Free Your DAF.
Defending civil society and the integrity of donor-advised funds.
Three of the country's largest DAF sponsors have frozen grants to the Southern Poverty Law Center in response to political pressure. This toolkit gives you concrete actions to take, whatever provider you use.
What's happening
Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, Schwab DAFgiving360, and others have frozen grants to the Southern Poverty Law Center following a politically motivated federal indictment of the organization by the Trump administration at the end of April.
The SPLC has spent more than fifty years tracking and fighting hate groups, defending civil rights in court, and holding the line on equal protection. This indictment is not a legal proceeding — it is a political weapon. When some of the country's largest DAF sponsors respond by cutting off a civil rights institution, they are not being neutral. They are taking a side.
This is not an isolated incident. It is part of a broader pattern of using legal and regulatory tools to target, discredit, and destabilize civil rights organizations and the nonprofit sector as a whole.
Donor-advised funds exist to connect donors to causes they believe in. When providers freeze grantmaking to a legitimate nonprofit based on government pressure, they undermine the very purpose of the vehicle and set a precedent that any organization the current administration targets can be cut off from its donors.
Why DAFs specifically
DAFs collectively hold over $325 billion in assets. The three providers implicated are among the largest charitable institutions in the country. Their decisions set industry norms. When they cave to political pressure, others follow. When they hold the line, others do too.
Before you start
If you haven't yet, take three minutes to fill out our survey for DAF holders. We're mapping who holds DAFs, where, and what actions people are willing to take — so we can assess and organize our collective power. Responses are seen only by any organization you've marked as an affiliation and a small coordinating group, and will not be shared beyond that without your explicit permission.
Find your path
Choose the section that matches your situation.
I have a DAF at Fidelity, Vanguard, or Schwab
You have the most leverage. Email, call, and consider moving your fund. Includes contacts, templates, and responses to common pushback.
I have a DAF at a different provider
Affirm the behavior you want to see. Providers holding the line need to hear from account holders too.
I'm considering moving my DAF
Switching providers is more straightforward than most people realize. Browse values-aligned options nationally and by region.
I want to organize others
Help grow the campaign by reaching out to DAF holders in your network. Includes message frameworks and email templates for different audiences.
Path A
I have a DAF at Fidelity, Vanguard, or Schwab
You have the most leverage. As an account holder, your voice carries institutional weight that outside pressure does not. Use it.
Email your DAF representative
If you have a primary representative, email them and cc the leadership contacts below. If not, email the leadership contacts directly.
Fidelity Charitable
Vanguard Charitable
Schwab DAFgiving360
Dear [Representative name / Fidelity Charitable / Vanguard Charitable / Schwab DAFgiving360],
I am writing as an account holder to express my concern about the decision to freeze grantmaking to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The SPLC has been a consequential civil rights organization for more than fifty years. A politically motivated indictment is not a legal finding, and I do not believe it warrants cutting off access for donors who have chosen to support the organization.
I understand that you have policies for addressing situations in which a charitable organization faces legal charges. However, those policies should be applied with care when the charges and allegations appear to be unproven, politically motivated, or otherwise lacking in credibility. In the current political environment, nonprofit organizations are facing accusations and charges driven more by politics, ideology, and vengeance than by legitimate legal or regulatory concerns.
That reality makes it especially important for your platform to preserve donor choice with respect to organizations that remain in good standing and possess valid IRS tax-exempt status. Otherwise, you are collaborating with the weaponization of the legal system.
Accordingly, I urge you to reinstate Southern Poverty Law Center as an eligible grantee on your platform immediately. I also ask that you institutionalize discretion with your policy so that it does not automatically disqualify organizations based on unproven or politically motivated allegations, particularly where the organization continues to hold appropriate IRS tax-exempt status.
If this decision is not reversed, I will be evaluating whether to move my funds to a provider whose values are more closely aligned with my own and who is committed to standing up for a robust civil society.
Please confirm receipt of this message and let me know when you will be reinstating grants to SPLC and what steps you are taking to ensure your grantmaking continues to uphold a strong social sector.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Call your provider
Calls create a log of constituent concern that emails sometimes don't. If you can make one, it matters. Call your account representative directly if you have their number. Otherwise, use the general lines below.
