New Data and Insights on DAF Payouts Out of Michigan Community Foundations Jul 19, 2021 Patrice Onwuka Donor-advised funds (DAFs) provide needed resources to local communities, especially during critical times such as the current pandemic. However, these popular giving vehicles face heavy criticism that they do not payout to nonprofits fast enough and Congress may slap them with new federal payout requirements. Durable public policy is driven by sound, data-supported evidence. This study is a good start to building that body of evidence on the use and impact DAFs have in communities around the country. New research on DAFs housed in community foundations helps to inform policy discussions and runs counter to the underlying criticisms of DAFs. Instead, the research provides evidence that some DAFs are sending the dollars out as quickly as they come in while others are accumulating assets to meet community needs during major crises now and in the future.