At the heart of philanthropy is celebration and gratitude. When experiencing accomplishment and joy, these feelings brim over into generosity. When Anne and Steve Milligan watched their two children cross the stage in 2025 — Megan graduating from college and Daniel from high school — they wanted a gift for their children that expressed their pride in their children’s accomplishments, reflected their family’s values, and prepared their children for lives of service.
“We wanted to hand them a tool, not a checklist,” Steve says. “Something that would help them think about how to live out their values, and then take action.”
They chose to gift a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) to each of their children and chose the Catholic Community Foundation as their DAF partner because of its Catholic mission and the ongoing support they knew their children would receive from the staff. A DAF is a fund that an individual can use to make gifts to charity. For a gifted DAF, the person who donates the money to the DAF (in this case, the parents) is different from the advisor on the fund (the child) who can direct the grants to various nonprofits. In this way, the parents are “giving the gift of giving.”
The Milligans hope and believe this will launch their kids into a lifetime of intentional giving. They see the DAF as a way for their children to connect the gratitude for their achievements and opportunities with responsibility for the gifts they’d been given.
How the gift works for the Milligans
- Stewardship in practice: the DAF teaches Megan and Daniel to manage charitable resources thoughtfully.
- Formation through guidance: the Foundation provides support and resources to help them discern where their gifts will do the most good.
- Actionable mercy: funds can be directed to charities and causes that answer the call to corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
“This isn’t about control. It’s about giving them a way to practice generosity and to see the impact of their choices,” Anne explains. It was important that the kids were able to live out their values and express their gratitude on their own terms in their own time.
For Megan, the gift was deeply meaningful and empowering. “My parents have put a huge trust in us from birth, inspiring confidence in us that we would go on to do great things,” she says. “The DAF was such a meaningful gift to receive, and we already felt equipped to take on the responsibility given how we have been raised. The Foundation can guide us to continue to make intentional and impactful decisions in our community and beyond.”
The Milligans’ approach balances guidance and freedom — a faith‑rooted legacy that equips young adults to serve the common good.
By choosing a DAF and a faith‑aligned partner, Anne and Steve turned graduation into a launching pad for stewardship, formation, and works of mercy. Their gift gives Megan and Daniel not just money to grant, but a lifelong framework for generosity and a way to practice their faith in the world.
Graduation and the Gift of Giving
Graduation is a time for recognition, reflection, and celebration — and it also opens a doorway to the future. Beyond diplomas and parties, this moment asks: What will I do, be, and mean to the world?
A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) can be a meaningful graduation gift that answers that question with action.
Why a DAF at graduation
- Launches generosity: a practical way to respond to God’s gifts.
- Encourages formation: invites conversations about values, gratitude and vocation.
- Builds a giving habit: philanthropy is a muscle; an early start strengthens it.
- Respects freedom: parents provide structure and support without prescribing causes.
A DAF is both symbolic and practical — a tangible piece of charitable equity that graduates can steward, direct, and grow as they begin adult life.