7 Surprising Facts About Giving From Donor-Advised Funds

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Vanguard Charitable in April published a new edition of its ongoing Why Giving Matters research series. The report draws on more than a decade’s worth of insight into giving from over 32,000 Vanguard Charitable donor-advised fund accounts, along with fresh donor survey responses on giving sentiments and behavior.

Mark Froehlich, chief financial officer at Vanguard Charitable, recently spoke with ThinkAdvisor about the report and the broader charitable giving landscape in the United States. The research shows in clear terms, he said, that higher levels of “responsive granting” from donor-advised funds in the wake of recent natural disasters and humanitarian crises have also coincided with an increase in giving toward planned causes.

Froehlich said it is both humbling and inspiring to see Vanguard Charitable donors’ generosity in supporting their favored causes and charities, and to see their willingness to deviate from established giving plans when needs arise. The Vanguard Charitable organization has worked diligently in recent years, he added, to help facilitate easier and more cost-efficient giving. That includes cutting the management expenses on many funds to as low as a single basis point and opening up new digital pathways for grants.

Ultimately, Froehlich said, organizations like Vanguard Charitable and its growing donor base are playing an important — and sometimes surprising — role in supporting philanthropic needs in the United States and around the world.

See the accompanying slideshow for a review of seven findings about giving from DAFs, drawn from the Why Giving Matters report and the discussion with Froehlich.