We make your charitable giving accessible, simple, and effective by providing expert consultants with world-class service and free resources. We are committed to a seamless donor experience, making it easier, safer, and more sustainable for you to give by driving innovation in philanthropy. Getting support to nonprofits quickly and securely is always our priority. We inspire and enable donors like you to make the world a better place through the support of charitable causes. 

 

  • Proven experience: Since 1991, we have been a leader in charitable planning and giving solutions. Join more than 350,000 donors who choose Fidelity Charitable to make their giving simple and more effective.
  • No minimum & low fees: Fidelity Charitable has no minimum initial contribution requirement and one of the lowest annual fees of any donor-advised fund. 
  • Expert support & service: Trust Fidelity Charitable to guide you from beginning to end with our world-class service and in-house expertise in handling donations of non-publicly traded assets. We can also work with your financial advisor to think through a variety of scenarios, helping to facilitate your charitable giving plan.
  • Easy-to-use tools: With Fidelity Charitable, recordkeeping has never been easier since you can view your statements online at any time, and our mobile capability makes sure you're always connected to the causes you care about. Plus, you'll have access to a premium Guidestar subscription to do additional research for greater confidence when giving.

 

A smart way to give

  • Streamline your tax recordkeeping in one convenient location
  • Support charities at a pace that is comfortable for you, now or later
  • Invest your donation for tax-free growth
  • Continue to support the causes you care about when leaving a legacy
Why give with a Giving Account? shown with a lightbulb illustration

Get started today

Start making a difference today by opening a Giving Account—no minimum required.

Adopting the Giving Account was the best decision for our charitable giving. It's not only efficient but has also amplified the reach of our philanthropy.

 Fidelity Charitable donor

2025 Fidelity Charitable Giving Report

Receive curated resources in your inbox today

Your email package will include the latest insights from our 2025 Giving Report, highlighting how savvy philanthropists are using donor-advised funds to make their dollars go further.

The tax information provided is general and educational in nature, and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. Fidelity Charitable does not provide legal or tax advice. Content provided relates to taxation at the federal level only. Charitable deductions at the federal level are only available if you itemize deductions. Rules and regulations regarding tax deductions for charitable giving vary at the state level, and laws of a specific state or laws relevant to a particular situation may affect the applicability, accuracy, or completeness of the information provided. As a result, Fidelity Charitable cannot guarantee that such information is accurate, complete, or timely. Tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to change, and changes in them may have a material impact on pre- and/or after-tax results. Fidelity Charitable makes no warranties with regard to such information or results obtained by its use. Fidelity Charitable disclaims any liability arising out of your use of, or any tax position taken in reliance on, such information. Always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.