Episode 126
Episode 126 of Tales From the Trenches Tuesdays again features Mike Todd, someone who describes himself as “weirdly passionate” about donor-advised funds — and after spending time with him, it’s easy to see why. A seasoned professional who’s navigated both the wealth management world and the philanthropic sector, Mike recently launched Transform Philanthropy, where he helps donors, wealth advisors, and charities think more strategically about giving. DAFs are his wheelhouse, and he believes most of the sector has barely scratched the surface of what they make possible.
The core insight Mike keeps coming back to is deceptively simple: fundraisers have historically had to answer two very hard questions at once. First, convince someone to part with their money. Second, convince them to direct it to your organization. That’s a heavy lift. But with a DAF, the first question disappears entirely. The money is already committed to charity — it’s just waiting to land somewhere.
I’ve already given away the money. I can give you a gift today. And in a weird kind of way, it doesn’t cost me a nickel because I don’t open my wallet to do it.
What Mike finds remarkable is how unprepared many fundraisers are for this new dynamic. So conditioned to leading with the ask, they don’t know what to do when the ask isn’t necessary. The conversation can go straight to mission, to impact, to relationship — and that’s where Mike believes the real magic happens. Especially now, when economic uncertainty makes writing a check feel risky, but a DAF holder can still give without touching a dollar of current income.
Looking ahead, Mike sees impact investing and collaborative giving as the next frontier — DAF holders pooling resources, aligning investments with values, and working alongside charities rather than simply funding them. The transaction is giving way to the relationship. And for the fundraisers who grasp that shift early, the upside is enormous.
Just click on the picture of Mike below to hear our conversation.
L’chaim,
jack
