6 Ways DAFs Can Advance Women and Girls

For donors seeking a giving strategy with proven, multiplier effects, one of the most effective yet persistently underfunded opportunities is investing in women and girls. Evidence consistently shows that supporting women and girls drives gains across education, climate resilience, health, and economic growth. Yet, despite this track record, funding directed to organizations serving women and girls represents just over 2% of total U.S. charitable giving, according to the 2025 Women and Girls Index from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute.

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) offer advisors and donors a powerful tool to help close this gap. Here are six strategies advisors can use to help clients use DAFs more intentionally in support of women and girls:

1. Build the case with data and stories

There is much compelling evidence that advisors can share with clients to demonstrate why investing in women and girls delivers outsized returns. For example, research shows that closing gaps in women’s health could add as much as $1 trillion annually to the global economy by 2040. These data points help reframe giving to women and girls as a high-return philanthropic strategy rather than a niche issue.

Data are even more effective when paired with stories that illustrate how programs change individual lives. Hearing about a girl accessing education for the first time or a woman entrepreneur launching a business makes the impact concrete and personal. 

Tip: Bring both impact metrics and case studies into client conversations. Show measurable returns alongside relatable stories that illustrate the impact on real people and communities.

2. Structure grants to build nonprofit capacity

DAFs make it easy to provide what nonprofits need most: recurring and unrestricted funding. Recurring grants create predictable funding that allows nonprofits to plan strategically, and unrestricted funding helps nonprofits with stability and flexibility. For community-led organizations serving women and girls, reliable, unrestricted support can be transformative.

Tip: Encourage clients to support 2-3 organizations with recurring, unrestricted grants, building long-term partnerships that strengthen nonprofit capacity.

3. Connect investment strategy with giving goals

DAF assets can be invested in impact portfolios that advance gender equity, allowing donors to align both their investments and giving with their values. Major DAF sponsors, such as National Philanthropic Trust and Fidelity Charitable, offer gender-lens investment options. The business case for investing in women has been well documented, and aligning both investment and funding strategies around shared values can compound impact over time.

Tip: Encourage clients to explore gender-lens investing for their DAF assets alongside funding opportunities.

4. Use pooled funds for scale and reach

Pooled funds focused on women and girls allow donors to support multiple organizations through a single contribution. This approach can increase scale, spread risk, and support a diverse set of community-led solutions. Some DAF sponsors offer pooled funds directly, or donors can recommend grants to independent pooled funds, like the GlobalGiving Girl Fund, which supports community-led organizations working on issues affecting women and girls around the world.

Tip: Ask DAF sponsors about pooled funds focused on women and girls, or help clients find collaboratives or giving circles that match their goals. 

5. Engage multiple generations

DAFs are effective tools for family philanthropy, and giving to women and girls can resonate across generations, as younger family members often prioritize equity and long-term social outcomes. Involving multiple generations in research, discussions, and grant recommendations builds philanthropic skills and brings families together in meaningful conversations around shared values.

Tip: Use discussion about giving to women and girls to bridge perspectives and build consensus. 

6. Bridge global and local impact

Giving to women and girls is a global issue, and donors often seek ways to make a meaningful difference in their own communities. A gender-focused giving strategy can do both: combine international initiatives with locally-focused grants to create giving that is personal, scalable, and effective. Community-led organizations are driving real change for women and girls around the world, and advisors can help ensure donor resources reach these groups at home and abroad, maximizing sustainable impact across both local and global communities.

Tip: Emphasize that effective change is grounded in strong local leadership, showing donors how supporting community-led organizations amplifies impact everywhere. 

Moving from Intent to Impact

Investing in women and girls is one of the most effective ways donors can create lasting change. By integrating these strategies into client conversations, advisors can help clients direct DAF resources where they generate measurable effects across communities and generations. The funding gap is significant, but with thoughtful guidance, advisors can turn intent into meaningful, high-impact action that reflects clients’ values and drives lasting change.

©2026 Daylight Advisors, Inc.