Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are the fastest-growing source of charitable giving in the U.S., with record levels of charitable capital set aside and waiting to be granted to the causes donors care about. Encouraging donors to put those funds to work is a year-round effort, but DAF Day is a great reason to start the conversation. Celebrated on the second Thursday of October, it’s a national day of giving dedicated to raising awareness of DAFs and inspiring the donors who hold them to give.
Last year, we marked the occasion with a webinar featuring Stephen Kump, President, DAF Division, Gary Pforzheimer, President of Planned Giving, and Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy at Chariot, and one of the founders of DAF Day. Here are a few takeaways nonprofits can put to work this DAF Day:
1. Your biggest DAF opportunity is already in your donor file. The question isn’t where to find more DAF donors — it’s activating the ones you have. Many supporters who hold a DAF still give by credit card out of habit; research Mitch cited found nearly nine in ten DAF donors still give outside their DAF each year. A funded DAF is essentially a gift card for charitable giving, and the win is reminding donors to use it.
2. Moving a donor to their DAF tends to grow the gift. The standout finding from Chariot’s DAF Fundraising Report: when an existing donor switched from credit card to their DAF, their support of that same organization doubled at the median. DAF giving isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy, either. Nearly seven in ten of the gifts analyzed were under $1,000, so it’s relevant up and down your donor file.
3. Make it effortless and meet donors in the moment. DAFs most often go unused for spontaneous, inspiration-driven gifts. Make those moments easy: add a DAF option to your donation forms, create a dedicated DAF page with a clear call to action (“Already have a DAF? Use it to support us today.”), keep your address current in the IRS database so grants reach you, and work a DAF reminder into your year-end push.
For the strategies behind these takeaways, watch the full DAF Day webinar.
This DAF Day, take one small step: audit how your organization talks about DAF giving across your site and donor communications.
Want to See the Turnkey DAF Program for Nonprofits in Action?
Schedule a call with us or reach us at 800-839-0054. Let’s #begiving.
