Stock, DAF Payouts, and Crypto: Handling Noncash Gifts

Public Stock (501(c)(3))

Donors give appreciated stock to skip capital gains on the growth while still supporting the mission. Keep a short internal list so the gift doesn't stall in a brokerage queue:

• Brokerage instructions and DTC numbers on the website and in major gift packets.
• Alerts when shares arrive and when they're sold.
• Letters that meet IRS substantiation rules: describe what you received (ticker and share count) and don't put a value on the stock for the donor.

IRS overview: Charitable contribution deduction.

DAF Grants (Cash From the Sponsor)

When a DAF sponsor pays you, the cash comes from the sponsor, not as a direct stock transfer from the donor. Thank the recommender when you know who it is, and read the grant letter for restricted versus unrestricted language before the money is booked.

Crypto: Slow Down and Write It Down

Crypto may convert to dollars the same day or sit in a wallet for months. Policy should cover custody, sell versus hold, minimum gift size, and basic screening of the source. Committees face extra rules on what counts as an acceptable contribution; call FEC counsel before taking anything stranger than a check.

Risk by Gift Type

Gift type	Primary risk	Mitigation
Stock	Liquidation timing	Broker SOPs and batch sales
DAF	Restricted use	Grant agreement review
Crypto	Volatility / compliance	Thresholds, KYC, rapid liquidation

One Policy Everyone Signs

Finance, development, and compliance should share a single written gift acceptance policy, refreshed at least once a year and reread the first time a new asset type shows up.

One Ledger for Cash and Property

Pledges, stock receipts, and sales belong in the same place finance already trusts. Donation and pledge tracking with reporting and batches gives both sides the same trail when auditors, the board, or the FEC ask where a number came from.