A new national study, inspired by CMF’s research on donor advised funds (DAFs) hosted by Michigan community foundations, seeks to understand how DAFs are used across the country.
A new national study, inspired by CMF’s research on donor advised funds (DAFs) hosted by Michigan community foundations, seeks to understand how DAFs are used across the country.
The Donor Advised Fund Research Collaborative (DAFRC) – composed of the top two donor advised fund research teams in the U.S. – will undertake the new study that will combine data from DAF-sponsoring organizations from across the U.S. (including community foundations, national sponsors and religiously-affiliated DAF sponsors) to provide the most accurate and generalizable reports on DAFs.
The study aims to increase public understanding of:
The DAFRC enhances the donor advised fund evidence base by supporting research that contributes to public understanding of donor advised funds.
CMF’s Knowledge Insights Expert in Residence Brittany Kienker, Ph.D., serves on the DAFRC through her consulting firm, Kienker Consulting LLC.
Jeff Williams, director of the Community Data and Research Lab at the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, will also serve on the DAFRC.
In June 2021, CMF partnered with the Johnson Center to launch Analysis of Donor Advised Funds from a Community Foundation Perspective, phase three of our payout rate research series, focusing on the payout rates of DAFs within the context of the philanthropic sector, specifically the payout rates of DAFs administered by Michigan community foundations.
The DARFC will build upon this previous research on DAFs.
DAFRC was established in 2019 by Dr. H. Daniel Heist, Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management at the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics at Brigham Young University and Dr. Danielle Vance-McMullen, Assistant Professor at the School of Public Service at DePaul University.
An advisory council of nationally renowned leaders in philanthropy and data science will provide critical partnership. Kyle Caldwell, president and CEO of CMF, will serve on the advisory council.
“Donor advised funds are not monolithic; we want to dispel the narrative that all DAFs are the same. By looking at nationwide data and working to understand how these funds operate, we can empower practitioners, communities, and donors to use them to benefit all,” Elizabeth Boris, institute fellow, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute said.
Want more?
We invite you to read Analysis of Donor Advised Funds from a Community Foundation Perspective and the full payout rate research series.
Learn more about DAFs through CMF’s FAQs on Donor Advised Funds and Payout Rates.
Explore our curated collection of stories about DAFs.
