Vanguard Charitable, a donor-advised-fund sponsor, has examined a decade's worth of giving data for some 32,000 of its account holders as well as donor survey responses on giving sentiments and behaviors in order to better understand how donors approach DAF grantmaking.
The Harris Poll conducted the online survey in mid-October among 2,073 U.S. adults, 1,516 of whom donated to charity in the past 12 months.
The research uncovered the effect of combining sustained and flexible approaches to giving, and provides insights into DAF donors' philanthropy.
Researchers surmised that because donors' resources are innately limited, their charitable responses to an unforeseen event, such as a natural disaster, could easily disrupt their prioritized giving.
But they found that Vanguard Charitable DAF donors not only give responsively to unexpected needs, thanks to the vehicle's flexibility, but also continue to support their favorite causes.
Donors estimated that 15% of the annual giving from their DAF is unexpected, that is, a response to a crisis or another unforeseen event.