Hello, my name is [name] and I've been a [Fidelity / Vanguard / Schwab] account holder for [X] years.
I'm calling about the decision to freeze grantmaking to the Southern Poverty Law Center. I want to register my concern directly as an account holder.
The SPLC is a legitimate civil rights organization, and a politically motivated indictment is not a basis for cutting off donor access. I'm asking that the organization be reinstated on your platform.
If this decision is not reversed, I will be evaluating whether to move my funds to a provider whose values are more closely aligned with my own. I wanted to give you the opportunity to hear from me directly first.
Can you note my concern in my account record and tell me who will be following up with me?
Report back
Fill out this brief form to let us know who you contacted, when, and how they responded. This helps us fine-tune the strategy and prepare other donors to take action.
Common responses and how to handle them
Large DAF providers like this are well-practiced at making decisions appear neutral and procedural. Expect responses citing "due diligence," "advice from legal counsel," or official policy. Your point of contact likely truly believes they are being neutral. Yet, as the saying goes, you can't be neutral on a moving train.
In fact, they are stopping donations to an organization that is being politically persecuted because of its longtime civil rights leadership, and they can choose a different path. We know this because peer organizations are making different decisions and have continued funding SPLC. Use the responses below — mix and match.
| They say | You say |
|---|---|
| "We're required to follow the law." | An indictment is not a conviction, and no law requires you to freeze grants to an organization that has not been found guilty of anything. You are making a discretionary policy decision, different from many of your peers, and I'm asking you to make a different one. |
| "This is a temporary pause because the organization has had allegations and/or charges brought against them for activities that may call into question their ability to carry out their tax-exempt charitable purpose. We have ceased grantmaking to this organization until the situation has been resolved." | How do you determine that charges impact an organization's ability to carry out its work? You have discretionary power here — this is a policy choice, not a legal requirement. I'd like to see a full list of the nonprofits you are currently restricting based on indictments or investigations, the criteria you use to trigger a restriction, and the specific benchmarks that determine when a restriction is lifted. Please provide that in writing and note my request in the account record. |
| "We can't discuss individual policy decisions." | I understand. Can you note my concern in my account record and tell me who within your leadership is responsible for platform decisions? I'd like to direct my follow-up to the right person. |
| "We treat all nonprofits consistently." | The question isn't consistency — it's whether a political indictment is a sufficient basis to restrict access. That's a policy choice, and I'm asking you to reconsider it. |
Consider whether to move your DAF
This is a personal decision that depends on the size of your fund, how actively you use it, and what matters to you. Mentioning that you're considering a move — in your email or call — adds pressure.
Path B
I have a DAF at a different provider
If your provider has remained steadfast in funding SPLC and other civil society groups, or if we don't yet know where they stand, they need to hear from you.
The pressure on DAF sponsors right now is real, and your voice as an account holder can make the difference. Your message does two things: it affirms the behavior you want to see, and it puts them on notice that you're watching.
If you receive a reply and learn that they have stopped funding SPLC — or gather any other information — please fill out the report-back form (see Step 3 below) so we can track how the field is shifting in real time.
Send an affirmation email
Dear [Provider name] / [Representative name],
I'm writing as an account holder to express my appreciation that [Provider] has not followed Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and Schwab DAFgiving360 in freezing grants to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
I want to be direct: I'm watching how DAF providers respond to the current political environment, and I'm making decisions about where to keep my assets accordingly. Your ability to maintain the integrity of the donor-advised fund vehicle — and resist pressure to restrict grantmaking based on political targeting — matters to me.
Thank you for holding the line so far. I hope you will continue to do so.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Call if you can
A call creates a record in a way an email doesn't always. A live person may share more information and will often log your feedback in a different system than emails. Call your contact at your DAF provider to register your appreciation directly.
Hello, my name is [name] and I'm a [Provider] account holder.
