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In this episode, Ted sits down with Donna Callejon, a longtime philanthropy executive, board leader, consultant, and donor with decades of hands-on experience across community foundations, national DAF sponsors, and global giving platforms.

Donna brings a grounded, candid perspective shaped by working on every side of the table, donor, nonprofit, intermediary, and advisor. This conversation moves beyond talking points to explore how DAFs function in practice, where they succeed, where they fall short, and what donors and advisors too often misunderstand.

Together, Ted and Donna explore:

1. Community foundations and national DAF sponsors
   Why smaller, community-based DAFs are often painted with the same brush as large national providers, and why those distinctions matter for donors, nonprofits, and advisors.

2. What donors misunderstand about DAF limitations
   How legal, operational, and sponsor-driven constraints shape what DAFs can and cannot do, especially around for-profit entities, staffing, and complex or international giving.

3. Why DAFs took off when they did
   How wealth creation, national sponsors, technology, and the Pension Protection Act of 2006 combined to transform DAFs from a niche tool into the fastest-growing vehicle in philanthropy.

4. Regulation, power, and political reality
   Why major regulatory change is unlikely without a crisis, and how scale and influence shape the future of DAF policy debates.

5. Impact beyond traditional grantmaking
   How DAFs can support entrepreneurship, impact investing, and creative charitable structures when sponsors are willing to do the hard work of compliance and oversight.

6. Technology’s promise and its limits
   Why ease of use matters for donors, but why tech-driven “baskets,” algorithms, and AI-curated giving often misunderstand how people actually give.

7. The future of donor-advised funds
   Why growth is likely to continue, but success will increasingly depend on flexibility, customization, and sponsors willing to move beyond lowest-common-denominator models.

This episode is thoughtful, pragmatic, and refreshingly honest. It closes out the year by challenging assumptions while reinforcing why donor-advised funds, used well, remain a powerful tool for modern philanthropy.

🎧 ⁠https://amzn.to/3JACx8e⁠In this Giving Tuesday conversation, Ted welcomes Fred Kaynor, one of the most experienced leaders in donor-advised fund growth, donor engagement, and complex asset philanthropy. Fred shares practical guidance from decades in financial services and philanthropy, and offers a timely look at how donors, advisors, and nonprofits can navigate the busiest giving season of the year.

Together, Ted and Fred explore how donor-advised funds simplify giving, unlock greater impact through tax-smart contributions, and help donors support charities with everything from appreciated stock to real estate. They also look at why younger donors expect deeper participation, mission-aligned investing, and less-restrictive grantmaking.

Key themes in this episode include:

1. The importance of Giving Tuesday
Why this global moment of generosity is an ideal time to talk about donor-advised funds, strategic giving, and the opportunity to plan before year-end pressures build.

2. The flexibility and practicality of donor-advised funds
How DAFs allow donors to contribute appreciated or complex assets now, receive tax benefits immediately, and take their time deciding where to grant.

3. Next-generation expectations
How younger philanthropists are shaping the future through intentional investing, collaborative giving, and trust-based approaches that empower nonprofits.

4. Practical year-end guidance for donors and advisors
Why early planning around non-cash contributions is essential, how advisors can guide clients through strategic giving, and how to avoid the December rush.

5. How nonprofits can benefit and engage more effectively
Why donor-advised funds help charities by liquidating complex assets for them, and how nonprofits can position themselves to receive more support.

6. Record levels of generosity
Fred highlights the millions of grants recommended each year and the billions flowing to nonprofits, reflecting the sustained activity of DAF donors.

7. Impact before the grant
How mission-aligned investments allow philanthropic dollars to begin doing good from the moment they enter the account.

This episode offers clear, practical insight into how donor-advised funds empower smarter giving and provide stability for nonprofits throughout the year. Whether you are a donor, advisor, or nonprofit leader, you’ll find guidance you can put to work immediately during the most important giving season.

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In this thought-provoking episode, Ted is joined by Dr. Amir Pasic, Dean of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the world’s first school dedicated to the study and teaching of philanthropy. Known for bridging research and real-world practice, Dr. Pasic offers a rare academic perspective on donor-advised funds (DAFs), regulation, and the future of generosity.

Together, Ted and Amir explore how philanthropy is evolving, the role of research in shaping giving behavior, and why DAFs represent both continuity and quiet revolution in how we give.

Key themes in this episode include:

• Separating tax benefits from generosity: How DAFs empower donors to make more deliberate and impactful giving decisions.

• The evolution of giving institutions: Why DAFs mark one of the few major structural changes in philanthropy in decades.

• The “5% lesson”: How regulatory intentions for private foundations became unintended ceilings, and what future DAF regulations could learn from it.

• Local vs. national DAFs: The balance between the convenience of large providers and the deep community connection of local foundations.

• Generosity as innovation: How giving cultures can unlock creativity, risk-taking, and freedom in societies worldwide.

Dr. Pasic’s insights challenge us to rethink generosity as both a personal act and a civic force, one that strengthens communities, inspires innovation, and shapes the next generation of philanthropy.

Whether you are a donor, advisor, policymaker, or nonprofit leader, this conversation offers data-driven perspective, intellectual depth, and hope for a more generous future.