Daffodil Discovery: A Practical How‑To (Live This Wednesday)

Join Daffodil cofounders Blue Thomas and Sarah Angello this Wednesday for a practical working session on how to use Discovery to find, vet, fund, and track impact in one place. In 45 minutes, we’ll walk through real examples of how Discovery helps you:

• Find and fund nonprofits quickly, based on issues, geography, and impact data

• Vet organizations with confidence using public filings, program details, and real-time outcomes

• Maintain ongoing visibility into giving through continuously updated impact streams

  👉 Save your seat for Wednesday at 3 pm ET – register here.

If you can’t make it on Wednesday but want to see how Discovery works, register anyway and we’ll send you the recording right after the session.

News from Our Partners

• Our partners at Daylight, the leading educator in philanthropic advising, announced a new training on donor‑advised funds: The Essentials of Modern DAF Advising Certificate, an upcoming two‑part training series for philanthropy professionals and the DAF‑curious.

• Daylight’s innovative Impact Philanthropy Advisor program launches its next cohort in July, and spots are filling up quickly. Use code IPADAFFODIL to save on early registration.

• Advisors in Philanthropy comes to Denver for this year’s annual conference. Join our session on modern philanthropy on August 3 and use code SARAH10 to save on registration.

We opened the Daffodil Discovery Network to everyone.

We believe better philanthropic decisions require better data and infrastructure. Discovery was built for that reality, for everyone.

Too much information is still scattered across outdated databases, static profiles, tax filings, spreadsheets, one-off reports, and disconnected tools.

• Donors want to understand where their giving can make a difference.

• Advisors and grantmakers need faster ways to research organizations and support better decisions.

• Nonprofits need visibility, funding intelligence, and easier ways to share their work without more reporting burden.

Discovery brings nonprofit research, impact visibility, benchmarking, smart reports, diligence tools, values and insight surveys, and AI-powered workflows into one place, so you spend less time hunting for data and more time moving money where it matters.

That means a better way to discover nonprofits, understand impact, and stay connected to what happens after a gift. Like with this impact stream of environmental orgs in Colorado. A donor can pull a shortlist of environmental orgs working in Colorado and see recent impact updates in minutes, not weeks.

Impact streams create a living record of what’s happening across a group of organizations, not a static report.

Here’s what the Daffodil Discovery Network unlocks for you, whether you’re giving, advising, or fundraising.

For advisors, DAFs, and grantmakers, it means faster access to philanthropic intelligence, clearer engagement, and more structured workflows for research, reporting, and decision-making. No enterprise deals or complicated integrations needed to start accessing better data, faster. Advisors are already using Discovery to vet grantees in a fraction of the time.

For nonprofits, it means easier access to fundraising research, peer insights, foundation 990s, prospect organization, and visibility across a broader impact ecosystem.

And today, we’re also introducing a free version of Daffodil.

This launch reflects what we have learned from our early users, partners, advisors, and nonprofits You showed us that philanthropic research should not stop at lookup. It should support decisions. It should create visibility. It should reduce burden. And it should help more people understand and act on impact.

That is what the Daffodil Discovery Network is here to do.

Get started today or join our next webinar on June 3 to learn how to use Discovery for yourself.

DAF Disrupted - A Sold-Out Success!

DAF Disrupted, hosted yesterday in Toronto by Future of Good, was a sold-out reminder that the sector is ready for better tools, better coordination, and better data. DAF Disrupted brought together leaders focused on how DAFs can move more capital with more transparency and more impact. Thanks to everyone who joined our keynote on designing a better DAF. We’ll share more takeaways soon.

Here’s a quick look at what we’re building, what we’re watching in the world of donor-advised funds, and where Daffodil is showing up next.

What’s New at Daffodil

• We’ve been building. Daffodil is becoming the home for modern giving: research, matching, giving, impact intelligence, and no-cost DAFs, all in one place.

• Daffodil supports giving to any verified 501c3 or fiscally sponsored organization. Learn more about our policies here.

Daffodil in the Wild

• DAF Disrupted: Find us in Toronto on May 26 for a one-day summit for DAF sponsors, fundraisers, wealth holders, and philanthropic leaders. Our keynote focuses on moving DAF dollars for visibility and impact. Limited seats remaining for this first-ever gathering hosted by Future of Good.

• Funding Bravely, a new podcast focusing on innovation in philanthropy, hosts us on their DAF miniseries. Subscribe to catch our episode.

• Daffodil’s featured sessions are coming up at Advisors in Philanthropy and Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable this August. We’re talking about how to support clients and donors with smarter, impact-driven approaches to DAFs and giving at both conferences, held in Denver this August.

Book a DAF Consultation

Since launching Daffodil last year, we’ve partnered with industry leaders, wealth advisors, and growing nonprofits on unique DAF strategies and insights. If you’re curious about donor-advised funds, white-labeled offering, or unique tools for advisors, book a call or review our consulting options.

DAF News Roundup

• Financial advisors report discussing charitable giving in 75% of all client meetings. A new study by the DAF Research Collaborative shows the increasing prevalence of DAFs and charitable planning in client/advisor discussions.

• DAF Commons, an emerging community of DAF holders, published their first survey results. Increasingly, donors want better investment opportunities and collaboration with peers. Read more.

• Donor-advised funds continue to make headlines regarding halted contributions from major DAF sponsors to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Read the New York Times coverage.

It’s easier to track a pizza than a donation.
That’s the problem we’re fixing.