I'm calling to register my appreciation that [Provider] has not followed some other major DAF sponsors in freezing grants to the Southern Poverty Law Center. That decision matters to me.
I want you to know I'm paying attention to how DAF providers respond to political pressure right now. I'd like this noted in my account record.
Thank you.
Report back
Fill out this brief form to share who you contacted and how they responded. This helps us track where DAF sponsors stand in real time.
Path C
Moving your DAF
Switching DAF providers is more straightforward than most people realize. Donors move funds all the time — to a community foundation when they relocate, away from a provider they're frustrated with, or, in this case, to one aligned with their values.
How the process works
The process is straightforward:
- Decide where you would like to move your DAF (suggestions below).
- Contact them to open a new account and complete their enrollment process.
- Once your new DAF account is open, initiate a grant from your previous DAF sponsor with the total fund balance and let them know you would like to close the account. Be sure to include your new DAF name in the grant purpose.
The transfer will generally take 2–6 weeks. You generally do not need to liquidate assets to transfer.
Questions to ask a potential provider
After reviewing a provider's website for their stated values and politics, consider asking:
- What are the values and/or policies that guide your investments?
- Under what conditions might you delay or block a grant to an organization I want to fund? What is your process for notifying DAF holders of any such action?
- What types of support do you offer your DAF holders?
- Can we set up a call for you to walk me through what your portal looks like?
- Do you require a minimum balance in the account?
- What are your fees?
Before you decide
Larger funds ($1M+) have many options; smaller funds may find fewer providers willing to accept them, as many have minimums ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 depending on the provider.
If you are part of a donor network, you can reach out to your contact or peers there for guidance, or email us at info@freeyourdaf.org and we're happy to provide initial advice and support.
Values-aligned providers
There are a wide range of providers you could move your DAF to who will be more values-aligned, including national progressive providers, issue- and identity-based providers, and those focused on a specific city, state, or region.
While most of the issue, identity, and geography-focused providers will allow you to make grants to any nonprofit in the country, they also offer deeper expertise and learning opportunities connected to their specific focus. There are many more issue-, identity-, and geography-focused grantmakers who do not operate a DAF program; the ones listed below are those we have confirmed do. There are also many community foundations, women's funds, and Jewish federations that provide DAF services.
If you would like advice in selecting a DAF, general support for your giving, or want to suggest an additional DAF provider for this list, contact info@freeyourdaf.org.
National progressive DAF providers
- Assets Under Movementformerly Amalgamated Foundation
- Common Counsel Foundation
- NEO Philanthropy
- New Venture Fund
- New World Foundation
- Proteus Fund
- Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
- Tides Foundation
National issue & identity-based DAF providers
- Astraea Lesbian Foundation for JusticeLGBTQI community — national
- Fund for Global Human Rights
- Global Fund for Women
- Global Greengrants FundClimate
- Horizons FoundationLGBTQI — SF Bay Area
- ImpactAssetsImpact investing
- Ms. Foundation for Women
- Peace Development Fund
- Possibility LabsBIPOC communities
- Pride FoundationLGBTQI — Seattle/Pacific NW
- Progressive Jewish Fund
- RSF Social FinanceImpact investing
- Stonewall Community FoundationLGBTQI — NYC
State and local progressive DAF providers
Almost every local DAF provider allows donors to fund any eligible nonprofit in the country. Choose one where you live to connect with others, or one in a community you want to support to get deeper local expertise.
- Bread and Roses Community FundPhiladelphia
- Crossroads FundChicago
- Foundation for LouisianaLouisiana
- Fund for Southern CommunitiesGA, NC, SC
- Haymarket People's FundNew England: CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
- Headwaters Foundation for JusticeMinnesota
- Liberty Hill FoundationLos Angeles
- Maine InitiativesMaine
- North Star FundNew York City/State
- Seeding JusticeOregon
- Social Justice Fund NorthwestID, MT, OR, WA, WY
- Southern Partners FundUS South: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV
Path D
Organizing Others
To win, we need to keep growing the number of DAF holders willing to take action. This path is for anyone who wants to help connect others — especially DAF holders — to this campaign.
