Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Giving Day on October 9 is quickly becoming a key date on the fundraising calendar. In only its second year, DAF Day highlights one of the fastest-growing trends in philanthropy. With DAF adoption soaring and new tax incentives in play, nonprofits that understand this donor segment will be better positioned to capture year-end generosity.
At Windfall, we work with thousands of nonprofits that are adapting their fundraising strategies for this new era of strategic giving. Our household-level intelligence helps organizations pinpoint which constituents are likely to hold DAFs, prioritize outreach, and engage these donors in ways that match their motivations.
2025 has been a landmark year for Donor-Advised Funds. National providers such as DAFgiving360 report nearly $8.9 billion in grants, a 34% increase year over year. More than 1.4 million grants have already been distributed, with donors giving at a pace exceeding $24 million per day.
Retention rates are climbing, too, according to Chariot’s DAF Fundraising Report (2024). Once a donor gives through a DAF, their likelihood of giving again the following year jumps from 46% to 59%. This consistent behavior makes DAF donors an invaluable long-term segment for nonprofits to cultivate.
DAFs are also becoming far more accessible. Research from Philanthropy Roundtable and Chariot shows that accessibility is driving broader participation.
What was once a tool of ultra-high-net-worth families is now a mainstream vehicle for affluent and even mid-market donors who want the flexibility of giving strategically over time.
This year presents a rare opportunity for donors to maximize tax benefits before several key provisions are set to change in 2026. These shifts come from the scheduled sunset of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which will reset deduction limits and income thresholds.
Together, these adjustments make 2025 an important year for donors to review their giving strategies and maximize impact before new deduction limits take effect. Nonprofits that understand these changes can use data to help supporters act early and plan their giving with confidence.
Affluent households are increasingly turning to structured giving vehicles to manage their philanthropy. According to the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy, about 24 percent of affluent individuals either currently have or plan to establish a giving vehicle such as a donor-advised fund, private foundation, charitable LLC, or giving circle. Among those who already have one, 91 percent made donations through it in 2024, showing how central these vehicles have become to high-value philanthropy.
For nonprofits, this shift introduces real complexity. A single household might give directly, through a DAF, and through a family foundation in the same year. These parallel channels make it difficult to connect gifts to the right donor relationships, track cumulative giving, and steward major contributors effectively.
Windfall helps organizations close this visibility gap with household-level wealth screening and career intelligence. Our insights enable nonprofits to:
With these insights, nonprofits can move from reactive fundraising to intentional relationship building that reflects how affluent donors actually give across multiple vehicles and entities.
DAF donors don’t just differ in how they give. They also differ in how they participate across financial, civic, and philanthropic networks.
Windfall’s data shows that households with a Donor-Advised Fund are more likely to hold assets in a trust, serve on nonprofit boards, and have a family foundation compared with the broader U.S. population. These markers signal a level of sophistication and structure that extends beyond one-time donations.
This profile underscores why DAF donors respond best to personalized communication. They’re strategic philanthropists who already manage assets, understand the tax implications of giving, and are accustomed to evaluating impact. Development teams that can identify and speak to these motivations are far more likely to secure meaningful, long-term commitments.
DAFs have become a cornerstone of modern philanthropy. As grant activity and accessibility continue to grow, nonprofits that understand who their DAF donors are will be best positioned to capture new giving this fall.
Windfall equips organizations with the data to make that possible. Our household-level wealth insights, philanthropic indicators, and predictive models help teams identify, engage, and steward DAF donors with accuracy and precision.
DAF Giving Day 2025 is more than a fundraising moment. It reflects where philanthropy is heading and how data will shape the next generation of donor relationships. Organizations that invest in these insights today will be the ones leading tomorrow.
Want to see how Windfall’s new DAF flag helps you identify, segment, and engage donor-advised fund households with precision? Join our live webinar tomorrow to learn how leading nonprofits are using household-level data to uncover hidden DAF donors and activate strategic giving opportunities.
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