FAQs for Giving
Common questions about charitable giving and donor-advised funds
Getting Started
Q: What is a Donor-advised Fund (DAF)?
A: Donor-advised Fund (DAF) is a charitable giving vehicle sponsored by a public charity that allows donors to make a contribution to that charity, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants from the fund over time. Donors can contribute to the fund as frequently as they like and recommend grants to their favorite charities whenever they're ready.
Q: What is Daffodil Compass?
A: Daffodil Compass is a giving platform that sponsors or connects Donor Advised Funds (DAF) to a curated network of high-performing nonprofits. We help you discover impactful organizations aligned with your values while providing tools to track and maximize the effectiveness of your charitable giving.
Q: Can I transfer my DAF to Daffodil?
A: Yes! You can do so directly from your Compass account, in the Giving Fund page.
Q: How do I add funds to my Giving Fund?
A: Visit the Fund Management page to add funds via ACH, debit/credit card, wire transfer, or DAF-to-DAF transfer. You can also contribute stock or cryptocurrency. All contributions are tax-deductible.
Q: What payment methods can I use?
A: You can contribute to your Giving Fund using ACH (bank transfer), debit or credit card, wire transfer, stock, cryptocurrency, or transfer from another DAF. Each method has different processing times and potential fees.
Q: Can I donate stock or cryptocurrency?
A: Yes! Stock and cryptocurrency donations can provide additional tax benefits. Visit your Fund Management page to initiate a stock or crypto contribution, or contact support@getdaffodil.com for assistance.
Q: How is my Giving Fund invested?
A: By default, your Giving Fund is held in a money market fund that earns interest. You can also choose to invest in other portfolios or keep funds as cash. View and manage your investment options on the Fund Management page.
Q: What is the current interest rate on cash holdings?
A: Giving Funds held in the money market earn interest based on current market rates. The rate varies with market conditions. You can see the current rate on your Fund Management page.
Security & Privacy
Q: Is my financial information secure?
A: Yes. We use bank-level encryption and security protocols. We never store sensitive financial data or have the ability to make transactions on your behalf.
Q: Can Daffodil make donations on my behalf?
A: No, not as part of normal operations. There are a few exceptions, however. See the full Member Agreement for all of the terms & conditions for how Daffodil Giving Funds are operated.
Discovering & Supporting Nonprofits
Q: How does Daffodil choose which nonprofits to recommend?
A: Our matching engine uses your giving history, stated interests, and Giving Plan settings. We evaluate nonprofits based on impact metrics, transparency standards, and performance data. Our platform also rewards organizations that demonstrate good practices and provide quality impact reporting.
Q: What is the Daffodil Discovery Fund?
A: The Discovery Fund is a pooled giving vehicle that distributes donations to nonprofits based on their impact scores. When you contribute to the Discovery Fund, your donation supports multiple high-performing organizations without requiring individual research on your part.
Q: Can I still donate directly to specific nonprofits?
A: Absolutely. You can make direct donations to any nonprofit that is in good standing using Daffodil.
Q: How do I find nonprofits aligned with my interests?
A: Make sure your Giving Plan is up to date by defining the Cause Areas (education, environment, health, etc.) and geographic focus of your giving intent, and that you have some funding allocated to your Discovery Fund in the Giving Portfolio page. This will produce Matches every month that you can learn about and decide to support.
Impact Tracking & Reporting
Q: How can I track the impact of my donations?
A: Compass will provide you with ongoing impact summaries based on the distribution of your giving, whether through Discovery Fund, Recurring Grants, or One-time Grants.
Q: Where can I see my donation history?
A: The Grant History page in Compass will show you all contributions, whether through Discovery Fund, Recurring Grants, or One-time Grants.
Q: How often do I receive impact updates?
A: Impact reports are updated regularly, with quarterly comprehensive reports and real-time updates as significant developments occur with your supported organizations.
Fees & Costs
Q: Does Daffodil charge for Compass use?
A: Our core platform for DAF holders is free to use.
Q: Are there fees for the Giving Fund or donations?
A: All fees are described on our fee schedule page.
Account Management
Q: Can multiple family members access a family DAF through Daffodil?
