Zelle and Bank of America announced on Mar. 12 a new partnership to enable near real-time charitable disbursements from Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) to nonprofit organizations using the Zelle network. This initiative replaces the traditional, paper-based process that often takes weeks with a faster, digital payment system.
The development is significant as it aims to streamline how charitable funds reach nonprofits, especially during urgent situations such as natural disasters or community crises. By accelerating the delivery of grants, nonprofits can access resources more quickly and respond more effectively to immediate needs.
The new capability is being introduced through Bank of America’s Charitable Gift Fund as part of a limited pilot program. The goal is to eventually expand this service to other financial institutions that offer Zelle and have donor advised fund programs. Denise Leonhard, general manager of Zelle, said, “Zelle is a staple of the American economy and Americans are ready for it to do more. Through Zelle Forward, we are advancing practical new applications of the Zelle network, and this charitable grant delivery capability represents the first of many ways Zelle will continue to innovate and grow. By bringing the speed and reliability of Zelle to charitable grant delivery, we are helping funds reach nonprofits faster so organizations can stay focused on their missions.”
Bank of America’s Charitable Gift Fund allows clients to support causes in an organized and tax-efficient way by contributing various assets and involving family members in philanthropy. In 2025 alone, the fund distributed over 100,000 grants totaling more than $1.3 billion to nonprofits. Donald Greene, Donor-advised Fund Executive at Bank of America Private Bank, said, “For nonprofits, deploying their resources quickly and effectively matters – whether responding to community needs or scaling vital services. By partnering with Zelle to develop this innovation, we’re giving both donors and nonprofits a more modern and responsive way to take in and make use of charitable contributions. This advancement strengthens our clients’ ability to support the causes they care about and accelerates the impact of nonprofits.”
Throughout 2026, Zelle plans further innovations aimed at expanding its capabilities across different sectors while ensuring these developments remain responsible and aligned with consumer needs.
This collaboration marks an important step toward modernizing philanthropic giving by leveraging digital payment technology for greater efficiency.
