Let's Talk DAFs

Today’s conversation is all about strengthening communities, and today’s guest may be a familiar voice to basketball fans—Clark Kellogg. Known as one of the most respected broadcasters in the game, Clark serves on the Columbus Foundation’s Governance Committee. Clark tells Ron how he supports his community, the powerful role organizations like the Columbus Foundation play, and how governance helps...

Today’s special episode looks to the charitable side. Ron is joined by Michelle Polinko, Chief Development Officer for Northern Ohio at the American Red Cross to get a behind-the-scenes look at the organization’s daily impact, explores why the Red Cross remains one of the most trusted names in philanthropy, and shares how nonprofits can better connect with donors to inspire action.   As donors loo...

Today’s episode has Chayce Horton, Associate Director of Wealth Management at Cerulli Associates, unpacking the latest policy shifts surrounding inheritance tax. As the Great Wealth Transfer gains momentum, Chayce shares how it may influence policymakers—whether as a tool to address national debt or as a catalyst for broader changes in legislative thinking.   Ron and Chayce also take time to highl...

On today’s episode, Ron Ransom is joined by Tara Kehoe, Library Manager at the Ultra-High-Net-Worth Institute where they do a deep dive into UHNW research and content. Tara plays a key role in shaping the Institute’s professional standards and content strategy, which makes her the perfect guest to share trending topics, high-demand resources, and what subjects matter most to today’s ultra-high-net...

This week’s episode is a compilation of the last 3 releases.   Listen to Jessie Krafft, President and CEO of CAF America explore the evolving landscape of crisis giving and take a closer look at insights from the World Giving Report.   Joe Crome, Head of Business Development for the CAF American Donor Fund at the Charities Aid Foundation focuses on Dual Qualified Donor-Advised Funds and the simila...

Paul Caspersen, Program Director for the CAP® Program and the Center for Philanthropy at The American College of Financial Services, joins the pod today to discuss DAF Accreditations and Certifications.   Ron and Paul discuss the growing importance of the CAP designation, emerging trends in professional certifications, and they even discuss how advisory programs equip advisors with the right tools...

Today’s episode heads to London, England as we talk about Dual Qualified Donor-Advised Funds. Ron is joined by Joe Crome , Head of Business Development for the CAF American Donor Fund at the Charities Aid Foundation and they discuss how dual qualified DAFs work, their potential impact on tax efficiency, and similarities and differences between charitable giving in the U.S. and the U.K.  It’s a glo...

Ron Ransom welcomes Jessie Krafft, President and CEO of CAF America to explore the evolving landscape of crisis giving and take a closer look at insights from the World Giving Report.   Examine the report here: https://www.worldgivingreport.org/.   Jessie explains how while philanthropy looks different across all corners of world, the purpose remains the same: creating meaningful impact.   Let’s t...

Our new compilation takes our episodes with Colleen Boyle, Josh Stamer, and Christine Gaz are available in one listen. Topics include: • Luxury Assets to make a Philanthropic Impact • The Golden Age of Philanthropy • Special Edition: Unlocking Generosity: The Advisor’s Role in Inspiring Purpose and Impact  From exploring how luxury assets can drive meaningful philanthropic impact to discovering we...

Josh Stamer, Chief Strategy Officer at Anonymous Philanthropy — a thoughtful leader and powerful advocate for expanding philanthropy is on the pod today to talk with Ron about the philanthropic industry. Are we living in the golden age of philanthropy? There’s a good chance we are – and an influential company who unlocks the full potential of giving explains why. Josh shares how Anonymous Philanth...

Ron is joined by Colleen Boyle, Managing Director of National Sales at The Fine Art Group, to explore how luxury assets can drive meaningful philanthropic impact. In this episode, they discuss the growing opportunity in art and collectibles—a market projected to reach $2.9 trillion in wealth by 2026—and how charitable organizations can strategically tap into it. From shifting valuations, to which...

On this week’s episode Ron Ransom is joined by Dien Yuen, CEO of Daylight, to define what a philanthropic advisor is, what it takes to be a philanthropic advisor entrepreneur, and the influence these advisors bring to the industry. Dien explains that wealth advisors are hitting a point where, “they bring in someone like a philanthropic advisor entrepreneur to help the wealth advisor dig deeper int...