Join us tomorrow at 3pm ET to see how you can get real-time visibility into giving.

Daffodil’s Discovery Network maps funding to real-world nonprofit impact so you can actually see what’s happening on the ground, without more reporting.

⏰ 30 minutes. Live discussion, demo + Q&A.

We’ll explore how to:

• Track where your donations are actually going, in real time

• Instantly generate smarter giving strategies informed by better data

• Plug into a network that improves with every contribution

👉 Join us tomorrow. Can’t make it at 3pm? Register anyway to receive the recording.

Why is it easier to track a pizza than a donation?

For most of philanthropy, understanding impact still means chasing PDFs, piecing together reports, and relying on anecdotes and outdated data.

That’s because philanthropy has never had a true data layer.

Until now.

Daffodil is introducing the Discovery Network. It’s an AI-powered fabric that maps any funding to nonprofit impact, creating a continuous, comprehensive view of what’s actually happening on the ground, in near real time, without adding reporting burden for anyone.

Join us on April 22 to see how you can plug into the Discovery Network and start making decisions with real-time visibility into impact.

• Direct, real-time access to continuous impact data

• Intelligent giving strategies, instantly ready to deploy funding 

• The ability to contribute to and strengthen the network itself

The NowHere Fund Partners with Daffodil to Advance the Future of Informed Giving

The NowHere Fund and Daffodil announce a new partnership.

Daffodil announces a new partnership with The NowHere Fund, a Colorado-based grantmaker dedicated to addressing under-supported needs in humanitarian and philanthropic work, particularly where traditional funding models hesitate.

As trillions of dollars shift through the Great Wealth Transfer, donors are seeking greater clarity and accountability in how they give. By combining technology with philanthropic expertise, Daffodil is transforming charitable giving into a more accountable and rewarding experience. Daffodil provides the tools and infrastructure to make informed giving decisions, helping donors find and fund causes, and deploy capital with confidence, without increasing reporting burden for nonprofits.

“The status quo is not working for nonprofits or for funders,” said Lillian Shuff, co-founder of The NowHere Fund. “Daffodil has created tools which help funders give in ways that are better aligned with their values while having a greater and more measurable impact. At the same time Daffodil is reducing the burden on nonprofits allowing them to use the funds they receive more effectively in support of their mission. NowHere is excited to support Daffodil in the work to build a more productive and meaningful future of philanthropy.”

The NowHere Fund’s support reflects a shared belief that philanthropy must evolve alongside the needs and expectations of today.

Together, Daffodil and NowHere aim to demonstrate what the future of giving can look like: informed, accountable, and built to make generosity simpler and more impactful.

Sneak Peek: Mission Control

Meet Mission Control, your new home for informed giving.

From philanthropic surveys, nonprofit due diligence, to crafting strategic plans, this is the all-in-one home for smarter philanthropy.

We’re releasing a full suite of new features in the coming weeks and inviting a small group of advisors and philanthropic leaders to shape what we build next.

Want in? Join the early access list by clicking here or responding to this email.

If you’re a New Yorker who just dug out from 11 inches of snow, that’s worth celebrating. 

Join Daffodil at our first happy hour of the year and gather with fellow philanthropic leaders and friends of the community for an informal evening of connection and conversation. Catch up with peers, meet new faces, and spend time with people shaping the future of giving. Friends and colleagues are welcome.

Click here to RSVP. We’d love to see you there.

📅 Tuesday, January 27
🕔 5:00 PM
📍 The Winslow (Near Union Square, RSVP for location details)

A few moments from our Daffodil happy hour in Denver

📚 Recent Reads from Daffodil:

• 2026 ushers in new tax guidelines for American philanthropy. Are you caught up on how OBBA shifts philanthropy? 

• The 2025 DAF report shows that DAF giving is up across all indicators. Dive into the key findings here.

• Philanthropic Trends for 2026: What’s changing, emerging, or here to stay? Check out Daffodil’s predictions report for 2026.

Join fellow philanthropic leaders and friends of the community in New York City for an informal evening of connection and conversation. Catch up with peers, meet new faces, and spend time with people shaping the future of giving. Friends and colleagues are welcome.

Click here to RSVP: we’d love to see you there.

📅 Tuesday, January 27
🕔 5:00 PM
📍 The Winslow (RSVP for location details)

Daffodil events bring together leaders in impact across nonprofits, philanthropy, and technology.

What’s New in Daffodil?

• Mission Control: One workspace for informed giving: design giving strategies, clearly see impact, and analyze results. If you’re moving charitable dollars, Mission Control is for you.

• For Nonprofits: New organizations typically receive a first gift within 30 days and save hours each month on impact reporting. Claim your profile!

• Meet Daphne: Your philanthropic AI agent. Get smarter recommendations, clearer answers, and faster support across Daffodil.

Philanthropy is constantly evolving. New challenges, policy shifts, and better tools are reshaping how people approach giving, from the rise of donor-advised funds to the growing influence of philanthropic advisors. Based on what we’re seeing across the sector, here are five trends we expect to define philanthropy in 2026.

1. Donors Are Prioritizing Impact

Donors increasingly prefer to support causes that are close to home or that they feel personally connected to. Recent research found that a large share of donors are more motivated to give when they see the impact in their own communities and local areas (NonProfit PRO).

This shift toward local giving means nonprofits that clearly show how dollars help real people nearby are more likely to engage supporters. Donors want to see the results of their gifts, and local stories often make outcomes easier to understand.

