Attracting Gifts from DAFs: How Charities Do It

Giving to donor-advised funds continues to boom: Philanthropists poured $37.1 billion into these funds in 2018, up 20 percent from the previous year. But when people give to charities through these funds, it can be tough for nonprofits to identify, recognize, and build ties with these supporters.

How can your nonprofit cultivate DAF donors and raise more money for your cause?

Join us for a 75-minute webinar on Thursday, February 27 at 2 PM ET to hear directly from charities that consistently attract gifts from these funds. You’ll learn which techniques work, how to make it easy for account holders to contribute, and effective ways to spur giving through DAFs in your communications and fundraising appeals.

You’ll learn from Josephine Everly, chief development officer at the Leadership Roundtable, who led efforts to double revenue from DAF gifts last year at the nonprofit, which works to improve operations of the Catholic church in the United States. Everly, who previously worked as an adviser to donors who set up DAFs, will share insider tips to help you connect with professionals who counsel account holders and those who work at organizations that sponsor these funds. She’ll also explain how to properly acknowledge DAF donations and avoid common legal missteps when handling them.                

Tlisa Northcutt, senior director of donor relations at the University of Alaska Foundation, will offer ways to engage and build strong ties with donors who set up DAFs. She’ll explain how to thank these supporters, communicate with them often, and demonstrate the impact of their giving, so they’ll feel inspired to contribute more over time.

Plus, Rachel Earl, chief development officer at St. Labre Indian School in Montana, will explain how to include the option to give through DAFs in all of your marketing materials on a variety of communication channels. Plus, she’ll share real-world examples of appeals and messages that garner contributions through these funds.

Want more DAF content? Choose "Webinar + Digital Collection" at checkout and get 40% savings on Understanding and Tapping Into Donor-Advised Funds, the Chronicle's best-selling collection of DAF resources. Normally priced at $35, this all-in-one primer is available exclusively to webinar purchasers for just $21 – and can be downloaded instantly as a PDF.

What will you learn?

• How to create marketing messages and appeals that welcome DAF donations
• Ways to engage wealth advisers, fund sponsors, and donors who give through DAFs
• Steps to take – and legal missteps to avoid – when receiving and acknowledging these gifts

SPEAKERS:

JOSEPHINE EVERLY
Chief Development Officer
Leadership Roundtable

TLISA NORTHCUTT
Senior Director of Donor Relations
University of Alaska Foundation

Chief Development Officer
St. Labre Indian School

HOST:

EDEN STIFFMAN
Senior Editor
Chronicle of Philanthropy

Originally Aired: February 27, 2020

This webinar is worth 1.25 CFRE credits.