A: Coming soon! Please reach out to us at support@getdaffodil.com to learn how and when.
Q: How do I disconnect from Daffodil?
A: Depending on whether you've connected an external account or have funds with us, the procedure is different, but there is no cost either way. Reach out to support@getdaffodil.com to get started.
Q: What if I want to change my giving preferences?
A: Update your preferences anytime in your account settings or Giving Plan.
Technical Questions
Q: What DAF providers does Daffodil work with?
A: Contact us at support@getdaffodil.com and we'll work on your particular provider, or use Daffodil Compass, Daffodil's own DAF sponsor and the only one that pairs giving with nonprofit enablement and ongoing impact visibility.
Q: Do I need to download an app?
A: Daffodil works through your web browser—no app download required. Our platform is optimized for both desktop and mobile use for convenient access anywhere.
Q: How often is nonprofit information updated?
A: Nonprofit profiles, program and impact data are refreshed multiple times a week, with financial information updated annually or as significant developments occur.
Impact Methodology
Q: How do you measure nonprofit impact?
A: We elevate nonprofits that participate in Daffodil's data collection and provide quality data. An actual "impact score" is not assessed - that is up to you to determine based on your preferences. Organizations that provide more comprehensive impact data receive higher visibility and Discovery Fund allocations.
Ask Daphne AI
Q: What is Ask Daphne AI?
A: Ask Daphne AI is an intelligent assistant trained on nonprofit data, charitable giving best practices, and philanthropic research. It can answer questions about specific nonprofits, cause areas, giving strategies, and how to use Compass effectively.
Q: How can Ask Daphne help me find nonprofits?
A: Ask Daphne can recommend nonprofits based on your interests, explain the work of specific organizations, compare nonprofits in a cause area, and answer questions about nonprofit effectiveness and impact. Simply ask questions in natural language.
Q: Can I ask about specific nonprofits or cause areas?
A: Yes! You can ask Daphne about any nonprofit in our database, get insights on cause areas like education or healthcare, learn about giving strategies, or get help understanding impact metrics and nonprofit financials.
Matches & Recommendations
Q: What are Matches?
A: Matches are personalized nonprofit recommendations generated monthly based on your Giving Plan, interests, and giving history. They help you discover new organizations aligned with your values without requiring extensive research.
Q: How does monthly matching work?
A: Each month, our matching engine analyzes your preferences, cause areas, and geographic focus to suggest nonprofits that align with your giving goals. You can review Matches, learn about each organization, and decide whether to support them.
Q: How are Matches selected for me?
A: Matches are selected based on your Giving Plan settings (cause areas and geographic focus), giving history, and preferences. We prioritize nonprofits with strong impact data, transparency, and alignment with your stated interests.
Q: Can I add Matches to my Recurring Grants?
A: Yes! When you find a Match you like, you can add it to your Recurring Grants (Planned Grants) for recurring monthly support, or make a one-time grant through Give Now.
Giving Plan & Grant Types
Q: What's the difference between One-time Grants, Recurring Grants, and Discovery Fund?
A: One-time Grants are immediate donations to specific nonprofits. Recurring Grants (Planned Grants) are recurring monthly donations to your chosen nonprofits. Discovery Fund is a pooled fund that automatically distributes to high-performing nonprofits based on impact scores.
Q: How do I set up recurring giving?
A: Visit your Giving Portfolio to set up your Discovery Fund amount and add recurring grants to specific nonprofits. You can set a specific monthly amount for each, and adjust them anytime.
Q: Can I pause my Giving Plan?
A: Yes, you can pause your Giving Plan anytime from your Giving Portfolio page. When paused, no monthly distributions will occur, but you can still make one-time grants and your fund will continue earning interest.
Q: What happens to my Discovery Fund allocation?
A: Your Discovery Fund allocation is pooled with other donors and distributed monthly to high-performing nonprofits based on their impact data and alignment with your cause area preferences. You receive impact reports showing where your Discovery Fund support went.
Q: Which grant type should I use?
A: Use One-time Grants for immediate needs or trying out new nonprofits. Use Recurring Grants for organizations you want to support long-term with predictable monthly funding. Use Discovery Fund to diversify your impact across multiple vetted nonprofits without managing individual grants.