2. More People Can Benefit From Tax-Savvy Giving

In 2026, changes in tax rules may make it easier for more people to get a tax benefit from charitable gifts, even if they don’t itemize deductions (here’s our review of OBBA’s impact on giving). That means giving can become part of household financial planning for a broader group of donors.

As tax incentives reach more people, we expect more donors to think about giving ahead of time instead of making spur-of-the-moment gifts. Advisors and nonprofits will need to help people make those plans in ways that fit their values and goals.

3. Fewer Donors Are Funding More

Fewer people overall are giving large amounts, but those who remain active tend to give more strategically and at higher levels. Recent studies show that participation, especially among wealthier donors, has declined, but the dollars given by the most committed are a growing share of total giving (Chronicle of Philanthropy). That makes strong relationships, thoughtful stewardship, and measurable progress more important than ever.

4. Structured Giving Tools Are Becoming Normal

Tools like donor-advised funds are no longer just for the wealthy or the highly organized. They’re becoming a standard part of how everyday people give. These vehicles make it easier to separate the decision of when to give from the question of where to give, and are more popular than ever.

As people use these tools more often, they will also look for better reporting and transparency. Donors want to know that their dollars are doing what they intended — not just that they were given.

5. Donors Want Clear Results

Across age groups, people are more thoughtful about giving. They’re asking where their money goes, what it achieves, and how impact is measured. Donor retention rates show that supporters stop giving when they can't see how their money makes a difference or feel their gift is meaningless.

Nonprofits that can break down impact into plain language — how many people were served, what changed, and why it matters — stand out. Simple, honest reporting builds trust and encourages repeat support; in any conversation with supporters, focusing on impact and achievements matters most.

Looking Ahead

Philanthropy in 2026 will be more intentional and more measurable. Donors are rethinking where their gifts go and how they work with advisors and the organizations they support.

As donors and families refine their strategies, advisors and nonprofit leaders can reinforce thoughtful planning, clearer reporting, and stronger partnerships that make generosity more effective and better aligned with the causes and communities that matter most. Daffodil connects donors, advisors, and nonprofits to support more intentional and impactful philanthropy, and we look forward to advancing that work in the year ahead

Learn how Daffodil make giving more intentional, transparent, and connected to real impact.

As the season of giving reaches its peak, we want to thank you for being part of the Daffodil community. We’re grateful to support people and organizations making a difference.

2025 was Daffodil’s first year. We launched by working closely with nonprofits and donors and have since grown the platform, expanded our network, and partnered with some of the most trusted names in philanthropy.

As the year comes to a close, we wish you a meaningful holiday season. We believe giving should be easier, more transparent, and more connected to real impact, and we’re grateful to build toward that future alongside you.

With gratitude,

Sarah, Blue, & Dinesh

Co-founders @ Daffodil

Giving before the year ends?

If you’re planning to give before the year ends, Daffodil makes it easy to act with confidence and generosity. Create a giving plan, support causes you care about, or discover new organizations aligned with your values, all in one place.

Top 3 Takeaways from This Year’s DAF Report

The 2025 Annual DAF Report, produced by the Donor Advised Fund Research Collaborative (DAFRC), was released today! This intensive report shows a sector accelerating in size and complexity.

Here are the top takeaways to know:

1. DAF Giving Is Up Across Every Major Indicator

2024 delivered record-breaking numbers across the board:

• Contributions jumped 37.3% to $89.64B

• Grants rose 19%, reaching $64.89B

• Assets grew 27.5% to $326.45B

• The payout rate increased to 25.3%

The message is unmistakable: donors are relying on DAFs more intensely than ever, and giving from donor-advised fund is a core element of contributed income for the nonprofit sector.

2. More DAF Accounts and the Mix is Shifting

The number of DAF accounts climbed 18.4% to 3.56M. This is fueled largely by accounts at what the report calls “donation processors,” a term that encompasses organizations like DAF sponsors that facilitate workplace giving. Outside of donation processors, growth continued at 6.9%.

This means:

• Legacy national sponsors still move the largest volume of dollars.

• Donation processors have significantly more total DAF accounts.

• Community foundations and single-issue sponsors continue steady, mission-driven growth.

The ecosystem is expanding and diversifying. At Daffodil, we believe this is timely and urgent, especially as philanthropy and the financial sector prepare for $18 trillion to transfer to charities during the Great Wealth Transfer.

3. DAFs Now Represent a Major Share of Individual Giving

DAF contributions accounted for 15.1% of total charitable giving and nearly 23% of individual giving in 2024. That’s a dramatic rise from 2020, when DAFs represented only 10% of total giving.

DAFs are definitely not a fringe vehicle for major donors.

Looking Ahead - Daffodil’s Perspective

The 2025 DAF Report gives us the clearest view yet of the sector’s growth: more assets, more accounts, and deeper donor reliance on DAFs. But it also shows that today’s reporting still rests on structures built for an earlier era.

Growth alone doesn’t answer the real question: what does a better DAF look like in 2025 and beyond?

A better DAF delivers real-time visibility, secure and fast payments, clear insight into where dollars move, and a donor experience that reflects how people expect to engage with their giving. It creates value for nonprofits, helping them discover new supporters, understand donor patterns, and amplify their impact.

That’s where Daffodil comes in. We bring real-time movement, visibility, and insight directly into the giving experience. Curious? Reach out anytime.

