Helen Flannery

A set of our hot takes from the National Philanthropic Trust’s latest report on DAFs.

Americans are their most charitable at year’s end. But even on Giving Tuesday, billionaire donors crowd out the impact of small-dollar gifts.

Barre Seid’s record-breaking $1.6 billion donation to the Marble Freedom Trust boosts right-wing advocacy efforts. This kind of dark money giving allows multi-millionaires to buy influence and set the public agenda — avoiding taxes in the process.

Rising like monsters from the deep, donor-advised funds (DAFs) have finally caught up with foundations as the wealthy donor’s charitable warehousing vehicle of choice — and are poised to eclipse them.