Where in the World are DAF Sponsors?

NPT has published our annual Donor-Advised Fund Report for 10 years. As we enter the next decade, we are committed to reflecting the tremendous and complex growth of the donor-advised fund (DAF) sector of philanthropy in our report.

When we began our research, we tracked 140 charities that sponsored DAFs. Now we compile information from over 1,000 charities. This expanded analysis includes data from charities of all sizes in every corner of the US.

The geographic distribution of charities that sponsor DAFs in our data set is really interesting. There is a high concentration in the most populated states, which is to be expected, but there is a similarly high concentration in several Midwestern states. For example, New York, which has the second highest population in the country, has at least 62 charities that sponsor DAFs while Indiana, which is only the 16th largest state, has 61—just one less. This is because the Lilly Endowment began its GIFT Initiative in 1990 to launch and develop community foundations across Indiana. There is now a community foundation or affiliate in every county of Indiana.

As we continue to compile our research for the 2017 Donor-Advised Fund Report, we look forward to sharing with you how we plan to expand our analysis. We also hope to answer DAF-related questions that donors, advisors and the philanthropic sector are asking.