Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are one of the fastest growing giving vehicles in Canada, but they can be difficult to identify and research. For fundraisers and prospect researchers, this is a challenge. This article outlines what DAFs are, why they matter, and how CharityCAN can help you identify, research, and connect with them.

What is a Donor-Advised Fund?

A Donor-Advised Fund is a giving account set up within a public foundation, a community foundation, or the charitable arm of a financial institution. Donors contribute assets to the fund, receive an immediate tax receipt, and then recommend grants to registered charities over time.

The sponsor retains legal control, but donor preferences typically guide granting decisions. In Canada, common sponsors include CanadaHelps, Charitable Impact, community foundations across the country, and financial institutions like RBC, TD, and BMO.

Each of these “parent” organizations may manage hundreds or even thousands of individual funds, each with its own focus and level of donor involvement.

Why DAFs are Hard to See

Unlike registered charities, DAFs are not required to publish detailed information about their grants. While some sponsors provide summaries or highlight grantees in their reports, most donor-level details are not public. This level of transparency makes it difficult to see who exactly is behind the gift and where that gift is going. 

That said, with the right approach and tools DAF activity can be identified and researched. 

Using CharityCAN to Identify, Research, and Connect with DAF Prospects

Here’s how CharityCAN can help:

1. Search for DAF Sponsors with Capacity Start by looking for sponsoring organizations that host DAFs. Use CharityCAN’s charity search tools to filter for number of DAFs held, total dollar value of DAFs held, donations to DAFs and disbursements from DAFs
2. Review Giving History for Affinity Now, use CharityCAN to review their donation records. Look for patterns of giving to causes or organizations. For example, a community foundation consistently supporting hospitals may well hold DAFs interested in supporting healthcare. 
3. Map Relationships for Connectivity Now for the fun stuff. Use Relationship Paths, or the Connections tab on the organization’s Charity Analyst Report, to see if your organization has any connections to the DAF holder you are researching. If you do, engage that board member in your project. Ask for an introduction and make your appeal.

Summary

For researchers and fundraisers, DAFs can feel opaque. You can make things clear by focusing on three key things:

• capacity (assets and fund volume), 
• affinity (giving history)
• connectivity (relationships)

CharityCAN helps you move through each stage of this process, from identifying active sponsors to finding connections to help with engagement. This data-driven approach can change DAFs from an area of unease to a reliable source of support.