Legacy | May 2026

Use a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) to Fund Your Legacy Gift

Former Board Chair, Michael Pettit and his wife Cindi make gifts through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and have included the Foundation in their estate plans as well, because they have a long family history in New Mexico and Santa Fe. “My family came here to ranch in the 1880s. The legacy was passed down to me, and I want to keep extending that legacy into the future. The Foundation offers opportunities for community, life-long learning, and it impacts the economic health of the city of Santa Fe and all of New Mexico” says Michael.

“Doing it this way is within reach of almost anyone” say Pettit. “A donor advised fund is simpler than having a family foundation. You don’t have to file taxes and do accounting as you would for a family foundation. You can contribute whatever you want whenever you want, and you can ask for distributions whenever you want. The funds grow tax-free and you also get a tax credit when you donate to the fund. You can even ask for different investments, such as environmentally conscious or high yield, etc. This way you can decide what you feel good about investing in and then invest it and the proceeds in things you care about."

The Pettit family supports the Foundation and the New Mexico History Museum especially because Santa Fe has so many amazing cultural and artistic offerings. They feel that full and part-time residents and visitors have an obligation to support these cultural attractions and want them to thrive.

Are you thinking of making a gift to the Foundation or to one of the cultural institutions we support using a Donor Advised Fund (DAF)? Did you know you can also use your DAF to fund your estate gifts? Click here to find out more.

You may wish to consult with your financial advisor about establishing and making gifts through a DAF or any of the charitable giving strategies mentioned here.

For more information about donating through a DAF, or making a planned gift, please contact Laura Sullivan, Director of Planned Giving at [email protected] or 505.216.0829 or visit our website.

Photo credit: Cousineau Studios, Inc.