FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Abundance Capital is a donor-advised fund (DAF) sponsor, partnering with donors to deploy flexible, impact-first capital into nonprofits, businesses, and community projects.
Billions of charitable dollars sit idle, while nonprofits and mission-driven businesses struggle to access flexible capital.
Abundance Capital connects those two realities by activating charitable funds and directing them into real community opportunities where they can make a difference.
Abundance Capital connects those two realities by activating charitable funds and directing them into real community opportunities where they can make a difference.
The model follows a simple cycle:
- Open your fund: You establish a donor-advised fund, called an Angel Fund, at Abundance Capital.
- Fund your account: You contribute charitable dollars to your Angel Fund. This can include new contributions or transfers from an existing donor-advised fund or foundation.
- Identify opportunities: You bring forward or explore community investment opportunities.
- Structure the right tool: We work together to design the appropriate capital, whether a grant, a loan, an equity investment, or a hybrid.
- Deploy capital: Funds support organizations advancing meaningful community work.
- Recycle when possible: If capital returns, it flows back into your fund.
- Repeat: Your charitable dollars can be redeployed again and again.
A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable account used to set aside funds for giving and impact investing over time. You receive an immediate tax deduction when you contribute, and you can recommend how those funds are used going forward.
Impact investing directs capital toward organizations working to create positive social or environmental outcomes, alongside financial sustainability. Impact is categorized using the rubric of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At Abundance Capital, we focus on helping donors use their charitable funds (donor-advised funds or DAFs) to recommend impact-first investments that prioritize community outcomes over financial returns. Unlike conventional impact investment, returns remain for charitable uses, creating “renewable philanthropy.”
At Abundance Capital, we focus on helping donors use their charitable funds (donor-advised funds or DAFs) to recommend impact-first investments that prioritize community outcomes over financial returns. Unlike conventional impact investment, returns remain for charitable uses, creating “renewable philanthropy.”
Place-based investing means deploying capital within a specific geographic area to support economic development and community outcomes.
Abundance Capital is rooted in the Carolinas, which means many of our donors focus on the Southeast. However, place-based investing operates wherever donors want to use their philanthropic dollars to support the communities they care about, across any geography.
Abundance Capital is rooted in the Carolinas, which means many of our donors focus on the Southeast. However, place-based investing operates wherever donors want to use their philanthropic dollars to support the communities they care about, across any geography.
Renewable philanthropy means your charitable dollars don’t have to be spent once and disappear.
Through tools such as loans and recoverable grants, capital can return to your fund and be redeployed, thereby multiplying the impact of a single gift over time. All returns stay in philanthropic uses.
Through tools such as loans and recoverable grants, capital can return to your fund and be redeployed, thereby multiplying the impact of a single gift over time. All returns stay in philanthropic uses.
The Abundance Effect is how we describe the impact that extends beyond a single deployment, when capital creates ripple effects that strengthen communities over time.
Abundance Capital's mission is to build stronger, prosperous communities by stretching the impact of philanthropy through impact-first investments.
We envision a future where charitable capital builds prosperous and resilient communities.
Community, Generosity, and Integrity
An Abundance Angel is a donor with Abundance Capital who is actively putting their charitable capital to work for community impact.
Angels include individuals, families, foundations, and institutions that have established an Angel Fund and are participating in the Abundance community.
Angels include individuals, families, foundations, and institutions that have established an Angel Fund and are participating in the Abundance community.
Catalytic Funds are pooled donor-advised funds where multiple donors invest together around a shared theme or community priority. An individual, committee, or nonprofit serves as the advisor to the Fund and makes deployment decisions.
Examples include:
- Village Launch: supports early-stage entrepreneurs with patient, community-centered capital. Nonprofit Village Launch manages the Fund's deployment.
- Upstate Warriors: supports veteran entrepreneurs and economic mobility initiatives. Nonprofit Upstate Warriors Solution manages the Fund's deployment.
- Lowcountry Impact Fund: supports place-based investments in housing, small businesses, conservation, education, and infrastructure across the Lowcountry using flexible, impact-first capital. Abundance Capital hosts and administers the Fund’s deployment.
These funds allow Angels to collaborate, learn from one another, and participate in opportunities they may not source individually.
Contributions to a donor-advised fund are tax-deductible in the year they are made, subject to IRS guidelines. No further tax benefits occur when funds are deployed as grants or investments.
Generally, no. Once assets are contributed to your Abundance donor-advised fund, they are owned by the sponsoring 501(c)(3). Any investment returns generally remain in your charitable account and can be redeployed for future impact. Abundance may assess the fund for any applicable unrelated business taxable income.
Most donor-advised funds are designed primarily for granting and may have limitations on how capital can be deployed.
Abundance Capital is built for community-centered charitable impact and supports a wider range of structures, including risk-tolerant, flexible loans and investments in certain for-profit, mission-driven entities.
This allows you to actively deploy your charitable resources for doing good beyond just making grants.
You also gain access to a network of like-minded donors, collaborative opportunities, and flexible capital structures.
Abundance Capital is built for community-centered charitable impact and supports a wider range of structures, including risk-tolerant, flexible loans and investments in certain for-profit, mission-driven entities.
This allows you to actively deploy your charitable resources for doing good beyond just making grants.
You also gain access to a network of like-minded donors, collaborative opportunities, and flexible capital structures.
A hallmark of the Abundance Capital experience is a community built around philanthropy.
When you join Abundance Capital, you are connected to other people who care about impact and are actively putting their philanthropic capital to work. We are a community of philanthropists above all else.
Our goal is to equip Abundance Angels with new tools and inspiration to make the difference they want to see in the world.
When you join Abundance Capital, you are connected to other people who care about impact and are actively putting their philanthropic capital to work. We are a community of philanthropists above all else.
Our goal is to equip Abundance Angels with new tools and inspiration to make the difference they want to see in the world.
No. Donors do not need to be accredited investors to participate. As a nonprofit donor-advised fund sponsoring organization, Abundance’s purpose is wholly charitable. Abundance Capital serves as the investor on behalf of donors and meets applicable organizational-level accreditation requirements. This allows donors to participate in a broader range of impact investments through their Angel Fund.
Abundance is not an investment advisor and does not provide any advice regarding the likelihood of success or repayment of any investment or loan.
Abundance is not an investment advisor and does not provide any advice regarding the likelihood of success or repayment of any investment or loan.
Not finding what you need?
Reach out directly and we'll point you in the right direction.