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Let's Talk DAFs

Let's Talk DAFs 28 Episodes Sep 30, 2026

Hosted by Ron Ransom, CEO of the American Endowment Foundation, Let's Talk DAFs features conversations with guests from across the philanthropic and financial sectors. The show focuses on best practices and strategies for expanding philanthropy, helping charities, and building donor legacies. It also examines how financial advisors can use donor-advised funds to better serve clients and grow assets under management.

Episodes

Policy-Making Shifts Regarding Inheritance Tax Sep 30, 2026 1177 Today’s episode has Chayce Horton, Associate Director of Wealth Management at Cerulli Associates, unpacking the latest policy shifts surrounding inheritance tax. As the Great Wealth Transfer gains momentum, Chayce shares how it may influence policymakers—whether as a tool to address national debt or as a catalyst for broader changes in legislative thinking. Ron and Chayce also take time t

Ultra-High-Net-Worth Research and Content Sep 16, 2026 1033 On today’s episode, Ron Ransom is joined by Tara Kehoe, Library Manager at the Ultra-High-Net-Worth Institute where they do a deep dive into UHNW research and content. Tara plays a key role in shaping the Institute’s professional standards and content strategy, which makes her the perfect guest to share trending topics, high-demand resources, and what subjects matter most to today’s ultra

Compilation: Episodes 23-25 Sep 2, 2026 4193 This week’s episode is a compilation of the last 3 releases. Listen to Jessie Krafft, President and CEO of CAF America explore the evolving landscape of crisis giving and take a closer look at insights from the World Giving Report. Joe Crome, Head of Business Development for the CAF American Donor Fund at the Charities Aid Foundation focuses on Dual Qualified Donor-Advised Funds and the s

DAF Accreditations and Certifications Aug 19, 2026 1584 Paul Caspersen, Program Director for the CAP® Program and the Center for Philanthropy at The American College of Financial Services, joins the pod today to discuss DAF Accreditations and Certifications. Ron and Paul discuss the growing importance of the CAP designation, emerging trends in professional certifications, and they even discuss how advisory programs equip advisors with the righ

Dual Qualified Donor-Advised Funds Aug 5, 2026 1591 Today’s episode heads to London, England as we talk about Dual Qualified Donor-Advised Funds. Ron is joined by Joe Crome, Head of Business Development for the CAF American Donor Fund at the Charities Aid Foundation and they discuss how dual qualified DAFs work, their potential impact on tax efficiency, and similarities and differences between charitable giving in the U.S. and the U.K. It’

International Grant Making & Disaster Relief Jul 22, 2026 1130 Ron Ransom welcomes Jessie Krafft, President and CEO of CAF America to explore the evolving landscape of crisis giving and take a closer look at insights from the World Giving Report. Examine the report here: https://www.worldgivingreport.org/. Jessie explains how while philanthropy looks different across all corners of world, the purpose remains the same: creating meaningful impact. Let’

Compilation: Episodes 20-21 & Special Edition with Christine Gaze Jul 8, 2026 4032 Our new compilation takes our episodes with Colleen Boyle, Josh Stamer, and Christine Gaz are available in one listen.Topics include:• Luxury Assets to make a Philanthropic Impact• The Golden Age of Philanthropy• Special Edition: Unlocking Generosity: The Advisor’s Role in Inspiring Purpose and Impact From exploring how luxury assets can drive meaningful philanthropic impact to discoverin

The Golden Age of Philanthropy Jun 24, 2026 1193 Josh Stamer, Chief Strategy Officer at Anonymous Philanthropy — a thoughtful leader and powerful advocate for expanding philanthropy is on the pod today to talk with Ron about the philanthropic industry.Are we living in the golden age of philanthropy? There’s a good chance we are – and an influential company who unlocks the full potential of giving explains why.Josh shares how Anonymous P