Ron is joined by Karen Heath Wade, Chief Business Development Officer from AEF, to discuss Institutionally Empowered Tactics and Strategies. Karen discusses not only how DAFs are transforming philanthropy, but how that philanthropic transformation is happening. As Karen puts it, “It's really advisor led, values aligned, and then technologically enabled and technologically adaptable.”  They cover e...

Ron Ransom sits down with Amanda Brown Lierman , Vice President of Policy, Engagement, and Impact at GoFundMe to discuss everyday generosity and GoFundMe’s real-time giving philosophy.   The two of them dive into what drives younger donors, how early giving behaviors that often evolve into long-term philanthropy, and why Millennials and Gen Z are shaping giving patterns. She also highlights GoFund...

Episodes 12, 13, and 14 are available as one episode. Relisten or listen for the first time. Ron Ransom is joined by Stephen Kump (Foundation Source) to discuss turnkey DAF options, Erinn Andrews (GiveTeam) to talk causes donors care about most, and Carlos Pena (Doctors Without Borders) reveals the global impact DAFs make.

AEF partnered with Purpose Consulting Group , a leading practice management consulting firm, to release—Unlocking Generosity: The Advisor’s Role in Inspiring Purpose and Impact—a comprehensive white paper exploring the evolving role of advisors in charitable planning.   In this special episode, Ron reconnects with Christine Gaze , founder and managing partner of Purpose Consulting Group, for an in...

Today Ron Ransom is back with another episode where he talks with a charity directly. He hears firsthand how DAFs are shaping and strengthening the charitable landscape. Carlos Pena , Director, Strategic Philanthropy, from Doctors Without Borders is on the pod to discuss real-world examples of how DAFs help deliver tangible results around the globe. From expanding philanthropy beyond borders to sh...

In today’s episode, Erinn Andrews , Founder of GiveTeam, shares her insight with Ron Ransom on an emerging and influential donor demographic—those giving between $10,000 and $1 million annually. Erinn breaks down what defines this critical segment, what motivates their giving, and what they care about most. Is it the cause, a specific charity, or the broader moment we’re living in? As Erinn puts i...

Today’s episode has Ron talking turnkey DAF programs with Stephen Kump, President of DAF Technology at Foundation Source. Stephen explains how a custom DAF program created for Temple University became a powerful “planned giving tool” for the university and what turnkey DAF programs like this can do for the future of philanthropic giving. Let’s Talk Turnkey DAF Programs for Nonprofits.

Another compilation is available. Listen to episodes 7 through 10. This mix covers the latest DAF data, incorporating AI to an advisory practice, when to best suggest incorporating philanthropy, and a reminder of the charitable impact DAFs make across the nation.   Guests include Dan Heist , Rubesh Jacobs , Jason Beckwith, CFP® , and Steve Grourke, CAP® .

This week, we’re hearing the charity side of the story. Ron Ransom sits down with Steve Grourke, SVP, National Park Foundation, Philanthropy, who shares invaluable insights into how DAFs and charitable giving drive real impact for non-profits, especially within the National Parks. It’s a powerful look at the impact of philanthropic dollars from the nonprofit perspective and how these contributions...

In this episode, Ron Ransom welcomes Jason Beckwith, Managing Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch, for a thoughtful conversation on his tailored approach to working with a diverse range of clients. Jason shares why “individuality” is key to meaningful engagement and offers practical  insights on recognizing the right moment to introduce charitable giving into client conversatio...

Today Ron Ransom is joined by Rubesh Jacobs , Managing Partner at Jacobs & Company for an insightful conversation on the technology transforming charitable giving. From the key trends driving AI to the innovations advisors are embracing, Ron and Rubesh cover a lot of ground in just 30 minutes and unpack how tech is reshaping philanthropy and the advisor experience.   Don’t miss this discussion...

Today’s episode dives into the latest insights in DAF data. Ron Ransom is joined by Dan Heist, Co-Founder of the Donor-Advised Fund Research Collaborative (DAFRC) to discuss the upcoming release of the Annual Donor-Advised Fund Report and to explore the latest findings shaping the future of DAFs.    Let's talk DAFs and DAF data.

Enjoy a compilation of the first 5 episodes of Let's Talk DAFs in the order they were recorded. This includes the episodes with guests, Sara Barba, Chris Mone, and Christine Gaze. The compilation order is: 1. The Present & Future State of DAFs with Chris Mone and Sara Barba 2. Ultra-High-Net-Worth Donors with Chris Mone 3. The Great Wealth Transfer with Christine Gaze 4. DAFs with a Purpose wi...