Vanguard Charitable has announced that it awarded grants totaling $1.7 billion to more than fifty thousand charities through its donor-advised funds during the fiscal year that ended on June 30, a 9 percent year-over-year increase in giving.

The increase was fueled in part by responses to racial injustice and inequality, pandemic and natural disaster relief and recovery, and giving in support of nonprofits impacted by a contracting economy. To address pandemic relief and recovery, the organization's DAF account holders awarded more than 43,000 grants to human service organizations, including more than 13,000 to groups focused on homelessness relief. Other significant focus areas for donors included support for religious groups (nearly 33,000 grants), education (nearly 25,000 grants), and health (nearly 22,000 grants).

Since its creation in 1997, Vanguard Charitable has awarded more than $12 billion in donor-advised grants.

"Our donors have always been thoughtful, proactive, and engaged philanthropists, and their giving in fiscal year 2021 proved no different. On the heels of a record giving year in 2020, donors continued to step up to provide much-needed support to a diverse group of nonprofit organizations," said Vanguard Charitable president Jane Greenfield. "We are inspired to see another year of generous giving, especially as we're acutely aware that the coming years will bring continued challenges requiring consistent philanthropic support. We remain committed to supporting our donors and the nonprofits they grant to by providing the best giving vehicle to advance philanthropic endeavors."