Highlights from NPT’s 2022 DAF Report

Earlier this week, NPT published its 2022 Donor-Advised Fund Report, the latest comprehensive annual analysis of the donor-advised funds (DAFs) sector in the U.S.

DAF donors were highly active in 2021. DAFs reached a new record for grantmaking, as well as the fastest growth rates on record for contributions and charitable assets—funds that will further encourage support to charities to advance their missions.

The 2022 Donor-Advised Fund Report examined 2017 through 2021 fiscal year data from 995 charities offering donor-advised funds.

Here are the most significant takeaways and top-level findings in this year’s report:

2022 Donor-Advised Fund Report Highlights

• DAF donors again granted at historic levels. Grants from DAFs to qualified charities totaled an estimated $45.74 billion, representing a 28.2 percent increase compared to 2020, which itself was 28.3 percent higher than in 2019.
• The DAF payout rate was 27.3 percent, the highest on record.  Payout has remained above 20 percent for every year on record.
• The total number of individual donor-advised fund accounts increased by 28 percent to 1,285,801.
• Charitable assets under management increased as the stock market surged. Charitable assets totaled $234.06 billion in 2021, a 39.5 percent increase from the revised 2020 total of $167.81 billion.
• DAF contributions in 2021 totaled $72.67 billion. This number surpasses the revised 2020 value of $49.58 billion and is a 46.6 percent year-over-year increase.

Read the full report here for more findings, including a breakdown by DAF sponsor types and additional statistics.

About the Author

Andrew Hastings is NPT’s Chief Enterprise Officer and has 30 years of experience in the philanthropic and nonprofit marketplace. Mr. Hastings is responsible for advancing NPT’s strategic vision, evaluating innovative solutions, amplifying NPT’s thought leadership, and positioning the organization for continued growth and service to our donors.