Bunching: A Simple Strategy to Maximize Your Charitable Deduction'

In recent years, the standard deduction has climbed significantly. When it comes to charitable giving, this means fewer people itemize and many donors unknowingly lose out on potential tax benefits, even when their generosity stays the same.

This creates an opportunity for a strategy called bunching. It’s simple, powerful, and especially easy to use with Daffodil.

What is “bunching”?

“Bunching” means grouping multiple years of charitable donations into a single tax year. This unlocks a larger deduction and you can still plan your giving strategically.

What happens if you don’t bunch?

If your deductions fall below the standard deduction each year, you simply claim the standard deduction. Your charitable gifts are still meaningful, but they may not provide any additional tax benefit.

What happens if you do bunch?

Imagine you normally give $10,000 every year to nonprofits you care about.

Instead of donating $10,000 in 2024 and again in 2025, you could have contributed $20,000 in 2024 to a donor-advised fund. (Click here for a review of DAF basics.)

In this scenario:

• 2024: Your deductions (including the $20,000 contribution) exceeded the standard deduction, so you itemized.

• 2025: You take the standard deduction.

Even with no other changes, a household in this situation could end up with at least $3,800 more in total deductions over two years.

Why a DAF makes bunching easier

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is especially helpful because:

• You receive the full deduction in the year you contribute

• You can still support nonprofits on your usual schedule grants from your DAF

• You can fund your DAF with cash or other assets, choosing what’s most tax-efficient

When bunching + a DAF is a tax-smart strategy

Below are scenarios where bunching is not just helpful, it’s a genuine tax-planning tool that supports thoughtful giving.

1. Donating appreciated securities

Donating appreciated securities is one of the most effective strategies available to everyday donors. When you contribute long-term appreciated assets to a DAF:

• You avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation

• You receive a fair market value deduction (generally up to 30% of AGI)

• You can fund multiple years of future giving all at once

For donors with concentrated stock positions, this can be an elegant way to diversify and give more efficiently.

2. High Income Years

If your income spikes (think of situations like RSU vesting, sale of a business, or other milestone events), part of your income may be taxed at a higher marginal rate. Bunching in a high-income year can:

• Increase the value of your deduction

• Offset some of the spike in taxable income

• Front-load several years of future giving at a time it’s most beneficial

3. Households near the itemization threshold

Many households don’t realize they’re just under the standard deduction without even trying. For 2025, the married filing jointly standard deduction is $31,500. Dual income homeowners often reach $25,000–$30,000 in deductions quickly through mortgage interest, state/local taxes, and even modest annual charitable giving. When you add a bunched charitable contribution, that’s when the household may surpass the standard deduction, allowing them to itemize—unlocking more value from the generosity they already planned to give.

This is one of the most common situations where bunching makes a meaningful difference.

A simple way to think about it

Bunch multiple years of giving → contribute cash or appreciated assets → deduct more in the optimal year → give consistently through your DAF

It’s a strategy that benefits donors and nonprofits.

Ready to put this strategy to work? Join us on Daffodil and start planning how to give smarter.

A quick reminder

This article is educational and not tax or legal advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional to evaluate your personal situation.

Giving Tuesday: Celebrating Transparency, Equity, and Real Impact

At Daffodil, Giving Tuesday is about elevating organizations that lead with clarity, accountability, and community-centered solutions.

We’re spotlighting three partners in our impact network who each tackle a different, urgent challenge and they all do it with integrity, measurable results, and open reporting that helps donors give with confidence.

Meet three organizations shaping a better future across immigration justice, environmental sustainability, and equitable mental healthcare.

The Brave House: Stronger Futures for Immigrant Women and Girls

The Brave House fosters a supportive community for immigrant women and girls in New York City.

As one of the earliest members of Daffodil’s impact network, they exemplify what transparency looks like in practice. Each month, The Brave House shares clear, measurable impact updates detailing their work with survivors of gender-based violence, their legal advocacy, and their intensive career-support programs.

Their commitment to open reporting and verified outcomes sets a high standard for accountability and trust.

Support The Brave House here.  

➡️ Select “Donate now” to make your contribution.

Miami Waterkeeper: Sustainable Solutions in Action

Miami Waterkeeper is setting a new standard for environmental accountability and resilience. Their transparent, science-based monitoring, community-driven advocacy, and expanding restoration work make them one of the most effective water-protection organizations in the region.

From doubling their water quality monitoring to launching coral restoration campaigns, advocacy efforts, and operating one of the strongest youth ambassador programs in Florida, they’re building the backbone of a resilient, clean-water future where communities and nature can thrive together.

Support Miami Waterkeeper.  

➡️ Select “Donate Now” to make your contribution. 

Latinx Therapist Project: Expanding Access to Care

Millions of people across the U.S. face steep barriers to mental healthcare, especially when language and cultural understanding are missing.

The Latinx Therapist Project addresses this gap by growing real career pathways for Spanish-speaking, culturally competent therapists. Through training, supervision, and ongoing professional support, they strengthen the workforce needed to deliver trusted, effective care that reflects the communities it serves.

Supporting this work means investing in a more equitable, responsive healthcare system.

Support Latinx Therapist Project.

➡️ Select “Donate Now” to make your contribution.

Give With Clarity Beyond Giving Tuesday

Want to explore what more strategic giving?

• Smarter Giving Starts Here: Why does excellent and needed work go unseen and unfunded? Daffodil uses AI to connect authentic impact with aligned funding, helping donors, advisors, and organizations find each other faster and with more clarity.