DAF holders with over $25 million in accounts at these providers have particular leverage and will receive one-on-one support. But anyone can help spread the word.
Identify who in your network to reach
- Family, friends, or colleagues: If you know people who may hold DAFs at these institutions, reach out to them directly about Free Your DAF.
- Organizations and networks: If you're part of a network with potential DAF holders, promote the campaign there.
- Financial advisors, family offices, and donor advisors: Identify clients with DAFs at these institutions and support them in connecting to Free Your DAF. Reach out to peers and invite them to do the same.
- Organizations with donors: Contact people who donate to you through DAFs at these institutions to tell them about the campaign. If you have media connections or your own platform, use them to raise awareness.
Choose your message
Different messaging resonates with different audiences. Adjust based on what you think will land best. Here are some message frameworks to draw from:
Civil rights and racial justice: This indictment is part of a broader attack on civil rights and people of color, including the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act. SPLC is being targeted because of its racial justice work.
Institutional capitulation: These financial institutions are caving to Trump's bullying the same way universities and law firms did — this is how authoritarianism takes hold, when so-called neutral institutions go along with the weaponization of the legal system.
Donor freedom: This is about the freedom of donors to choose where they give. When the government targets independent nonprofits and financial institutions capitulate based on politics rather than legal fact, it is censorship. Financial institutions are not — and should not — be the arbiters of nonprofit and donor speech in a free society.
Switching is simple: Moving a DAF is more straightforward than most people realize. Donors move funds all the time — to a community foundation when they relocate, away from a provider they're frustrated with, or to one aligned with their values.
Send the message
Use one of the templates below and adjust to fit your voice and relationship with the recipient.
Dear [Name],
I'm reaching out because I've recently joined a campaign that I thought you would really care about.
At this moment, three of the largest national providers of donor-advised funds — all of which claim to be "neutral" politically — are blocking their DAF holders from funding the Southern Poverty Law Center due to a politicized indictment from the Trump administration. SPLC is clearly being targeted by the DOJ for its work against racism, yet each of these institutions is complying.
We've seen what happens when universities, law firms, and others yield to the Trump administration's weaponization of the legal system. I see this as a red line that puts every civil society organization at risk, and I'm taking action to stop it. Will you join me?
Do you hold a DAF at Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, or Schwab DAFgiving360, or have connections to board members or executives at these institutions? Would you be willing to contact them to help protect organizations that come under spurious charges from being punished?
A powerful group of donor networks, philanthropy-serving organizations, foundations, and DAF holders are fighting back together. [If relevant: individuals and families who have over $25 million in DAFs at one of these institutions have a particular level of influence. You can connect to someone for one-on-one support by reaching out to info@freeyourdaf.org.]
You can check out the campaign and get step-by-step resources at freeyourdaf.org, including a sample email to send to your provider and potential places to move your DAF. I'd love to know what you think!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Dear [Name],
I'm reaching out because I've recently learned of the Free Your DAF campaign, and I think you will care about it — especially since [Fidelity Charitable / Vanguard Charitable / Schwab DAFgiving360] holds your donor-advised fund.
At this moment, [institution] is blocking their DAF holders from funding the Southern Poverty Law Center due to a politicized indictment from the Trump administration. SPLC is clearly being targeted with spurious charges for its work against racism.
I know you care deeply about [civil rights / racial justice / economic justice / equality]. This move sets a precedent that puts many other civil society organizations at risk for debanking and defunding at the exact moment when they need resources to fend off attacks.
Would you be willing to contact your DAF provider and voice your discontent with their decision?
A powerful group of donor networks, philanthropy-serving organizations, foundations, and DAF holders are fighting back together. [If relevant: individuals and families who have over $25 million in DAFs at one of these institutions have a particular level of influence. You can connect to someone for one-on-one support by reaching out to info@freeyourdaf.org.]
You can check out the campaign and get step-by-step resources at freeyourdaf.org. I'm also available to provide support for this.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Log your action
Fill out this brief form to let us know who you contacted, when, and how they responded so we can keep fine-tuning our strategy and prepare others to take action.