Bring Your Philanthropy Back to Community

May 2026 - New York, NY

You’ve likely heard the recent troubling news involving major donor-advised fund (DAF) sponsors like Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and Charles Schwab affiliate DAFgiving360. Shortly after the current Justice Department filed politically-motivated charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center, one of the country’s leading civil rights champions, these corporate DAF sponsors made the decision to prohibit all charitable giving to the organization. With more than $100 billion in charitable assets under their collective management, these developments underscore an important reality check: where and how philanthropic dollars are held matters.

As LGBTQ+ people and other vulnerable groups face escalating attacks, it’s more critical than ever that our resources are gathered and distributed at the community level, through community foundations.

Fund Partner Steve Houck (pictured right) directs his charitable giving through a Stonewall donor-advised fund and also founded a Stonewall scholarship fund in honor of his late partner, Fred Ohm (pictured left).

DAFs were originally created in the 1930s by a local community foundation as a means to make philanthropy more accessible to donors and more responsive to the needs of critical nonprofits. Over time, many DAFs have moved to these corporate financial institutions, where decision-making is often removed from the urgent needs of our community, and company profit is often prioritized over real impact. Grantmaking policies that protect corporate interests over the needs of nonprofits under threat will never serve our community.

At Stonewall Community Foundation, we work hand-in-hand with our DAF partners to ensure critical nonprofits can steady themselves against the wave of backlash our people are facing. We encourage your to bring your philanthropy back to community, and ensure your dollars are making a difference where and when it matters most.

A donor-advised fund at Stonewall will:

  • Connect you with expertly tailored, high-impact funding opportunities that advance equity and justice

  • Ethically administer grants to values-aligned 501(c)3 organizations in good standing

  • Invest your charitable dollars in socially responsible ways that align with the protection of LGBTQ+ people and resources

Did you know?

We accept transfers from existing donor-advised funds at corporate institutions like Fidelity, Vanguard, or DAFgiving360 to create your own Stonewall DAF. If you or someone you know are considering a move, opening a DAF at Stonewall is simple: just get in touch, sign a fund agreement, and make an opening gift of $5,000 or more to fuel your grantmaking.

Stonewall Fund Partners also receive:

  • 24/7 online access to review balances, recommend grants, and add to your fund

  • Personal support from our team of LGBTQ+ grantmaking pros who will help you maximize your impact

When you’re ready to move your philanthropy closer to your values and community, we welcome that conversation. Get in touch with us today to explore the possibilities!

In solidarity,

Team Stonewall