CCS Fundraising is excited to share a new report, report, Do Donor-Advised Funds Respond to Nonprofit Financial Distress? Insights from the 2022 Economic Slowdown.
This publication, researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, examines how donor-advised funds (DAFs) respond when nonprofits face financial strain, both during major crises and in quieter moments of economic uncertainty.
This data-driven report analyzes DAF grantmaking from 2018–2023 to understand donor behavior across different types of financial pressure, offering practical insights for nonprofits seeking to strengthen their financial resilience today.
Key insights in the report include:
- DAF giving surged to human service organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, growing about 20% more than otherwise expected.
- In the 2022 economic slowdown, DAF donors modestly increased support to financially vulnerable nonprofits.
- Donors appear to rely on simple, visible signals (like organizational size) when deciding which nonprofits may need support.
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