Case in Point: Pittsburgh Foundation struggles with purpose of DAFs
Community foundations are second only to commercial DAF sponsors in their hosting of DAF accounts, and are presented as a more accessible, better-informed alternative to the national DAF sponsors. Local experiences vary, of course, but the following presents a local perspective that comes to us from GrantAdvisor.org, a free, anonymous review site similar to Yelp or TripAdvisor, which collects feedback about foundations, including DAF sponsors. (3,450 reviews on 943 foundations as of January 2025)
From a Pennsylvania area current or former grantee (12-29-2024)
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its current philanthropic goals?
This funder spends far more time and effort on courting donors and, like most DAFs, very little effort on helping them make grants. In a region with housing issues, homeless/mental health issues, and youth violence, they sit on assets of $1.5 billion (with a "B"); they spend $83 million on themselves (operating expenses); they spend $3 million just on "investment fees," with no transparency on how their investments are helping or hurting the region. They are single handedly sucking a large hole in the ability of the Pittsburgh region to redistribute resources to where they are needed.
What advice would you give to a colleague? (Imagine a trusted nonprofit colleague is thinking of approaching this funder. S/he asks what you think they should know as they start their quest.)
Find the DAF donor on your own and then contact the program officer to let them know you will be applying with the donor in mind.
Which state are you working in?
Pennsylvania
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
How many hours did the grant application process take?
24
If you were funded, tell us the outcome
Funded for lesser amount
What year was this experience?
2024
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average. They are accessible, but don't always have much authority.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Help families talk about charitable giving as a group; help people avoid paying their federal taxes.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Flip your model to spend less effort soliciting donations and more effort guiding donors and/or the community in ways that elevate priority needs and put the steps in place to address them.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Bureaucratic
NOTE FROM PP: This is one fundraiser’s experience, and we’d like to hear more, such as contrary examples of community foundations making accessible connections among DAF donors and community organizations.