• How To Give with Impact: 5 Strategies for Smarter Giving Choices.

• Start Your Giving Journey: Create your no-stress Compass account and get a personalized giving dashboard that makes meaningful philanthropy simple, transparent, and easy to act on.

How We Built Daffodil

Most of you know the story of 3 friends and former colleagues who left their jobs to start a new company with lofty goals requiring a multi-faceted approach to technology, compliance, and go to market. Some of their funding came from friends & family, the rest they bootstrapped.

These 3 are us if that wasn’t obvious. We were able to launch Daffodil in month 8, and close a few major partnerships before the 12-month mark.

How did a team of 3 build a compliant 501(c)(3) charitable capital custodian for donor-advised funds, an impact data AI processing platform, 3 SaaS applications, a brand, customer base and partnership program in under a year?

Obviously AI helped a lot, but let’s be honest what else went into it.

TL;DR

• high founder conviction (a function of experience and a bit of hubris)

• experimental mindset (rapid iteration and pilot programming)

• 80 hour work weeks (there’s no getting around this)

• software development capacity of ~ 20+ developers (executed by 2 software engineer cofounders throwing money at Cursor)

Ok, so what did we actually build?

Taking inventory

Today we have 100s of nonprofits across the US participating on a “zero burden” impact network and daily funds flowing from donor-advised funds custodied by our 501(c)(3) DAF. All money movement is transacted on our software as digital grant recommendations or as algorithmic allocations funded from a pooled “Discovery Fund”.

The “tangible” artifacts of our technology include 3 applications: Nonprofit App, Compass (the Giving App and DAF interface), and Mission Control (the stakeholder app that aggregates intelligence across fund flows and impact data).

Unstructured data is collected, semi-structured, vectorized and repurposed as various intelligence artifacts for different audiences. This data processing and the aforementioned grant deployments are provisioned and transacted on a durable execution workflow orchestrator, manipulating accounting entries and AI enriched data pipelines.

We have in-house and customer-facing AI workflows and agentic interfaces we use every day.

We have a cool brand, conference and sector presence, great customers and amazing partners.

So what did we farm out?

Outsourcing & Downsizing

Our original brand development was outsourced to our friends at Copper Gate Design. The 3 of us did everything else in house because we could.

We had the luxury of starting a new business and company from scratch in today’s ecosystem. Cost cutting takes a lot of forms, but most of those forms are human shaped. Having performed the layoff exercise dozens of times in our career histories, we’re grateful we launched when we did to avoid the necessary “operational efficiencies” that new AI powered tools and processes mandate.

Or is it delegation?

You should never outsource your core competency.

That said, 98% of our code is written by LLMs via Cursor IDE with strict, constant oversight. This is what we consider professionalized, productivity boosting, AI assisted delegation.

Alright, we have to talk about AI.

A modern company stack

Here I’ll get into specifics of what we’re using (vs not).

Marketing

🌐 marketing and brochure sites - Cursor & Vercel

I am a Squarespace power user and I will never use it again.

🧲 lead magnets and landing pages - Cursor & Vercel

These can be of various levels of simplicity or complexity, but we can do it all in house, faster, cheaper, AND easier. LaunchDarkly, Unbounce, etc - no need.

📰 content copy support - Notion, N8N, Perplexity Pro

We lean on Perplexity Research Mode as needed. Then we actually write, as people with brains. At times, we’ll run an AI assisted review. We don’t generate content straight from AI. We do have an in-house n8n workflow, however, that has access to our brand guidelines and writing examples, can score our content and even suggesting improvements.

R&D

🎨 product design & prototypes - Cursor & Vercel

Claude is good at this, but we use the Claude models in Cursor. This allows us to spin up a POC locally or on our hosting environment using Vercel tools just as quickly.

“But what about UX Design?” I hear you asking. None of us are UX trained, but we’ve worked with and/or managed enough excellent product designers over our years to have learned from them. We know enough about good practices, dark patterns, and maintaining consistency to be dangerous, and to keep us productive.

🧪 product development, broadly - Cursor, Superwhisper, Perplexity Pro

MVPs can validate deeper assumptions when they’re semi-functional prototypes or wizard of oz tests vs just landing pages or painted doors. We can spin the former up just as fast or faster than coordinating a UserTesting or Lyssna test with a clickable prototype.

As far as UI design, it was plenty fast and easy to combine Storybook + Shadcn + custom CSS to design and build a functional component library, all without the Figma intermediate.

🛠️ software development - Cursor & Superwhisper

We are not vibe coding, but we are definitely letting Cursor take the wheel, while lending a watchful eye. We have collectively 40+ years of software development, architecture and leadership experience on the founding team and it’s been incredible to see how models have progressed in a short amount of time.

And all the dumb shit it will do when it thinks you’re not looking.

We’ve had to absorb new “how to manage your AI” skills like appropriate prompting, plan creation, and vigilance against over-engineering, premature optimization, errant “TODOs” that would bite you had they made it to production.

It’s like overseeing an eager intern with the attention span of a toddler and the speed of an 8 core processor. When I die, someone delete my Superwhisper and Cursor histories.

Operations

⚙ automations - n8n, Notion, custom Slackbot

All user events push to n8n, which we branch off to Slack, Copper CRM, email, Sheets or Postgres. No need to spend on Segment, Iterable, etc.

