Capital Campaign Blog

How Donor-Advised Funds Can Support CRC’s New Campus

CRC’s capital campaign is a long-term investment in North County’s future, and many generous individuals are asking: How can I make a meaningful, strategic gift?

One powerful way is through a donor-advised fund (DAF)—a flexible charitable giving tool that allows donors to contribute, receive an immediate tax deduction, and recommend grants over time to causes they care about, like CRC.

To explore how DAFs and community foundations can support capital campaigns, we connected with Lane Macy Kiefaber, Executive Director of Coastal Community Foundation, now part of the San Diego Foundation. Lane brings deep experience in helping donors align their values with long-term impact.

Please note: The information in this post is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice. Donors should consult their tax advisor, financial planner, or legal counsel to determine the best giving strategy for their individual situation.

Q&A with Lane Macy Kiefaber

Lane is the Executive Director of Coastal Community Foundation at San Diego Foundation

“Our mission is to inspire enduring philanthropy and enable community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region. Supporting initiatives like CRC’s capital campaign is a natural and powerful expression of that mission.”

CRC: What do you find most meaningful about working at a community foundation?

Lane: What I love most is getting to know each person—their story, their values, and what inspires them to give. Through those relationships, we can identify the best way for them to make a meaningful impact. It’s incredibly rewarding to connect thoughtful generosity with causes that matter deeply to them.

CRC: In your experience, how do donor-advised funds empower donors to align their philanthropic strategies with the specific needs of a capital campaign, such as CRC’s new campus initiative?

Lane: Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are powerful tools that empower donors to align their philanthropic strategies with the specific, evolving needs of initiatives like CRC’s new campus campaign. At the San Diego Foundation (SDF), we’ve seen how DAFs can serve as a flexible, strategic giving vehicle—allowing donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants over time in alignment with their personal values and interests.

When donors use their DAF at SDF or with their professional advisors to support a project like CRC’s new campus, they gain access to our philanthropic advisors and administrative support—freeing them from the complexities of managing large or complex gifts, while ensuring their giving aligns with both their intentions and the nonprofit’s goals.

By leveraging donor-advised funds, donors become long-term partners in transformational community efforts—like building a safe, welcoming space for CRC’s life-changing services to grow and thrive.

CRC: How does supporting initiatives like CRC’s capital campaign align with the San Diego Foundation’s broader mission and values?

Lane: Our mission is to inspire enduring philanthropy and enable community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region. Supporting initiatives like CRC’s capital campaign is a natural and powerful expression of that mission.

CRC’s new campus initiative is not just about constructing a building, it’s about creating a safe and resource-rich environment for individuals and families facing domestic violence, hunger, and housing insecurity. These are core issues we care deeply about at SDF, as we work to advance opportunity for all San Diegans.

By partnering on capital campaigns like CRC’s, we help ensure that critical community organizations have the physical space, infrastructure, and long-term stability needed to expand their impact. Through donor-advised funds, nonprofit funds, and strategic giving, we connect generous donors with meaningful opportunities to invest in lasting change, strengthening the fabric of our region, one initiative at a time.

Together with partners like CRC, we are building a more resilient, compassionate, and connected San Diego.

Ways to Give Through Community Foundations

Community foundations can support a wide range of charitable giving options, including:

  • Outright gifts: Cash or appreciated stock
  • Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): Direct from IRAs for those age 70½+
  • Complex gifts: Real estate, business interests, or privately held stock
  • Planned gifts: Bequests, charitable trusts, annuities, life insurance, or retirement plan designations

The San Diego Foundation offers additional information about donor-advised funds at this link.

If you have a donor-advised fund—or are interested in starting one—now is a powerful time to support CRC’s capital campaign. Your giving can help build a space that uplifts thousands of neighbors in need for generations to come.

If you’d like to learn more about CRC’s capital campaign, how you can support our shared vision for a new campus, and what naming opportunities are available, please visit the campaign website or send a message to OneHeart@crcncc.org.