DAFs Are No Longer a Nice-to-Have. They’re a Proven Growth Engine.

For years, donor-advised funds have been framed as a client benefit. A tax-efficient way to give. A values-aligned planning tool. A meaningful way to engage families in philanthropy.

All of that is true. But it’s incomplete.

What’s increasingly clear is this: when implemented thoughtfully, DAFs are not just a planning feature. They are a durable growth driver for wealth firms.

At Give, this has been a core belief from day one. Philanthropy, when designed around advisors and embedded into the wealth experience, can unlock growth across advisors, assets, and client relationships.

Now we have proof.

From Legacy Program to Scalable Growth: AssetMark’s DAF Evolution

In mid-2024, AssetMark made a deliberate decision to evolve its donor-advised fund program to better meet the needs of advisors and clients. While the program had a solid foundation, advisor engagement and growth had remained relatively steady over time. AssetMark saw an opportunity not just to modernize the underlying technology, but to reimagine how charitable giving could more directly support advisor-led growth.

AssetMark partnered with Give in June 2024 to transition its DAF program to a fully digital, advisor-centric experience. The platform is designed to integrate seamlessly into advisors’ existing workflows and planning conversations. 

Just as importantly, the program made tax-efficient charitable giving simple and turnkey for advisors. Contributions could be aligned with high-income years, liquidity events, and appreciated assets, without introducing operational complexity or separate workflows. That clarity lowered the barrier to entry for advisors and made the DAF an easy extension of existing planning conversations rather than a standalone specialty offering.

Why Modern DAFs Drive Growth

The AssetMark experience reinforces something we see consistently across firms: DAF growth is not accidental. It’s structural.

When done right, modern DAF platforms unlock growth in three critical ways.

1. Advisor engagement scales first
   Advisors don’t adopt philanthropy tools because they’re told to. They adopt them because they help them deepen client relationships, create differentiated conversations, and deliver real planning value. A seamless, advisor-led DAF experience removes friction and invites participation.
2. Assets stay closer to the advisor
   Traditional charitable workflows often push assets away from the advisor ecosystem. Modern DAFs do the opposite. They keep charitable assets visible, invested, and connected to broader planning strategies, including tax management and multi-generational engagement. When tax-efficient giving is built directly into the advisor workflow, whether to offset capital gains, manage high-income years, or plan around liquidity events, advisors can proactively surface opportunities rather than react to year-end tax pressure.
3. Client relationships expand beyond transactions
   Philanthropy creates continuity. It introduces family members. It opens values-based conversations. It turns episodic planning into an ongoing relationship. Growth follows trust, and trust compounds when advisors help clients give with intention.

Technology Is the Enabler, Not the Strategy

It’s tempting to look at AssetMark’s results and credit technology alone. That misses the point.

Technology is the enabler. Strategy is the driver.

AssetMark didn’t grow its DAF program simply by upgrading software. It grew by embracing a belief that philanthropy belongs at the center of the advisory experience, not on the sidelines.

As David McNatt, Head of Wealth Solutions at AssetMark, put it:

“Modernizing our DAF experience wasn’t about adding a feature. It was about creating an experience advisors would actually use. The shift unlocked advisor adoption, improved client engagement, and ultimately drove meaningful growth.”

That alignment between belief, experience, and execution is what turns DAFs into a growth engine rather than a static offering.

The Bigger Signal for the Industry

The broader context matters. Donor-advised funds continue to grow rapidly across the industry, fueled by tax complexity, generational wealth transfer, and evolving client expectations. But growth in the category alone doesn’t guarantee growth for firms.

What AssetMark demonstrates is that intentional design matters. Firms that treat DAFs as a checkbox will see limited impact. Firms that treat philanthropy as a strategic lever for advisor-led growth will see measurable results.

This is the shift we believe the industry is now ready to make.

DAFs are no longer just about giving. They’re about growth.

And the data is starting to prove it.

TIFIN Give does not offer legal or tax advice. Please consult the appropriate professional regarding your individual circumstance.

Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) are sold by prospectus. Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the investment company, can be obtained from the Fund Company or your financial professional. Be sure to read the prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest.  An investment in the Fund involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

A donor‑advised fund is a charitable giving account held at a sponsoring organization (e.g., Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, a community foundation).  When you contribute to a DAF, your contribution becomes an irrevocable charitable gift and the assets legally belong to the sponsoring nonprofit.