Executive Insights: Every Nonprofit Needs a DAF Fundraising Strategy

I've been in the fundraising trenches for over two decades.

From the early days of scaling Invisible Children to the growth of Liberty in North Korea, I've seen firsthand how a single major gift can pivot the trajectory of an entire mission. Those experiences shaped me, and they are the reason I founded Funraise.

I recently sat down for a guest spot on the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, and it was an eye-opening conversation for me. I realized that while I've included Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) in my fundraising strategy for years, many high-level leaders are still sitting on the sidelines of this opportunity.

Here's the thing: If you aren't currently pursuing a DAF strategy, you are effectively ignoring the fastest-growing giving vehicle in history.

The numbers are staggering:

• Over $230 billion is sitting in DAF accounts right now.
• The average DAF account holds $141,000.
• DAF donors don't just give—they give big.

Here's what I told Stephen Halasnik during our conversation:

"The data shows that if a donor is giving through a donor-advised fund, they're actually going to be tripling their gift amount."

For a long time, DAFs were a "black box" of frustration—weeks of waiting for checks and zero visibility into the donor's intent. But we've entered a new era. It's no longer about a months-long waiting period; it's about frictionless impact.

As I said on the podcast:

"Every dollar that goes into a donor-advised fund has to be given to charity. It's like a giving account for donors... It's strategic for the organization because these are major gift funds. These are people usually giving north of $10,000."

When we make it easy for donors to use their charitable wallet as opposed to their credit card, the nonprofit wins and the donor wins.

If you want to move the needle on your fundraising today, here are the two actions you need to take:

1. Modernize your donation form.

This is why we partner with DAFpay by Chariot at Funraise. If you only do one thing, let it be this: add a DAF payment method to your form. We've partnered with Chariot to make DAF donations as simple as a credit card transaction. Don't allow donors to think they can't give to you from their DAF. Don't force a donor to call their broker to give you $10,000. Let them do it in three clicks on your website.

2. Leverage Funraise's team of experts.

Almost everyone at Funraise—myself included—came from the nonprofit world. We don't just sell software; we help you build fundraising strategies. If you aren't sure how to categorize DAF donors or how to start the conversation, reach out to us. We've navigated these waters for years and can help you answer the advanced questions that move your mission forward.

The money is already committed to charity. It's just waiting for you to make it easy to receive.