During a week-long trip to the United States, Sabrina Grassi, Director General, and Marc Salzmann, Partnership Manager at Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, met with some 15 public benefit organizations, including donor-advised funds and fiscal sponsors of philanthropic initiatives in New York City and Washington D. C. They also met with universities to support the philanthropy of alumni networks and with the United Nations Foundation, partner of the WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Fund. These very enriching meetings allowed them to understand the operating methods and the latest societal and philanthropic developments in the United States, and to establish links with representatives of these organizations.
Donor-advised funds (DAFs), philanthropic funds to facilitate individual and corporate philanthropy, are much more prevalent in the United States than in Switzerland and have developed as a key funding instrument to support nonprofit organizations. Their assets are estimated to have grown in value by nearly 170% between 2016 and 2021, to $234 billion.
Fiscal sponsors host and administer philanthropic initiatives, sometimes collaborative, allowing foundations to incubate projects, innovate, and have easier access to administrative and management services
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