Donors using the donor-advised funds (DAF) at The  National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), granted $5.15 billion during 2021, an increase of 15% compared to 2020 and an increase of 212% compared to pre-pandemic giving in 2019. 

NPT supported more than 32,000 charities, a record number for the Jenkintown, Pa.-based nonprofit. There were nearly 96,000 grants last year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

According to Eileen Heisman, CEO of National Philanthropic Trust, “NPT grantmaking surged at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and exceeded initial historic levels in 2021. NPT donors remained loyal to the organizations they supported in the past while continuing to recommend additional grants to new organizations in response to the pandemic and other equity and social issues.”

The giving data showed:

— $5.15 billion in donor-recommended grants, representing an increase of 15% compared to 2020 and a 212% increase from pre-pandemic giving in 2019.

— 95,717 grants to every state and the District of Columbia and international charities, representing an increase of 12% compared to 2020 and a 53% increase from pre-pandemic giving in 2019.  All eight charitable subsectors saw an increase in volume of grants.

— 32,529 charities received donor-recommended grants, representing an increase of 13% compared to 2020 and a 38% increase from pre-pandemic giving in 2019.

NPT marked its 25th anniversary in 2021. Since its founding, NPT has raised more than $38.9 billion in charitable funding and has made more than 492,000 grants exceeding $17.5 billion to nonprofits. NPT annually publishes the Donor-Advised Fund Report.