Description

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are one of the fastest-growing segments of the Canadian Charitable and Philanthropic sector.  This Report is our annual update on the Canadian Donor-Advised Fund market. We present the important characteristics of DAFs, their pros and cons, the current Canadian environment for the product, and a 5-year statistical summary of Canadian DAFs including Assets, Grants, Contributions, and Management Expenses.

We also discuss Community Foundations, a particular segment of Canadian DAFs that are growing in popularity. A comparison between Private Foundations and DAFs is presented.  The Canadian DAF market is contrasted to similar markets in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.  A case study is presented on the Fidelity Charitable Giving Fund, the world’s largest DAF.