Celebrating What Donor-Advised Funds Make Possible

We’re Ren. Our institutional-grade giving technology powers over 60% of DAF assets nationwide. Find out if your firm offers a Ren-powered DAF here, or contact us if you’re a donor or charity.

At Ren, we see what donor-advised funds make possible every day. Ren technology supports roughly half of DAF assets nationwide, and more than $35 billion is granted to charities each year through Ren-powered DAFs.

So on Thursday, October 8, we’re celebrating DAF Day, a national giving day dedicated to donor-advised funds, now in its third year. It’s a chance to shine a spotlight on something that’s making a big impact in the charitable world, and to encourage advisors and donors to talk together about using DAFs to potentially give with greater impact.

For advisors, the timing is useful. DAF Day arrives just as year-end giving season begins, which makes this a natural week to have that conversation.

What impact do DAFs have on the charitable landscape?

A significant one. According to the DAF Research Collaborative’s updated analysis of fiscal year 2024 data, donors granted $64.6 billion to charities from DAFs, up 17.9% from the year before. Contributions to DAFs reached $90.6 billion, and the overall DAF payout rate was 25.2%.

Ren sees that story up close. Ren-powered DAFs process 2.2 million grants a year, supporting 150,000 charities.

Behind those numbers are food banks restocking shelves, after-school programs helping kids keep up in class, medical research moving forward, and local arts organizations keeping their doors open. They come from about 500,000 donors who set money aside for charity and then decided, grant by grant, where it should go.

That’s what DAF Day celebrates: dollars already committed to good, put to work.

What makes DAF giving meaningful for clients?

Choice. A DAF lets donors decide where their generosity goes and when, without rushing the decision. Contributions can also be invested with the potential to grow before they’re granted (growth isn’t guaranteed).

We explore both of those in The Joy of Giving, Twice, including research showing the good feeling from giving fades more slowly than the good feeling from spending. It’s worth sharing with clients who are thinking about their giving this year.

Why is this a good week to talk with clients about DAFs?

Because year-end is close, and good charitable planning takes time.

Many advisors are already having these conversations. In the DAF Research Collaborative’s 2026 survey of 669 financial advisors, Financial Planning in the Age of Donor Advised Funds, 75% reported moderate to substantial discussions with clients about charitable giving, and DAFs were the most commonly recommended giving approach after direct giving.

Clients thinking about giving appreciated stock. a business interest, or other complex assets need lead time. Starting the conversation in October leaves time to choose the right assets, coordinate with their tax and legal advisors, and complete the gift before year-end. DAF Day makes it easy to bring up:

“Thursday is DAF Day. Have you thought about what you’d like your giving to accomplish this year?”

More than 50,000 financial advisors already work with clients through Ren-powered DAFs. For their client. For them, that one question can start a conversation that shapes year-end giving and continues well beyond it, as clients’ goals, families, and causes evolve.

Frequently asked questions

How much do DAFs grant to charities nationwide? Donors granted $64.6 billion from DAFs in fiscal year 2024, according to the DAF Research Collaborative’s updated analysis, a 17.9% increase from the prior year.

How much do Ren-powered DAFs grant to charities? More than $35 billion each year, through 2.2 million grants supporting 150,000 charities.

Why talk with clients about DAFs in October? Year-end giving season is starting, and gifts of complex assets need lead time. DAF Day is a timely way to begin that conversation.

What comes after DAF Day?

The grants. DAF Day lasts one day, but the impact it celebrates continues all year, every time a donor decides where their generosity should go. We’re proud to power that work, and glad to celebrate it.

Join us this week. Follow Ren on LinkedIn for our DAF Day posts, and share The Joy of Giving, Twice with clients who are thinking about their year-end giving.