Luxury Assets to Make a Philanthropic Impact Jun 10, 2026 1335 Ron is joined by Colleen Boyle, Managing Director of National Sales at The Fine Art Group, to explore how luxury assets can drive meaningful philanthropic impact.In this episode, they discuss the growing opportunity in art and collectibles—a market projected to reach $2.9 trillion in wealth by 2026—and how charitable organizations can strategically tap into it.From shifting valuations, to

The Rise of the Philanthropic Advisor Entrepreneur May 13, 2026 987 On this week’s episode Ron Ransom is joined by Dien Yuen, CEO of Daylight, to define what a philanthropic advisor is, what it takes to be a philanthropic advisor entrepreneur, and the influence these advisors bring to the industry.Dien explains that wealth advisors are hitting a point where, “they bring in someone like a philanthropic advisor entrepreneur to help the wealth advisor dig de

Institutionally Empowered Tactics and Strategies Apr 29, 2026 804 Ron is joined by Karen Heath Wade, Chief Business Development Officer from AEF, to discuss Institutionally Empowered Tactics and Strategies.Karen discusses not only how DAFs are transforming philanthropy, but how that philanthropic transformation is happening. As Karen puts it, “It's really advisor led, values aligned, and then technologically enabled and technologically adaptable.” They

Innovation and the Evolution of Charitable Impact Apr 15, 2026 1661 Ron Ransom sits down with Amanda Brown Lierman, Vice President of Policy, Engagement, and Impact at GoFundMe to discuss everyday generosity and GoFundMe’s real-time giving philosophy. The two of them dive into what drives younger donors, how early giving behaviors that often evolve into long-term philanthropy, and why Millennials and Gen Z are shaping giving patterns. She also highlights

Compilation: Episodes 12-14 Apr 1, 2026 3389 Episodes 12, 13, and 14 are available as one episode. Relisten or listen for the first time.Ron Ransom is joined by Stephen Kump (Foundation Source) to discuss turnkey DAF options, Erinn Andrews (GiveTeam) to talk causes donors care about most, and Carlos Pena (Doctors Without Borders) reveals the global impact DAFs make.

Special Edition - Unlocking Generosity: The New White Paper from AEF (ft. Christine Gaze) Mar 19, 2026 1674 AEF partnered with Purpose Consulting Group, a leading practice management consulting firm, to release—Unlocking Generosity: The Advisor’s Role in Inspiring Purpose and Impact—a comprehensive white paper exploring the evolving role of advisors in charitable planning. In this special episode, Ron reconnects with Christine Gaze, founder and managing partner of Purpose Consulting Group, for

The Charitable Side of the Story: Doctors Without Borders Mar 18, 2026 991 Today Ron Ransom is back with another episode where he talks with a charity directly. He hears firsthand how DAFs are shaping and strengthening the charitable landscape. Carlos Pena, Director, Strategic Philanthropy, from Doctors Without Borders is on the pod to discuss real-world examples of how DAFs help deliver tangible results around the globe. From expanding philanthropy beyond borde

Causes Donors Care About Most Mar 4, 2026 1450 In today’s episode, Erinn Andrews, Founder of GiveTeam, shares her insight with Ron Ransom on an emerging and influential donor demographic—those giving between $10,000 and $1 million annually.Erinn breaks down what defines this critical segment, what motivates their giving, and what they care about most. Is it the cause, a specific charity, or the broader moment we’re living in?As Erinn

Turnkey DAF Programs for Nonprofits Feb 18, 2026 1062 Today’s episode has Ron talking turnkey DAF programs with Stephen Kump, President of DAF Technology at Foundation Source. Stephen explains how a custom DAF program created for Temple University became a powerful “planned giving tool” for the university and what turnkey DAF programs like this can do for the future of philanthropic giving.Let’s Talk Turnkey DAF Programs for Nonprofits.

Compilation: Episodes 7-10 Feb 4, 2026 6327 Another compilation is available. Listen to episodes 7 through 10. This mix covers the latest DAF data, incorporating AI to an advisory practice, when to best suggest incorporating philanthropy, and a reminder of the charitable impact DAFs make across the nation. Guests include Dan Heist, Rubesh Jacobs, Jason Beckwith, CFP®, and Steve Grourke, CAP®.

