Donor-Advised Funds Show Rise in Giving

Donor-advised funds, where people can place a portion of their wealth and then direct the assets for specific charitable purposes, have experienced growth in assets and in the grants made from the funds. Total assets in the funds rose to $893 million at the end of last year, up 16 percent from 2009, according to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Meanwhile, grant-making out of the funds increased to nearly $120 million last year, up 46 percent from around $82 million in 2009, the foundation said.