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The biggest problem with donor advised funds (DAFs) is that once people establish them – and enjoy a big tax break – they are often slow to donate the contents to charity. Americans have an estimated $251 billion stashed in these charitable accounts that could be put to work attacking problems like hunger, disease and poverty.

Hard work is needed to move more DAF holders to stop procrastinating and donate more of that money now.

It’s not that DAF-holders are gaming the system in some way. There is no way for them to use the money in these accounts for their personal gain. But there is nothing in the laws that regulate DAFs – a minimum required annual distribution, for example – that pushes people to quickly give the money to charity.

This week on Giving Tuesday one will see numerous efforts to inspire DAF holders to “liberate” funds to promote social good.

This is part of a trend in which more online fundraising platforms and advisors are encouraging nonprofits to be explicit about asking potential contributors to “recommend a grant from your donor advised fund” and providing them with detailed information on how to do so.

The American Cancer Society handles it this way, for example. And here is McMurry University’s DAF “How To Give” page.

With hundreds of billions in potential contributions socked away in DAFS it is uncontestable that serious fundraising organizations need to make it easier for DAF owners to give. But that sort of work should not be considered heroic. Those are simply table stakes for being a serious player in the nonprofit development world. Moving the dial even more will require greater creativity.

I recently came across an example of such “DAF-ativity” in the form of a program called #HalfMyDAF that was created, on a personal philanthropic level, by David Risher, the CEO of Lyft, and his wife Jennifer.

The power of this program was one of the reasons the couple was recently honored by Worth for “redefining success through purpose, creativity and impact.”

Each year since the Rishers created #HalfMyDAF in 2020, it has offered up a pool of matching funds as an incentive for DAF owners to commit to spend down at least half of the money parked in their accounts.

“Over the last five years, #HalfMyDAF partners and hundreds of DAF donors have made thousands of grants and moved over $70 million from DAFs to nonprofits.”

According to the program, “Over the last five years, #HalfMyDAF partners and hundreds of DAF donors have made thousands of grants and moved over $70 million from DAFs to nonprofits.” This year the matching pool hit $2.25 million thanks to the generosity of the Rishers and three other donors. Nearly 1,700 matching donations were made to groups ranging from A Place For All Animal Rescue to Zero Prostate Cancer.

That’s impressive progress, but the people behind #HalfMyDAF recognize that they have not turned the tide. “Way more money is being put into DAFs than is moving out,” #HalfMyDAF explains on its website. The amount of money sitting in DAFs has more than doubled from $120 billion to $251 billion since the program was started in 2020.

One high potential accelerant, according to #HalfMyDAF: greater action by sponsors of DAF programs (e.g. Fidelity, Vanguard and Schwab) to encourage DAF holders to more rapidly pay out funds. As #HalfMyDAF puts it: “DAF sponsors should be recommending that donors do a lot more, with the goal of spending down DAFs rather than growing them.”

The Philippines’s headline CPI likely eased slightly to 1.6% on year in November, ANZ Research economists wrote. Continued rice price deflation should keep food inflation contained, while a modest rise in electricity tariffs is expected to lift utilities inflation marginally, they said.

  Taiwan 

  Taiwan is scheduled to release consumer inflation data for November, which will be watched for signs that price pressures on the island remain subdued. 

  Though inflation picked up in October, it touched a four-year low in September and has been on a general downward trend over the past months, staying below the 2% level closely watched by the central bank. 

  The central bank expects full-year inflation to come in at 1.75%, down from 2.18% in 2024. 

  The government expects a cooler print too, having recently revised its 2025 CPI forecast to 1.67% from 1.76%. At the same time, it raised growth forecasts for the year amid easing trade tensions and strong export growth in the face of tariffs. 

  If November's CPI print signals a benign backdrop, that could shape market expectations of when the central bank will decide to start lowering interest rates. 

  Economists at ING expect CPI to moderate to 1.3% on year. But though inflation has remained below 2% since May, they reckon the central bank will remain on hold at its last meeting of the year in December amid stronger-than-expected economic growth. 

  South Korea 

  South Korea is scheduled to release trade and inflation data on Monday and Tuesday. 

  Export growth from Asia's fourth largest economy likely picked up in November amid brisk semiconductor demand. A Wall Street Journal poll of seven economists forecasts a 6.7% on-year increase in overseas shipments, up from a revised 3.5% rise in October. 

  Imports likely rose 2.9% on year, resulting in an estimated $8 billion trade surplus in November, compared with October's revised $6 billion surplus, the poll showed. 

  Semiconductors likely led export growth, with shipments of autos and car parts to the U.S. also rebounding after a U.S. tariff cut to 15% from 25% on most Korean goods, including vehicles, said Citi Research economist Jin-Wook Kim. 

  Headline inflation in November likely stayed above the central bank's 2.0% target for a third consecutive month. A WSJ poll of nine economists forecasts a 2.4% on-year CPI increase, unchanged from October. 

  Higher fuel costs likely added to inflationary pressure, amid rising oil-import prices and a weaker won, the economists say. On a monthly basis, CPI likely edged down 0.2% in November after a 0.3% gain in October, the poll showed. The Bank of Korea recently raised its 2025 inflation forecast to 2.1% from 2.0%. 

  Hong Kong 

  Hong Kong is set to release October retail data on Monday. Investors will be watching for clues about consumer demand in Asia's financial hub. 

  Retail sales returned to growth in September after a prolonged slump, though sentiment is expected to be dented after a fire this week that killed at least 94 people in Hong Kong. 

  Any references to days are in local times. 

  Write to Jessica Fleetham at jessica.fleetham@wsj.com and Jihye Lee at jihye.lee@wsj.com 

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires

  November 30, 2025 16:14 ET (21:14 GMT)
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