Charitable Side of the Story: National Park Foundation Jan 21, 2026 2002 This week, we’re hearing the charity side of the story. Ron Ransom sits down with Steve Grourke, SVP, National Park Foundation, Philanthropy, who shares invaluable insights into how DAFs and charitable giving drive real impact for non-profits, especially within the National Parks. It’s a powerful look at the impact of philanthropic dollars from the nonprofit perspective and how these cont

Engaging Clients in Charitable Giving Convos Jan 7, 2026 1203 In this episode, Ron Ransom welcomes Jason Beckwith, Managing Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch, for a thoughtful conversation on his tailored approach to working with a diverse range of clients. Jason shares why “individuality” is key to meaningful engagement and offers practical insights on recognizing the right moment to introduce charitable giving into client co

Transforming DAFs through AI & Innovation Dec 17, 2025 1758 Today Ron Ransom is joined by Rubesh Jacobs, Managing Partner at Jacobs & Company for an insightful conversation on the technology transforming charitable giving. From the key trends driving AI to the innovations advisors are embracing, Ron and Rubesh cover a lot of ground in just 30 minutes and unpack how tech is reshaping philanthropy and the advisor experience. Don’t miss this disc

Dissecting the DAF Data Dec 3, 2025 1524 Today’s episode dives into the latest insights in DAF data. Ron Ransom is joined by Dan Heist, Co-Founder of the Donor-Advised Fund Research Collaborative (DAFRC) to discuss the upcoming release of the Annual Donor-Advised Fund Report and to explore the latest findings shaping the future of DAFs. Let's talk DAFs and DAF data.

Compilation: Episodes 1-5 Nov 19, 2025 6023 Enjoy a compilation of the first 5 episodes of Let's Talk DAFs in the order they were recorded. This includes the episodes with guests, Sara Barba, Chris Mone, and Christine Gaze.The compilation order is:1. The Present & Future State of DAFs with Chris Mone and Sara Barba2. Ultra-High-Net-Worth Donors with Chris Mone3. The Great Wealth Transfer with Christine Gaze4. DAFs with a Purpos

DAFs with a Purpose Nov 5, 2025 1081 Ron Ransom sits back down with Chrstine Gaze from Purpose Consulting Group to look into the idea of “speaking charitable.” This is when firms go beyond offering charitable tools and fully integrate philanthropic thinking through education, on-site philanthropic advisors, non-profit partnerships and more. The goal? A deep, hands-on understanding of the power of philanthropy. Christine shar

Ultra-High-Net-Worth Donors Oct 22, 2025 1181 Engaging ultra-high-net-worth donors can be a challenge. You have to understand their motivations, the challenges they face and how to align their legacy planning.Chris Mone from Wedbush sits down with Ron Ransom, CEO, American Endowment Foundation, to tackle this topic. They discuss how the accumulation of wealth and preservation of wealth is crucial in how advisors can approach philanth

Sharing the Wealth Oct 8, 2025 1163 In the latest episode of Let's Talk DAFs, Ron Ransom discusses how wealth can be shared among a variety of philanthropic options. His guest, Sara Barba, Managing Director at Integer, explains how DAFs can be seen as a single tool to expand philanthropy or a complementary piece for those with a private foundation. Legacies can be created in a number of ways, and Ron and Sara break it all d

The Great Wealth Transfer Sep 24, 2025 1325 Ron Ransom and Christine Gaze from Purpose Consulting Group, focus on the misperceptions of the Great Wealth Transfer. What demographics are most heavily impacted? How many trillions of dollars are really changing hands? Ron and Christine dive deep and share the raw numbers.

The Present and Future State of DAFs Sep 4, 2025 1464 Ron is joined by Chris Mone and Sara Barba to discuss the current trends in DAF growth and adoption, regulatory changes, tech innovations in the philanthropy space, and more.

Let's Talk DAFs

Episodes

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