The recent federal cuts have been devastating for many organizations here and around the country. As donors, we were wondering how we could do something now.

Like many donors in the Pioneer Valley, we’ve long used donor-advised funds (DAFs) as a thoughtful way to support organizations we care deeply about. A DAF is a charitable giving account that allows individuals or families to set aside funds for philanthropy, receive an immediate tax benefit, and then recommend grants to nonprofits over time. For many of us, it’s a flexible and convenient way to stay engaged in giving.

Last fall, we found an opportunity to make that giving go even further and it was too good not to share. That’s why we joined Resilient Valley’s Match My DAF campaign.

The idea is simple: donors who increase their giving from their DAFs by at least 10% can unlock matching funds for the local nonprofits they support. Those matches, up to $5,000, mean that a single gift can have twice the impact. In the first round we gave out $75,000 in February!

What makes this especially compelling is how it’s already working. Many of the organizations we’ve supported over the years, groups focused on food access, environmental protection, public health, education, the arts, housing, and community resilience, have received matching grants through this campaign. It’s been genuinely gratifying to see small under-resourced groups have a platform to gain additional resources, simply because donors chose to participate.

In other words, this isn’t about changing how people give, it’s about enhancing it.
DAFs are designed to make philanthropy easier and more flexible. The Match My DAF campaign builds on that strength by creating a moment where giving now comes with an added benefit — not just for donors, but for the entire community. It’s a practical way to amplify the generosity that already exists across our region.

We’re also drawn to the collaborative spirit behind this effort. Resilient Valley is a coalition of organizations working across sectors, recognizing that the challenges facing our communities, from economic pressure to climate impacts, are interconnected. No single organization can meet these challenges alone, but together, they are making meaningful progress.

That same spirit extends to donors. When many of us take small steps together, whether it’s increasing a gift, trying a new organization, or simply acting a bit sooner, the collective impact adds up quickly.

Participation is straightforward. If you already have a DAF, consider increasing your giving this year and directing those funds to nonprofits in our region, then nominate your gift for a match. If you don’t have a DAF, there are still ways to get involved, including contributing to the matching pool to help extend the reach of others’ donations.
The deadline to nominate gifts for this round of matching is May 1, so this is a timely opportunity to act. You can learn more and participate at www.resilientvalleyma.org.

At its core, this campaign is an invitation to be part of something positive, local, and collaborative. It’s a chance to strengthen organizations we already believe in while helping them meet a moment of growing need. We’ve found it to be a rewarding way to deepen our giving and connect more intentionally with the work happening across the Valley. We hope others will take a look, consider participating, and see how a small step can make a meaningful difference.

Martin Wohl and Al Griggs live in Northampton.