Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as Catalytic Capital

​💸 Donor Advised Funds as Catalytic Capital

​Donor Advised Funds are often understood as a grantmaking tool — but what else can they do?

​Join us for a conversation with Cindy Willard of Impact Charitable on how donor-advised fund capital can be used more creatively, flexibly, and catalytically in service of impact. Together, we’ll explore how DAF capital can be deployed into impact investments, where it can sit in a blended finance capital stack, and what kinds of risks or gaps it may be well-positioned to address.

​Drawing on lessons from the U.S. market, Cindy will share reflections on what has worked, what has not, and what Canada may want to consider as donor-advised funds continue to gain attention. We’ll also explore the design and governance considerations that can help ensure DAFs are used with purpose, transparency, and accountability.

​Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the potential role of DAFs in blended finance — and practical first steps for beginning to use this capital in more catalytic ways.

​📅 Wednesday, August 12, 2026
🕛 12–1 PM ET / 10–11 AM MT / 9–10 AM PT
📍 Virtual Webinar

​This webinar is part of our Blended Finance programming, brought to you in partnership by Thrive Impact Fund, Spring and the University of Victoria's ACET- Impact Investing Hub.