American Online Giving Foundation

History and Activities

The American Online Giving Foundation is a nonprofit founded in 2016 that establishes donor-advised funds and uses automation and other technology to help manage donations.  ¹

After donors to AOGF indicate a cause to support, AOGF collects and manages funds while sending them to the intended recipient monthly while providing tax receipts. ¹

AOGF has partnered with Benevity Inc., a for-profit company based in Calgary, Canada, that provides corporate software towards charitable donations. AOGF has previously claimed its partnership with Benevity reduces processing costs for donations by reducing the numbers of transactions through cash and check. AOGF argues that sending checks is ten times more expensive than sending electronic payments and causes errors in record-keeping.  ^{1  2  3}

Leadership

Bryan de Lottinville is the president of American Online Giving Foundation (AGOF). Lottinville is also the founder and executive chairperson at Benevity, American Online Giving Foundation’s primary vendor, which was paid $45,968,145 by AOGF in 2023. Lottinville is a resident of Calgary, Canada. He founded Benevity in 2008. Previously, he was the chief operating officer of iStockphoto and the executive vice president of corporate affairs for SMED International. ^{3  2  4}

Kathy Field Povoas and Rebecca Skvorc are listed as two other directors of AGOF. Povoas is the founder of corporate support for-profit STAACS, and was previously a general partner as well as the general counsel and chief compliance officer at JMI Equity. Skvorc is the chief financial officer of AI data platform ODAIA as well as a board member for Free Greek Toronto. Previously, she was the chief financial officer and head of talent for Nudge, a senior vice president of finance at Wave, the senior director of finance at Ceridian, the director of finance at Rogers Communications, a treasury consultant at the Royal Bank of Scotland, and an associate with Goldman Sachs.  ^{3  5  6}

Financials

According to its 2023 tax filings, the American Online Giving Foundation (AGOF) reported $2,070,971,033 in revenue, $2,016,044,861 in expenses, and $376,372,692 in assets. Most of its revenue ($2,035,366,731) derived from gifts, grants, and other contributions. Of its expenses, $1,896,056,972 was spent on grants and assistance to domestic organizations, and $57,562,190 was spent on gifts and other assistance to foreign organizations. Most of its foreign grants ($52,746,089) were directed to Europe, while $1,269,056 was directed to East Asia and the Pacific. That same year, AOGF paid Benevity in Calgary, Alberta, $45,968,145 for administrative services. ²

Notable grants made by AOGF in 2023 include $174,782 to Gonzaga University; $151,528 to Whitman College; $83,060 to the Mozambique School Lunch Initiative in Spokane, Washington;  $59,695 to Whitworth University, and $34,669 to Adams County Pet Rescue. That year, nearly all grants listed in AOGF’s tax filings were to organizations in Washington state. ²