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If you want to explore how your donor advised fund or other assets can have greater impact, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is here to support you.

Learn how you can make the most of your giving in part two of our four-part series, Activating in Critical Times. Read part 1 on identifying urgent needs in our community.

In a season of significant need and change, your giving has more power now than ever.

Nonprofits across Minnesota are facing increased demand for services, a decrease in public funding, and persistent staffing shortages — all while working to meet complex and growing community needs in real time.

As someone who gives — whether through a donor advised fund (DAF) or through other charitable channels — this is a powerful moment to reflect, assess and consider how you can amplify your impact.

Why Now Is the Time to Give More

Many of today’s challenges aren’t new, but they’ve grown more urgent.

According to recent reports from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, nonprofits are navigating compounding challenges: unprecedented demand, funding cuts and threats to vital services.

At the same time, the stakes are high. Community members across our region are counting on nonprofits for essential services — from food, housing, civil liberties and mental health care to arts access, local news and youth development. When nonprofits are strong and can meet increased demand, communities build their resilience.

As someone who cares, you have a unique opportunity to help stabilize and strengthen this vital ecosystem. By giving more than you typically might — and more intentionally — you can meet this moment.

“ When nonprofits are strong and can meet increased demand, communities build their resilience.”

Reflect on Your Giving Goals

Before diving into strategy, take a moment to ground yourself in purpose. Ask yourself:

What issues or causes matter most to me right now?
Have I noticed new or emerging needs that align with my values?
Is there room to increase my giving this year?
How do I balance immediate relief with long-term impact?

Clarifying your goals helps ensure that your giving is not only generous, but also aligned and effective.

Leverage Your Donor Advised Fund

If you have a donor advised fund (DAF), you already have a flexible, strategic tool for charitable giving at your fingertips. And it may be an ideal time to put it to even greater use. If you don’t yet have a DAF with us, we’d be glad to help you activate your giving.

Here are a few ways to amplify your DAF’s impact this year:

Increase your grantmaking: If you’ve been distributing smaller amounts or giving primarily at year-end, consider increasing your grant activity or making gifts early to meet timely needs.
Accelerate planned gifts: If you had intended to support a particular cause or organization over time, consider giving a larger or earlier gift to support urgent work now.
Engage your family: Make your giving conversations multigenerational. Whether your family includes children, nieces and nephews, siblings, elders or chosen family across generations, involving your loved ones in your giving decisions can foster shared values, deepen relationships and build a collective sense of purpose and impact.

Best Practices for Making the Most of Your DAF

Whether you hold a donor advised fund with the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation or another provider, these three practices, aligned with the Foundation’s equity-centered giving philosophy, can help guide your approach:

1. Give Proactively, Not Reactively

While it’s common to respond to giving requests or year-end appeals, proactive donors plan their giving in alignment with their goals and community needs.

Access resources like the Foundation’s Nonprofits We Fund tool, East Metro Pulse report, and Minnesota-wide reports from trusted sources like Minnesota Compass, Wilder Research or the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits to help identify gaps or disparities in services — and align your giving accordingly.

2. Support General Operating Funds

Nonprofits often need flexible funding the most. Unrestricted grants allow organizations to cover critical but less-visible costs: staff time, technology upgrades, strategic planning and more. These dollars build long-term capacity and resilience.

3. Give Consistently

Instead of waiting for the “perfect” cause or moment, consider making smaller, regular grants throughout the year. This helps nonprofits with cash flow, planning and adaptability — and reinforces your role as a steady, trusted partner.

Exploring Non-cash Giving Strategies

Your giving doesn't need to be limited to cash or a check. Donating appreciated non-cash assets can maximize your charitable impact and offer tax advantages. The Foundation has deep experience supporting donors with:

Gifts of appreciated securities
Real estate or closely held business interests
Agricultural assets such as grain, livestock or equipment

These types of gifts can significantly increase the size of your support without reducing your liquid assets. If you're curious about non-cash giving options, a member of our Philanthropic Services team can help you evaluate what's possible.

A Tool to Help You Decide Where to Give

If you’re unsure which organizations to support or want to explore new partners doing impactful work in your interest areas, the Foundation’s Nonprofits We Fund tool is a great place to start. (And if you're already a fundholder with the Foundation, talk to your philanthropic advisor for personalized guidance.)

Searchable by topic or category, this tool provides a list of vetted organizations currently working in the community, each of which have received grants from the Foundation in the past three years. Use the tool to identify local nonprofits serving a need you care about, review their mission and consider adding them to your giving plan.

Use the Worksheet to Reflect and Act

To help guide your giving, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation has developed a simple worksheet that complements this series.

Download it to:

Reflect on your core values and top interest areas
Assess your current giving strategy and capacity
Explore new or expanded ways to give – through your DAF or otherwise

The worksheet is designed to be a practical companion throughout the Activating in Critical Times series, offering space to think, plan and act with purpose.

Download the Worksheet

Take the Next Step

Giving is personal. Strategic. Transformative. And now, more than ever, it’s needed.

If you're ready to increase your giving this year — or want to explore how your donor advised fund or other assets can have greater impact — the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is here to support you.

Start by reviewing the Nonprofits We Fund list, downloading the worksheet and having a conversation with your philanthropic advisor or reaching out to our team to discuss your giving options.

Then, join us for a reflective morning conversation at 8:30 a.m. on August 25 to discuss strategies for amplifying your impact.

This virtual gathering is for fundholders and others who want to engage more deeply with your giving during this time of heightened need in our communities.

You'll hear from Senior Vice President of Community Impact Alfonso Wenker and Senior Vice President of Philanthropic Services Jeremy Wells as they guide us through key takeaways from the blog series.

Together, we'll explore your questions, share insights and open a space for thoughtful conversation with others eager to connect in this time. Whether you're seeking clarity around your giving priorities or looking to better understand how the Foundation can support your goals, we hope you'll start your day with us.

Because when you give with intention, you help build the kind of Minnesota we all deserve – equitable, connected and resilient.

Register today