DAF Day 2025: A Game-Changing Opportunity for Nonprofit Giving

Something brand new is happening in the world of nonprofit fundraising: for the first time ever, donors will be able to match contributions directly from their donor-advised funds (DAFs). This exciting development was highlighted in a recent webinar featuring Pooya Pourak, Co-Founder and CEO of MatchNice, and Elon Packin, Head of Partnerships at Chariot, where they demonstrated how nonprofits can take full advantage of this new opportunity. 

In this blog, we’ll break down everything your organization needs to know about DAFs, how to get involved in DAF Day 2025 on October 9, and what’s new this year that can help you double the impact of your fundraising. Read on to discover how your nonprofit can leverage these tools to raise more, engage your community, and make the most of DAF Day 2025. 

What Are Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)? 

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are investment accounts where the sole beneficiaries are nonprofit organizations. Individuals, families, trusts, estates, and groups like associations or workplace giving programs contribute to these accounts. The funds are invested, grow tax-free, and are granted to chosen nonprofits by the DAF manager. 

DAFs have grown significantly in recent years. As Elon Packin, Head of Partnerships at Chariot, shared during a recent webinar, “In 2023, $55 billion was granted to nonprofits from DAFs, and the number of accounts has increased eightfold over the last ten years. What’s exciting is that many of these accounts are smaller, democratizing philanthropy and making it accessible for a wider range of donors.” 

This rapid growth represents not only a valuable source of funding for nonprofits, but also an opportunity: a portion of DAF assets remains unclaimed, meaning nonprofits that actively engage DAF donors can tap into previously inaccessible funds. 

How to Get Involved in DAF Day 2025 

DAF Day, taking place this year on October 9, is the largest online giving day dedicated to donor-advised funds. Modeled after Giving Tuesday, it gives nonprofits a focused opportunity to raise awareness of DAF fundraising and secure donations from their supporters. 

Chariot, a leading donor-advised fund network, helps nonprofits connect with DAF donors, verify their organizations for online giving, and manage contributions seamlessly. Packin explained, “DAF Day is a great anchor day to say, ‘October 9 is coming—let’s engage our DAF donors!’ Participating organizations are added to the DAF Day site, increasing visibility and helping donors connect directly with causes they care about.” 

To get started: 

1. Visit the DAF Day website to explore participation 

2. Sign up via Chariot to verify your nonprofit and increase visibility to DAF donors 

By participating, nonprofits can leverage the momentum of DAF Day to strengthen year-end fundraising campaigns and engage both existing and new donors. 

What’s New this DAF Day? 

This year, nonprofits have an exciting new opportunity: social donation matching through a partnership between Chariot and MatchNice, a platform that enables donors—both individual and corporate—to create matches online, helping nonprofits double the impact of contributions and inspire more giving.  

Pooya Pourak, Co-Founder and CEO of MatchNice, explained, “We’re empowering donors to create matches online, which builds collective impact and inspires more giving. Nonprofits can now leverage social donation matching to encourage participation and increase gift sizes.” 

Packin added, “By combining Chariot’s DAF network with MatchNice’s social matching, nonprofits can unlock new donors, double donations through matching, and provide a seamless giving experience. It’s a game-changer for DAF Day 2025.” 

Nonprofits can embed a DAF Day matching banner directly on their website to attract DAF matchers. During the webinar, the team demonstrated how easy it is to set up: in minutes, organizations can display a countdown, show active matches, and allow donors to pledge matching funds through DAF Pay. Even if no match is set, the banner still serves as a call-to-action to drive DAF donations. 

Maximizing Your Impact on DAF Day 2025 

DAF Day 2025 isn’t just another giving day—it’s a strategic opportunity for nonprofits to amplify fundraising, strengthen donor relationships, and tap into the growing power of donor-advised funds. By participating, your organization can increase visibility among DAF donors, leverage the new Chariot–MatchNice integration to enable social donation matching, and turn unclaimed DAF assets into meaningful contributions for your mission. 

Whether you’re a first-time participant or a seasoned nonprofit, now is the time to prepare. Set up your DAF Day banner, explore matching options, and engage donors early to build momentum. As Pourak emphasized during the webinar, “The combination of DAFs and social matching isn’t just about raising more—it’s about inspiring your community to give together and see the impact multiply.”