Senior Officer, Strategic Philanthropy International Rescue Committee
Philanthropy is evolving fast. Donors aren’t only giving differently; they’re reimagining how giving fits into their lives. They move money through Donor-Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions, securities, and workplace platforms—tools that turn values into strategy and generosity into long-term impact.
The surge of attention around DAFs underscores how mainstream these mechanisms have become, with new tools and campaigns like DAF Day, DAFpay, and more supporting their growth. Donors already have access to these giving wallets. The real question is whether your organization stands beside them as a guide, or fades into the background as they give elsewhere.
The International Rescue Committee chose partnership over persuasion. It built an omnichannel program that helped donors see how their financial tools could become instruments for humanitarian impact. The approach combined data modeling, donor education, and coordinated outreach across mail, email, SMS, and personal engagement. Through evergreen DAF guides, infographics, and web resources, the IRC created a donor-facing educational ecosystem that demystified alternative giving and positioned the organization as a trusted advisor.
Donors learned. They acted. And they gave more, in smarter ways.
The results were striking: a surge in alternative giving revenue in 2025, new DAF donors emerging from the mass markets file, and cross-channel journeys that began with modest gifts and culminated in six-figure commitments.
None of it depended on chance. Success grew as we leveraged segmentation, clear educational content, consistent integration in donor communications, and collaboration across teams that shared one aim—meeting donors where they are and helping them do more good.
This session unpacks the practical frameworks behind that shift and explores how reframing the relationship—from recipient to partner—transforms both donor experience and organizational growth.
Learning Objectives:
By attending this session, participants will learn to rethink the role of a fundraiser.
Move beyond appeals to education and partnership that help donors use DAFs, QCDs, and other vehicles to fulfill both financial and philanthropic goals.
By attending this session, participants will learn to design systems that connect the dots.
Use modeling, evergreen learning tools, and coordinated outreach to identify and cultivate alternative giving prospects across every channel.
By attending this session, participants will learn how to follow the full arc of giving.
Trace a real donor’s path from a $200 exploratory gift to a $250,000 DAF contribution and see how integrated stewardship makes transformative generosity possible.