Our content calendar, action items, project tracker, product roadmap, and GTM tracker are all in Notion, accessed by n8n, and interfaced by a custom Slackbot.

We can chat with our Slackbot (or via email) to answer questions, update docs, and schedule reminders for todos, read our calendars and warn of us weather happening at destinations we head to week over week. It’s all pretty weird, a little fun, and very helpful.

Running Lean

In startup lingo, running lean used to mean cheap, DIY, do only what matters, fake it ‘til you make it.

It still does, it’s just a lot easier to do now. The mental barrier to entry to “scrappiness” is a lot lower than it used to be. This is a good thing.

And when all processes become cheaper, easier and faster to do, the size of what you can put into market becomes much bigger, must faster.

Whether that is a good thing remains to be seen, but I am optimistic.

👀 ⬇️ Check out what we built

• Donate to orgs or open a donor-advised fund here

• Nonprofit? Participate in our network here 

• Advise or move philanthropic dollars? Check out Mission Control, our app for advisors, family offices, and grantmakers here

🏆 Daffodil Wins Blackbaud’s Judges’ Choice Award

We’re thrilled to share that Daffodil has been named a Judges’ Choice Award winner at Blackbaud’s bbcon 2025!

This recognition celebrates organizations using technology and data to accelerate social impact and it couldn’t be more fitting to share the news on DAF Day. Today is the second annual DAF Day, an event dedicated to raising awareness of donor-advised funds and their growing role in making charitable giving more strategic, flexible, and impactful.

Together with partners like Blackbaud, Daffodil is shaping a future where philanthropy is frictionless, data-driven, and motivated by impact.

Pictured above: Daffodil’s cofounders (Sarah Angello, Blue Thomas, Dinesh Nadar, center) pose with Blackbaud executives at BBcon in Philadelphia.

🌱 Learn with Daffodil

On the second-annual DAF Day, take a few minutes to brush up on your DAF knowledge.

1️⃣ The Basics of Donor-Advised Funds: A quick primer on how DAFs work and why they’re becoming one of the most flexible, tax-efficient tools for modern giving.

2️⃣ Why Strategic Philanthropy Is Smart Philanthropy: Learn how data-driven giving helps donors maximize long-term impact — and how technology is transforming generosity into measurable change.

 💛 Thank You to Our Community

To everyone in our growing community — donors, nonprofits, advisors, & partners — thank you for believing in smarter giving.

Here’s to celebrating DAF Day and building what’s next for impact.

🌱 Join the Future of Smarter Giving

Ready to connect with aligned funders? Claim your organization's profile on Daffodil to start sharing your impact with Daffodil’s donor network.

Looking for impactful giving opportunities? Create your personal Daffodil account for smarter giving with zero reporting burden for nonprofits.

Accountability is a loaded word. It has been tarnished by those in positions of authority with intentions to micromanage, or worse, justify punishment.

But at its root, it simply means an ability to be accounted, which in turns means having the capability to be explained.

Call it what you will, being able to explain your organization’s intended outcomes and progress towards those outcomes is what I am talking about.

So I am going to use the word explanation a lot, and frame Daffodil’s approach to accountability.

Explain yourself.

A mission statement offers an emotional vision for your organization’s potential. Strategic giving comes with an expectation of explanation, to understand progress and the ongoing impact of the gift. And this expectation is becoming more prevalent across all levels of giving as newer generations begin their philanthropy journeys:

and

An explanation can be provided qualitatively or quantitatively. Kevin Starr of the Mulago Foundation makes an excellent case for being able to explain progress towards outcomes by the numbers in his essay: In Numbers We Trust, Because trust-based philanthropy shouldn’t mean blind faith. (SSIR, March 2024). I re-read this article every few months; it’s great. I love a good hot take.

Milton’s day to day workflow, before digital transformation

Accountability is a luxury

I’ve heard from many, often smaller grassroot nonprofits, that they just don’t have the capacity for ongoing reporting, evaluation, or program metrics A few of these organizations are leaning into the Trust-based Philanthropy concept as a shield from learning and prioritizing accountability activities (data capture, reporting, storytelling, etc). This behavior is also noted in Starr’s article, above.

This may seem misguided, but given the current state of grant applications, required reporting, punitive repercussion potential, training costs, etc, it’s hardly a surprising reaction for organizations where too few administrators work too many hours. And with different stakeholders all requesting different reporting - in formats designed for their ease, not the nonprofits - it’s compelling to opt out entirely.

What about technology?

I do not believe in the Common Grant App, nor do I believe in a Standardized Nonprofit Impact Framework.

I mean.. yes I’ve seen them, I believe they exist. But I don’t believe they will ever have the scale and complete acceptance to fully replace legacy systems. That’s because they’re fighting against too many disincentives - at the behavioral and economic level - to ever reach scale and succeed in the paradigm shifting rebalancing of power they set out to do.

Foundations that accept the Common Grant still require organizations to “apply” using it rather than sourcing applications from an open marketplace of submitted grants; most grant makers just aren’t rushing to find a better way to solicit RFPs. It’s not ill intended, it’s just that the existing ways of doing things are not painful enough to the people who can make the change.

Some grant makers have streamlined their grant application processes as a result of COVID-19 constraints - as described in How Trust-Based Philanthropy Removes Barriers Around Grant Applications (Sam Caplan, Feb 2024). This is an example where funder pain was real; mostly those who still had offline workflows, and bringing digital processes online was the primary activity.

