Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) have become one of the fastest-growing vehicles in philanthropy, yet many nonprofit organizations still struggle to understand how they work—or how to make it easy for donors to use them.
For years, Philanthropy 451 has explored DAFs from the donor’s perspective, helping fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, and board members better understand this rapidly growing source of charitable giving. The articles below cover everything from the basics of DAFs to common mistakes nonprofits make, practical strategies for increasing DAF gifts, and the importance of building genuine relationships with DAF donors.
Whether you’re completely new to DAFs or looking to improve your organization’s approach, these articles will help you better understand both the mechanics and the mindset behind this important giving vehicle.
What’s With Donor Advised Funds?
A practical introduction to Donor Advised Funds and why they have become such a significant force in philanthropy. Lisa explains the basics of how DAFs work and why nonprofit organizations can no longer afford to ignore them.
Donor Advised Funds, Part Deux
Building on the article above, Lisa addresses common misconceptions about DAFs and explores the barriers that often prevent nonprofits from receiving DAF gifts. A must-read for organizations that want to remove unnecessary friction from the giving process.
Call Me By My Name
A reminder that donors are individuals, not transactions. Lisa explores how personalization, respect, and attention to donor preferences can dramatically improve relationships—including with DAF donors.
The $121B Mistake
Upon writing in 2020, more than $121 billion sat in DAF accounts waiting to be granted to nonprofits. Lisa examines why so many organizations make it unnecessarily difficult for donors to direct those funds and what can be done to change that.
The KISS Method
“Keep It Simple, Stupid” applies to fundraising, too. This article focuses on eliminating unnecessary complexity from the donor experience, including making DAF giving simple, clear, and accessible.
A DAF Donation with a Surprise
A personal story that illustrates both the flexibility and the unexpected impact DAFs can have. Through a real-life example, Lisa highlights the many ways charitable dollars can flow when barriers are removed.
Trending: Donor Advised Funds
DAFs continue to gain popularity among donors. Lisa reviews the growing trend and explains why nonprofit leaders should be paying close attention to changing donor behavior.
A Great Way to Get Some of That DAF Money Flowing to Nonprofits
A practical look at how nonprofits can position themselves to receive more DAF grants. Lisa shares straightforward tactics organizations can implement immediately.
Let’s Talk About DAFs
An honest conversation about what fundraisers still misunderstand about DAFs and the opportunities available to organizations willing to modernize their approach.
$160B Opportunity - Demystifying DAFs
An updated look at the explosive growth of Donor Advised Funds and the enormous opportunity available to nonprofits. Lisa breaks down the numbers and explains why DAFs deserve a place in every fundraising strategy.
Nuisance Giving and Donor Sentiment
How donor experience influences giving behavior. Lisa explores what frustrates donors, what encourages them to give again, and why convenience and respect matter more than many organizations realize.
March is the Start of Spring, and It’s Also a Great Time to Talk to Your DAF Donors
Many nonprofits focus almost exclusively on year-end giving. Lisa explains why DAF donors can give any time of year and why spring may actually be the perfect time to engage them.
What Happens When Fundraisers Chase Dates, Not Relationships
A challenge to traditional fundraising thinking. Lisa argues that focusing too heavily on fundraising calendars and deadlines can distract organizations from building the authentic donor relationships that drive long-term support.
Know Thy Donor
One of Lisa’s core fundraising philosophies: stop making assumptions and start listening. This article explores how understanding donor motivations, preferences, and behaviors can transform fundraising results.
To help more organizations increase their accessibility to DAF support, I am offering my June Power Hour as a FREE gift to new premium subscribers. During the Power Hour, I will take some time to walk through as many organizations as possible live to evaluate how accessible the organization is to DAF donors. If you are interested in seeing the process, ping me here. Once we hear from you, we’ll be sending you a coupon for a free month as a premium subscriber, which will give you access to Power Hour on June 17th at 9:30am PST.
All subscribers to Philanthropy 451 are invited to the Donor Participation Project’s upcoming workshop: Building a Board That Actually Fundraises: Strategies for Development, Accountability & Real Results [Fundraising Accelerator]. Lisa will be speaking at this workshop along with Amanda Smith and Louis Diez. Learn more and get your ticket here.
Hi, I am a subscriber but don't know where to find the June talk on DAFs that you repeated in July. Please advise. Thanks, Tracey