# 126. Donor-Advised Funds: The Smartest Giving Strategy of 2026 (featuring Eric Fleshood) Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fundraising-masterminds-podcast-6031032/126-donor-advised-funds-the-smartest-giving-strategy-of-2026-featuring-eric-fleshood Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fundraising-masterminds-podcast-6031032/126-donor-advised-funds-the-smartest-giving-strategy-of-2026-featuring-eric-fleshood.md Podcast: [The Fundraising Masterminds Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fundraising-masterminds-podcast-6031032) Published: 2026-07-08T18:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fundraising-masterminds/episodes/126--Donor-Advised-Funds-The-Smartest-Giving-Strategy-of-2026-featuring-Eric-Fleshood-e3lp7j3 Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/daadab08/podcast/play/122510371/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-6-7%2F427522462-44100-2-024e249c28b96.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-fundraising-masterminds-podcast-6031032/episodes/126-donor-advised-funds-the-smartest-giving-strategy-of-2026-featuring-eric-fleshood Duration seconds: 2319 ## Resource In this episode of the Fundraising Masterminds Podcast, we're talking about donor-advised funds — the smartest giving strategy of 2026 — and why your nonprofit can no longer afford to ignore them. Join us today with an interview with Eric Fleshood, CEO of the Cru Foundation and veteran planned giving expert. We'll break down exactly what a DAF is, why donors use them, and how you can use them to make giving easier for your major donors. Hear why DAFs started in 1931, how a 1969 tax law changed the game, and how Fidelity, Vanguard, and Schwab made them a mainstream tool. Discover why donor-advised gifts average 20 times higher than typical donations. And find out exactly how to utilize the #1 growing vehicle for online giving in your nonprofit! So whether you're introducing your donors to new giving options or are just looking for smarter ways to fund your mission, this episode will teach you everything you need to know about donor-advised funds. DAFs are here to stay, and it is time to learn how to take advantage of them! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel, and tune in next week to learn about rethinking the Leadership Triangle: the missing link to nonprofit growth. ASK US A QUESTION: NEED HELP WITH YOUR NONPROFIT? Most nonprofits are under-funded. Even if you think your nonprofit is doing well, we've found you could be doing much better. However, most nonprofits don't have a clear development strategy that keeps them grounded. As a result, they "get creative" and "try new things" based on what is popular or trending, or they get comfortable with where they are at and don't realize the dangers they will be facing in just a few short years. The Perfect Vision Dinner Course is a 20-week "live video" course that addresses this problem h… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-fundraising-masterminds-podcast-6031032/episodes/126-donor-advised-funds-the-smartest-giving-strategy-of-2026-featuring-eric-fleshood/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fundraising-masterminds-podcast-6031032/126-donor-advised-funds-the-smartest-giving-strategy-of-2026-featuring-eric-fleshood.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.