So, what then?

The best explanations are curated by those who perform the work, for those who want the explanation - in their language, curated to their personal expectation framework. This is anything but one-size-fits-all.

So how can any organization explain themselves, continuously, to an endless rotation of varied listeners, at scale?

Daffodil’s early attempts at the Conjoined Triangles of Success, as popularized in HBO’s docuseries, Silicon Valley.

Daffodil’s approach

1. 📈 Zero-burden impact capture & reporting. First, don’t do double data entry. There is a lot of publicly available information - IRS data, Candid and Charity Navigator profiles, social media, newsletters, annual reports, news coverage. A bit of research can tell you a LOT about an organization without them needing to lift a finger. We have systems that do this for us so nonprofits on Daffodil begin with a fully built-out profile. We are free for nonprofits, so there is no barrier to participate on Daffodil.

2. 🔎 Discoverability & matchmaking. Donors and advisors who work with us or create a giving plan on Daffodil Compass are matched with organizations across many characteristics, intelligently, and automatically. This is a powerful form of discovery. Discovery is key for newer donors who are beginning their philanthropy journey or those who want to give towards causes and proven impact, not favored organizations (see the anecdote cited in the Lilly School study above).

Earn the right to steward; embrace accountability

There’a prevalent misunderstanding at nonprofits that donor-advised funds are always anonymous; the truth is that about 5% of DAF donations are fully anonymous, and most have at least some information about the fund or donor.

Not having full access to contact information frustrates development staff because without these details, they can’t thank or steward the donor for future gifts.

This is by design; you can’t change it. Luckily, there is a new way of thinking about stewardship.

Embrace accountability, publicly. Find a way to do it easily. Be discoverable. Claim your profile on Daffodil. Let your work speak for itself and philanthropists seeking outcomes will find you.

🧭 For philanthropists and families looking to put a little bit more strategy, discovery, and impact visibility behind their giving, create a free Compass giving plan today (no admin fees, no minimums).

🚀 For advisors who want to support next-gen clients focused on impact and outcomes, reach out to us.

🔌 For platforms looking to integrate impact intelligence, matchmaking, discoverability, or charitable money movement (yes, we do this too) into their experiences, reach out to us.

Three Big Takeaways from the DAF Giving Summit

Last week, Daffodil joined 500 peers in Washington, D.C. for the DAF Giving Summit. From policy discussions to nonprofit perspectives on giving, the conference highlighted how donor-advised funds (DAFs) are evolving to meet the moment.

Here are three key takeaways:

1. No New DAF Giving Minimums

Over the last few years, there was sector speculation and and IRS exploration concerning if minimum payout thresholds should apply to donor-advised funds. Private foundations are required to meet a minimum 5% distribution threshold per year; DAFs have no mandates on giving.

Research suggests that even without guidelines, DAFs distribute nearly 25% of assets per year (NPT 2024 DAF Report). U.S. Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy and Acting IRS Chief Counsel Ken Kies noted that it is “overwhelmingly obvious” that payout minimums are not currently necessary.

The takeaway: DAFs are already working effectively to move dollars to nonprofits and mandated minimum giving amounts are not anticipated.

2. Advisors are Bringing Giving into Client Conversations

Advisors are increasingly guiding their clients in philanthropy. From bringing giving conversations into financial planning to supporting strategic philanthropy and family giving goals, advisors across the country are responding to the need for philanthropic support. What once was peripheral to supporting clients and families is increasingly a core requirement.

Advisors who can confidently lead giving strategies are building stronger, values-based relationships with clients.

3. Nonprofits Share a DAF Wishlist

The DAF Research Collaborative unveiled a wishlist of DAF enhancements, gathered from dozens of interviews with nonprofit leaders.

The wishlist focused on simple technical enhancements - ACH instead of paper checks, improved search functions for donors to find charities for distributions, portals with giving summaries, and prompting donors with features like a “Year in Review” summary that showcases prior giving.

Daffodil is proud to support this vision today, no wishlist or future planning needed. We offer nonprofits and donors real-time visibility and make giving seamless: when donors and advisors utilize Daffodil, each of these “wishes” comes true right away.

The Future of Donor-Advised Funds

From clarity on policy to the growth of advisory roles and a clear roadmap for innovation, the DAF Giving Summit underscored the evolving future of donor-advised funds. Daffodil is committed to leading that future and supporting donors, advisors, and nonprofits every step of the way.

🗳️ Vote for Daffodil in the People’s Choice Awards!

Daffodil is one of nine startups in Blackbaud’s 2025 Social Good Startup Program, spotlighting innovations transforming the world of philanthropy.

We need your support! Voting is open for the People’s Choice Award, and your vote can help Daffodil bring our vision of transparent, connected giving to more nonprofits, donors, and partners in philanthropy.

🌱 Join the Future of Smarter Giving

Ready to connect with aligned funders? Claim your organization's profile on Daffodil to start sharing your impact with Daffodil’s donor network.

Looking for impactful giving opportunities? Create your Daffodil account for smarter giving with zero reporting burden for nonprofits.

