Vanguard Charitable, a leading U.S. nonprofit organization and sponsor of donor-advised funds (DAFs), announced the launch of the updated Nonprofit Aid Visualizer, NAVi for Hunger & Homelessness. Available for free on Vanguard Charitable's website, this interactive web-based tool will help donors better connect with nonprofits in their local communities and those operating in geographic areas struggling with homelessness and hunger.
This release of the new iteration of NAVi comes after a year in which close to 60 million Americans turned to food banks and when more than 500,000 Americans faced homelessness. Vanguard Charitable, after polling its donors, speaking with nonprofits, and conducting market research, determined that a free charitable mapping tool aimed at addressing hunger and homelessness could inform and inspire the giving public to learn where and how they can make a difference.
At Vanguard Charitable, we're focused on increasing giving and providing donors with innovative, transparent, and easy solutions that help them achieve their giving priorities – and NAVi for Hunger & Homelessness will do just that. This tool is a direct result of our donors telling us they're focused on hunger and homelessness, two interwoven problems that have been greatly exacerbated by the ripple effects of COVID-19. With access to valuable real-time data, all donors, whether experienced or donating for the first time, can use NAVi for Hunger & Homelessness to ensure their donations will help drive lasting change and aid in solving these persistent crises."
Rebecca Moffett, President of Vanguard Charitable
Giving Generously and Close to Home
The release of NAVi for Hunger & Homelessness comes on the heels of a generous two years of giving by Vanguard Charitable donors to organizations focused on housing and hunger. In 2020, grant dollars to nonprofits focused on hunger, housing or both categories increased 96% over 2019, with Vanguard Charitable donors giving $302 million to more than 11,000 hunger and homelessness-focused nonprofits across the United States. This year, Vanguard Charitable donors' grants to hunger and homelessness-focused nonprofits remain high and are on track to match 2020 giving levels.
Thus far in 2021 (as of 10/31/21), large, national nonprofits (and those with local chapters) addressing hunger and homelessness continue to be a focus for donors, with top grantees, by dollars, as follows:
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Legal Aid Justice Center
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International Rescue Committee
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UNICEF
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Give Directly
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Philadelphia Kids in Care
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Feeding America
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Habitat for Humanity International
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Tipping Point USA
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Advocates for Community Choice
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Braven
When compared to other cause areas, hunger and homelessness also tend to be issues donors support most often in their own communities. Between 12/1/2020 and 9/30/2021, nearly two out of three Vanguard Charitable grants to support hunger and homelessness were issued to nonprofits within the same state as the donor compared to 55% of grants in all other interest areas in the same period.
Vanguard Charitable launched its first iteration of NAVi in fall 2020, with the data focused on COVID-19 relief and recovery. That free iteration enabled donors to search for geographies most vulnerable to and hit hardest by COVID-19 and the local charities that were providing support.
About Vanguard Charitable
Vanguard Charitable is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that fulfills its mission to increase philanthropic giving by administering a donor-advised fund—a tax-effective way to consolidate, accrue, and grant assets to charity. Since it was founded by Vanguard in 1997 as an independent organization, Vanguard Charitable has granted more than $12 billion to charity.