DAFs for the Masses: How to Unlock DAF Giving Potential in Every Donor
- Mitch Stein
- Mar 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 31
If you’re not asking all of your donors for DAF gifts, you’re missing out. Check out these best practices and simple tactics you and your team can adopt today.
Since its inception, DAF giving was typically viewed as a philanthropic vehicle for major donors. But with the recent ease of account restrictions and introduction of technology that makes DAF giving seamless, nonprofits are discovering that this mode of philanthropy can thrive far beyond a single donor type.
To explore the emerging possibilities of DAF fundraising, we spoke with nonprofit leaders who have grown DAF giving within their own organizations. Our conversation featured:
Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy at Chariot
Meghan M. Lee, Associate Director, Mid & Major Gifts at the ACLU
Shayla Titley, Director of Patron Programs and Services at The Public Theater
Whether you’ve yet to consider DAFs beyond the major donor level or haven’t embraced DAF fundraising yet, we’ve rounded up these tried-and-true best practices from our recent webinar to help you set the foundation for a winning DAF strategy regardless of your experience.
Value donors at every level
From one-time donors to long-time sustainers to mid and major donors, your organization should make every one of your supporters feel like a partner in your mission. Of course, you’ll want to keep on-staff liaisons available for major donors, but at the same time, any donor should know that you have an open door for them.
Here are just some ways you can make this work (even on a budget):
Keep every donor in the loop: Leverage social media and weekly newsletters to become a trusted news source for the issues your supporters care about most.
Host a town hall-style event with an open invite: Welcome donors to hear directly from your staffers on the front lines. Share about your critical work, take questions and suggestions, and collect valuable feedback.
Send your donors an annual magazine: Compile the greatest stories and accomplishments your donors have made possible into a tangible form of celebration and thanks they can’t miss.
Say “Thank you” often: Your donors can never hear it too much—say thanks via email for individual gifts, spotlight donors of all levels on social media, and lead every ask and invitation with gratitude for their presence on the front lines with you.
Educate your staff about the impact of DAFs
Your tight-knit team finds success when everyone’s rowing in the same direction, and this idea also holds true in DAF fundraising.
Before you engage donors, all of your staff members should be well-versed in DAFs—the state of DAF giving today, how other nonprofits are embracing it, and the enormous amount of money you can raise for your mission.
Look to these free resources to get started:
Let your development department work its magic
At many organizations, the marketing team manages donors who give more sporadically and in lower amount. But while this mass-marketing approach makes sense from an ROI standpoint in the short-term, moving these donors into development outreach initiatives can help your organization establish stronger, more meaningful relationships—and that’s where the DAF conversation comes in.
Diversify your approach—and track what works
It’s critical to incorporate DAF giving language and functionality into all your communication channels.
Think about how supporters engage with each of these channels, along with the main message you want to communicate. There’s a time and a place for content on DAF education vs. DAF engagement—and as your DAF holders grow and you and your team become accustomed to DAF fundraising in a broader context, your supporters will show you when and where your DAF messaging works best.
While email has become a go-to communication channel for nonprofit organizations, inboxes can become crowded. To ensure your donors see your message, consider a variety of ways to reach out, including:
SMS text messages
With an average open rate of over 90 percent, text messaging is king. Once you have a donor’s permission, you can communicate with them about DAFs and other topics using the same channel they lean on to keep in touch with family, colleagues, and friends.
Avoid unsubscribes by using text messaging sparingly and thoughtfully. Aim for a cadence of three to five texts per month.
Text themes can include:
Automated thank you messages upon receiving digital DAF gifts
Peer-to-peer solicitations from volunteers to their networks
Event invitations and reminders to boost attendance
Emergency appeals that mention DAFs as a prime giving option
Soliciting and organizing volunteers
Social media
Show up where your donors go to engage with their interests, hobbies, and people they love most. While a Facebook account is a must, expanding to other channels like Instagram and TikTok can help you reach younger generations of social-savvy supporters.
If your social media presence could use a boost, consider these light-lift moves:
Ramp up to posting two to five times per week
Follow social media trends and create your own version
Look to hashtag holidays for inspiration
Feature donors’ photos and testimonials on why they give
Use short-form video to show a look behind the scenes
Keep tabs on your social media posts’ engagement metrics and take note. Your best-performing posts can become a weekly theme that brings donors back to your page week after week.
Direct mail
As communication becomes almost entirely digital, things we can hold have become extra special. Cut down costs by choosing postcards and apply for special nonprofit mailing rates from USPS if you haven’t just yet.
Phone calls
Finding time to call every donor isn’t an easy feat, but when you break down your list and divvy up contacts, it’s suddenly more than achievable. If you’re too short-staffed at the moment, consider recruiting your most passionate volunteers or board members to lend a hand.
Before you hit “Send,” “Share,” or pick up the phone, work with your marketing and development teams to set up a tracking process for each initiative. When you lay the groundwork to measure engagement, you can fine-tune your outreach to prioritize the most effective methods moving forward.
Equip your organization for digital DAF giving
DAF donors aren’t the only thing changing—how we give via DAF is, too. And that’s a good thing, because now, DAF giving is as easy as giving via credit card with no more middle person.
Best of all, you don’t have to contact a foundation or quiz your development team to find out crucial DAF gift information. With tools like DAFpay, you can receive DAF gifts directly from your donors—with names and contact information included.
See how easy DAF giving can be:
Tell every donor what a DAF is—and why they should use one
If major donors have been the only supporters in your DAF giving orbit, it’s time to spread the word. Just like your staff, donors need 101 education on DAF giving.
Share simple explainers on what DAFs are and how they work via:
A dedicated DAF giving page on your website that includes your tax ID
Social media posts (Try short-form videos and carousels)
An email newsletter dedicated to DAF giving featuring 101 content, steps to get started, DAF donor testimonials, and impact data
Face-to-face conversations and phone calls
Encourage current DAF donors to take the next step
Mid-level and major donors who already give via DAF are typically prospects for your planned giving initiatives. These loyal supporters are always seeking new and more impactful ways to further your important work.
If you haven't had the conversation yet, let them know that they have the option to list your organization as the beneficiary of their DAF account.
Make DAFs a mainstay at your organization
Many donors automatically contribute money to their DAFs. While that’s great for the growth of their giving power, the set-it-and-forget-it nature of DAFs can make them easy to, well, forget.
Keep DAF giving at top-of-mind for your supporters by:
Reminding donors that they can give via DAF
Adding a DAF giving option to all of your donation forms
Turning DAF giving into a movement within your community by participating in DAF Day on October 9th
Start now
First things first: Before you can debut DAFs to the masses, you need to get set on your side of things. Begin with making DAF giving as easy as the click of a button.
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