We all want giving to make a difference. But too often, the most powerful work in communities goes unseen and unfunded. Nonprofit leaders struggle to attain funding; donors want to see what their giving accomplishes, and grantmakers want to connect results to every dollar. At Daffodil, we redesigned how giving connects with what matters and smarter ways to see impact

🔗 The Connection Challenge Across the Ecosystem

Take a community garden. It doesn’t just grow vegetables, it transforms neighborhoods and lives through:

• Fresh food access

• Environmental education

• Job training

• Social connection

But this kind of multifaceted impact is hard to articulate within the categories philanthropy typically uses. Nonprofits flatten their stories to fit what funders or supporters expect. Advisors struggle to match their clients with opportunities that span social and environmental causes. Foundations overlook programs that don't fit neatly into predefined boxes.

The result?

• Great work goes unfunded

• Passionate donors feel disconnected and frustrated by limited visibility

• Creative, cross-cutting solutions stay siloed

Daffodil is changing that.

Our AI framework helps surface the complete story behind a nonprofit’s work. It maps complexity, identifies meaningful patterns, and connects people not just to causes, but to the outcomes that align with their values. Our approach lightens the reporting and stewardship burden for nonprofits and transforms how people give.

🤖 Enter AI: The Universal Translator for Impact

AI is fundamentally changing how impact connects with funding by dramatically improving both matching precision and storytelling effectiveness.

At Daffodil, we’ve moved beyond theory to active results and transformation. We’re delivering a present where giving is more intelligent, more equitable, and more effective.

💡 Here’s how Daffodil works:

• Analyzes communications to understand authentic impact across multiple dimensions

• Matches complex organizational missions with specific donor interests and values

• Identifies alignment opportunities that traditional categorical searches miss

• Connects stakeholders based on actual impact potential rather than keyword matching

For wealth advisors, this means easily finding opportunities that match clients' multifaceted giving interests. For foundations, it means discovering innovative grantees and receiving zero-burden reporting. For nonprofits, it means discovering the right supporters without compromising time or your authentic voice.

And for everyday donors, it means discovering the right causes for you and watching your giving make a real impact.

By acting as a universal translator between what nonprofits do and what donors see as results, we’re improving precision, clarity, and connection across the philanthropic ecosystem.

🚀 What's Next for Daffodil: Framework Translation on the Horizon

While our AI is already revolutionizing impact-donor matching and outcomes visibility, we're excited about what's coming next: automatic framework translation.

Soon, the same technology that connects organizations with aligned supporters will also translate impact stories across multiple measurement frameworks – from foundation requirements to corporate giving criteria.

This means nonprofits uploading their program descriptions once and having AI-generate tailored reports for every stakeholder's specific requirements, while wealth advisors get framework-ready materials for any client conversation. Foundations receive impact data in exactly the format they need.

Our approach allows organizations to capture data, communicate, and manage programs in the way that works best for them, and then translate these materials into content and data that speaks directly to the stakeholder’s preferences.

🌐 What This Means for the Ecosystem

The technology exists today for intelligent impact matching and visibility.

The question isn't whether AI can help connect authentic impact with aligned funding – this is already live and growing on our platform - it's how quickly each part of our ecosystem can start benefiting.

• For Nonprofits: Focus on authentic storytelling; let AI handle the matching

• For Wealth Advisors: Effortlessly find perfect outcomes-driven opportunities for clients to support; no more frantic Googling or wondering “Is XYZ a good charity?”

• For Foundations: Discover innovative grantees beyond traditional categorical searches and lean on intelligence solutions for reporting

• For Donors: Connect with impact opportunities that truly align with your values

As this space evolves rapidly, we're seeing early adopters gain significant advantages in connections and operational efficiency. The organizations and advisors embracing these tools now are positioning themselves at the forefront of philanthropy's digital transformation.

💬 What can we do for you?

What’s your biggest challenge in connecting impact with aligned funding?

Whether you're a nonprofit leader, advisor, funder, or donor — hit reply or message us directly. We read every response and use your insights to shape what we build next. You can even schedule a conversation right here.

Let's build a more connected, intelligent giving ecosystem together.

Ready to connect with aligned funders? Claim your organization's profile on Daffodil to start benefiting from AI-powered impact matching and updates.

Looking for impactful giving opportunities? Create your Daffodil account to discover nonprofits whose work aligns with your values and interests through intelligent AI matching.

📰 Policy Pulse: The New Tax Bill

The new tax bill contains adjustments, shifts, and new structures for many aspects of your financial life. When it comes to giving, here are key components to keep in mind from the new bill:

🌱 A Universal Charitable Deduction Is Back & Bigger

For the first time since 2021, all taxpayers—whether they itemize or not—can claim a charitable deduction: up to $1,000 for single filers or $2,000 for joint filers. That’s a meaningful shift, especially for smaller donors who give from the heart. When a similar $300 deduction was offered during the COVID-19 pandemic, over 90 million Americans took advantage of it—proof that even modest incentives can move the needle.

💸 New Giving Math for Major Donors and Corporations

While the bill boosts giving incentives for the many, it introduces new policies for the few giving the most. Key changes include:

• A cap on itemized deductions for high-income donors

• A new 0.5% AGI floor for charitable deductions

• A 1% income floor for corporate charitable deductions

In practice, these changes mean that only giving above those baselines is deductible, and some donors may see reduced tax benefits even if their generosity stays the same. That makes timing and strategy more important than ever. Tools like gift bunching and donor-advised funds — which allow donors to group multiple years’ worth of contributions into a single deduction event — are now even more valuable.

📷 Make Your Giving Plan

What’s your personal mission statement? Your giving should match your values and the impact you want to have. Daffodil’s new giving planner helps you instantly create your personal giving statement - and then take the next step to discover causes. Test it out today and let us know what you think!