I’m a proud board member and donor partner to Women’s Foundation California, where we believe philanthropic dollars should support communities, not sit around growing corporate profits.
While Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) have traditionally been viewed through the lens of individual wealth management, we see them as a powerful, underutilized tool for radical justice and community care. And the facts don’t lie: the current estimate of total wealth held in DAFs is $326 Billion. A year ago, that estimate was $254 Billion.
It’s clearer than ever that it’s up to all of us to mobilize resources for the people and movements we love. This is a time when all of our values are being called into action. How can we hold the urgency of the present moment with a vision for long-term change? One first step is for everyone who is part of the WFC community of activists – from nonprofits to donor partners to feminist financial advisors – to do their part to unlock money from Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) now. DAF donors have already taken the first critical step towards action by designating dollars for philanthropic purposes. Join us to transform how philanthropy works: we can meet the moment by moving dollars faster, more generously, and courageously.
In my advisory work with wealthy donors who utilize DAFs and with nonprofits who can put that money to work, I’ve seen a lot of inertia and mystery that impedes DAF resource flow. With everything at stake, it’s time to liberate this wealth that belongs in our communities now!
That’s where the #HalfMyDAF Challenge comes in. I recently co-hosted a webinar with the team behind #HalfMyDAF, and I put together a DAF toolkit for nonprofits and a DAF toolkit for donors to support ongoing engagement and action. Please download and share these resources and let’s take action together.
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- Reproductive Justice ($500,000)
- Gender Equity ($250,000)
- Maternal & Infant Health in Africa ($500,000)
- Education in Underserved Communities ($275,000)
We want to encourage and equip WFC partners to leverage this campaign and DAF dollars broadly. Together, we can mobilize more resources out of “warehouses” and directly into the hands of the movements that need it most.
In partnership,
Angie Jean-Marie
Principal, Fait La Force Strategies
Board Member, Women’s Foundation California
P.S. Are you a DAF holder and ready to make a DAF gift to WFC? Use this easy online tool to make your DAF gift in just minutes.
P.P.S. Curious to learn more about Donor Advised Funds and economic justice? Last year’s Independent Report on DAFs is a good place to start. Note again: in the past year, the amount of wealth in DAFs has grown from $254 Billion to $326 Billion.