This DAF Day, Support the Charities You Love & The Watchdog That Protects You
Oct 8, 2026
Today is DAF Day, a national day of giving that encourages people with donor-advised funds (DAFs) to put their charitable dollars to work. At CharityWatch, we’re asking you to consider supporting a cause that strengthens charitable giving across the entire nonprofit sector: independent reporting, charity ratings, and support to journalists covering the nonprofit sector.
Every year, Americans generously donate billions of dollars to charitable organizations. But generosity alone doesn’t guarantee that donations will be used responsibly. Donors deserve reliable, independent information about the charities they support, and nonprofits should be held accountable for how they spend the money entrusted to them.
That’s where CharityWatch comes in.
We Investigate the Numbers. We Don’t Just Report Them.
Unlike automated charity rating services that largely repackage charities’ self-reported financial information, CharityWatch conducts in-depth, individualized financial analyses of nonprofits. Each rating represents a mini financial investigation, not simply the output of an algorithm.
Our analysts examine audited financial statements, IRS filings, and other financial disclosures, looking beyond the numbers charities report to understand what’s really happening with their money. We scrutinize how expenses are classified, identify accounting practices that can make charities appear more financially efficient than they are, and make adjustments when warranted to provide donors with a clearer picture of how their contributions are being used.
We don’t simply accept a charity’s claims at face value. We ask questions, challenge questionable reporting, and follow the money, even when doing so means assigning a poor rating to a popular or well-funded organization.
This kind of rigorous, hands-on analysis takes time, expertise, and resources. It’s also what makes CharityWatch different.
Independence Matters
CharityWatch does not charge charities to be rated or for the right to publicize their CharityWatch rating. Our loyalty is to donors and the public interest, not to nonprofit industry interests.
For more than three decades, we’ve helped donors look beyond compelling fundraising appeals to make informed decisions based on independent analysis. Our work helps expose questionable practices, encourages greater financial accountability, and gives donors the information they need to support charities with confidence.
Your DAF Grant Can Make a Difference
A grant to CharityWatch supports the independent research, financial analysis, and investigative reporting that donors rely on to make informed giving decisions. It also helps us shine a light on questionable nonprofit practices that might otherwise escape public scrutiny.
If you have a donor-advised fund, DAF Day is an opportunity to put to work those charitable dollars you’ve already set aside to support an organization dedicated to protecting donors and strengthening the nonprofit sector.
This DAF Day, invest in accountability. Support CharityWatch.
Recommend a grant to CharityWatch through your donor-advised fund today. Your support helps ensure that donors have an independent watchdog looking out for their interests, not nonprofit industry interests.
Will You Help CharityWatch Continue Our Important Work?
As the only independent charity watchdog organization in the United States, CharityWatch relies on your support to fund our in-depth research and analysis in order to bring you the unbiased charity ratings and other information you rely on to help you make more informed giving decisions. We are not directly or indirectly funded by nonprofit industry interests.
We hope you will consider making a donation today so that we can continue to speak openly and critically and call out wrongdoing when we see it without concern for special interests cutting our funding. CharityWatch is a small organization and your donations are noticed, needed, and greatly appreciated. Thank you for giving wisely!