According to a new report from Fidelity Charitable on the giving patterns of the 94,000-plus individuals who advise on one of its 57,000-plus donor-advised funds, the average number of grants awarded per account increased to 7.1 in 2012, while the average grant size was nearly $3,800.

The report, the Fidelity Charitable Giving Report 2013 (20 pages, PDF), found that the largest share of outgoing grants (27 percent) from donor-advised funds went to religious organizations, while the largest share of grant dollars (26 percent) was awarded in the area of education. The report — the first from Fidelity Charitable to include a detailed demographic view of its donors and their giving patterns — also found that, as the size of the account increases, giving to education, human services, society benefit, and health increases dramatically — and falls sharply for religious organizations.

According to the report, the average primary Fidelity donor-advised account holder is a 62-year-old living in a metropolitan area who opened an account at age 54. The report also found that nearly 40 percent of donors have maintained accounts for more than ten years, and that the number of grants recommended in advance and/or on a recurring basis accounted for 21 percent of all grants awarded in 2012, up from 17 percent in 2008.

"The flexibility of donor-advised funds appeals to a wide range of people, but most gravitate to a DAF because of their desire to be thoughtful and systematic about their giving," said Fidelity Charitable president Sarah Libbey. "This strategic approach benefits the philanthropic sector because it often means donors can support their favorite causes consistently over time."