Influence, Affluence & Opportunity: Donor-advised Funds in Canada

Donor-advised funds in Canada have a seventy-year history, and their use as a tool for charitable giving has become more popular in the past decade. Alongside this growing popularity and attention, there is significant interest in understanding the scope and scale of donor-advised funds in Canada, as well as how they are becoming an integral part of the charitable giving landscape.

KCI and the CAGP Foundation have partnered together on this research initiative to add to the growing body of knowledge about DAFs in Canada and help strengthen relationships and understanding between donors, DAF organizations, and operating charities to continue to strengthen communities across Canada.

This collaborative report seeks to accomplish a number of objectives, including:

• Quantifying the scope and growth of DAFs in Canada, as well as the increasing contribution of DAF donors to the charitable sector in Canada
• Examining challenges, criticisms and misconceptions around DAFs
• Identifying key areas for improvement in how DAF foundations can support donors, as well as work with operating charities
• Raising issues that may merit regulatory consideration
• Suggesting strategies or approaches for operating charities to ensure they are maximizing engagement and stewardship of donors who choose to use this giving vehicle