Vanguard Charitable donors take action

In 2020, our donors’ generosity broke records.

During a year of extraordinary crisis, our donors stepped up and used their Vanguard Charitable DAFs to make a critical impact in the fight against COVID-19, as well as support the causes they believed in most. Read about how you can join Vanguard Charitable donors and support COVID-19 relief efforts.

Data from Jan.1 – Dec. 31, 2020

As the crisis lengthens, the need will continue to grow. Judging by the response so far, our donors are committed to using their DAF accounts, along with other tools at their disposal, to make a real difference.

Updated July 15. Do you have a story to share? Submit your giving story here. 

Numerous Vanguard Charitable donors have reported complementing their financial giving with volunteer efforts as well—delivering meals, helping neighbors, or gathering friends to sew large quantities of protective masks. One family redirected funds from a canceled vacation to charitable efforts. Others have reported leveraging social media to encourage giving among their followers. Then there’s the substantial number of donors who are doctors, nurses, or other medical personnel working on the front lines of the pandemic.

With charitable funds primed and ready for quick granting, Vanguard Charitable donors are uniquely positioned to offer crucial support during an unexpected crisis. In fact, on July 15, our donors reached the $80 million mark in COVID-19 relief grants. Those numbers continue to grow, with more help waiting in the wings: In a recent survey of our donors, 63% of respondents said they will change their giving patterns to give more in response to the crisis.

Charities truly appreciate the grants they receive. Post-Prison Education Program, a Washington state-based charity, reached out to express their gratitude upon receiving a $500 grant from a Vanguard Charitable donor. The organization used the funds to pay for rent at a sober transition house, or “halfway home,” for a woman struggling with mental illness who was recently released from prison.

Direct Relief, a nonprofit that delivers essential medical items to health care workers across the world, received a $500,000 grant from one of our donors. President and CEO Thomas Tighe responded: “Direct Relief is so deeply grateful for this extraordinary act of personal generosity. It’s a rare-in-one’s-life experience to get a note like this [containing details of the grant]. It definitely caught me short, but in a good way."