Smart New Ways to Win Gifts From DAF Donors
Our best guidance on how to connect with donors and unlock giving from donor-advised funds.
March 24, 2026 | Read Time: 1 minute
Assets in donor-advised funds have surged in recent years, presenting a challenge and an opportunity. DAF donors have already committed their money to charitable giving — they just haven’t decided where it will go yet. For fundraisers willing to adjust their approach, DAF holders are some of the most promising prospects in your pipeline.
The key is understanding what makes these donors different. Because they’ve already received their tax benefit, the usual year-end urgency around deductions doesn’t apply. Instead, experts say, the pitch should center on mission and impact — giving DAF holders a compelling reason to direct dollars that are already earmarked for charity toward your organization specifically.
“It’s as if they have an Amex in their pocket that’s prepaid for $10,000, and they have to spend it,” says Craig Shelley, CEO of the fundraising consulting firm Schultz & Williams.
Savvy nonprofits make it seamless for donors to give directly from their DAF accounts. Even small moves, like including a DAF option among your online giving options or adding your employer identification number to your signature in donor communications, can yield outsize results.
In this collection, we’ve rounded up our best guidance on how to identify, cultivate, and win gifts from DAF donors.
Editor’s note: Chronicle playbooks are updated on an ongoing basis as new advice becomes available.
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