At the Community Foundation for MetroWest, our deepest commitment is to you, our donors, fundholders, and community partners. For years, we’ve worked side by side to strengthen our region, addressing the causes you care about most right here in our backyard.
Yet we know that philanthropic passion doesn’t always stop at local or even national borders. Many of you have deep personal ties, travel experiences, or family roots abroad, and you care passionately about global challenges such as health, education, and humanitarian relief.
In response to this, we are proud to have expanded the services available to our Donor Advised Funds here at CFMW to include international giving capabilities. To help our community better understand how this new international philanthropy partnership works and how our fundholders can leverage it to expand their impact, we sat down with Mary Bradach, Director of Business Development at CAF America, to share expert insights and perspectives on global giving.
Here is what she had to say about the power of borderless philanthropy:
Caroline Murphy (VP of Advancement and Philanthropic Services, Community Foundation for MetroWest): Tell us a bit more about this partnership with us as a community foundation, and what do you think makes this kind of partnership uniquely powerful for international giving?
Mary Bradach (CAF America): Community foundations are trusted partners for donors in their local community, helping them support the causes they care about most. As donors become interested in issues that extend beyond their local communities, international giving can become more complex.
That’s where a partnership like the one between CAF America and the Community Foundation for MetroWest is so valuable. The foundation knows its donors and their philanthropic goals, while CAF America provides the international grantmaking expertise, due diligence, and compliance support needed to give across borders.
Together, we make it easier for donors to support causes around the world while maintaining the trusted relationship they have with their community foundation. We have experienced that this works really well and can expand what your clients see is possible with through their philanthropy.
Caroline: Tell us about a gift that stayed with you, one that traveled across borders and landed somewhere that changed something real. What happened?
Mary: One of the things we love most about international philanthropy is seeing how personal experiences often inspire generosity.
We often work with donors who want to support a place that had a meaningful impact on their lives or that they experienced while traveling. In one case, a donor chose to support a hospital overseas that had cared for a loved one and was important to their family. What started as a heartfelt thank-you ultimately helped fund services that benefited thousands of patients.
Stories like this remind us that international giving is really about people and connections. A gift may cross borders, but its impact is deeply human.
Caroline: The world feels smaller and more interconnected than ever, and yet more uncertain too. What are you seeing in terms of how and why donors are choosing to give internationally right now, and where is that headed?
Mary: Today’s donors recognize that many of the challenges they care about- health, education, climate, and humanitarian issues- don’t stop at our borders.
We’re also seeing donors become more intentional about their giving. Many are looking for long-term impact and want to support organizations that are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. A growing number of donors also have international family ties, professional connections, or personal experiences that shape their philanthropic interests.
Looking ahead, we expect international giving to become an increasingly common part of overall philanthropic planning, supported by trusted partners who can help donors navigate the process confidently.
Caroline: Vetting international organizations is where trust is built or lost. Walk us through how you think about that responsibility, and how CAF America approaches this role.
Mary: Trust is at the heart of international giving. Donors often face challenges evaluating organizations in other countries because information can be harder to access and standards may vary.
CAF America helps bridge that gap through a thorough due diligence process. We review an organization’s charitable activities, governance, leadership, financial information, and compliance practices to help ensure funds are used for legitimate charitable purposes.
We also continue to monitor organizations over time, not just at the point of a grant. Our goal is to help donors and community foundations give internationally with confidence and peace of mind.
Caroline: What advice do you have for our donors as they consider exploring international giving?
Mary: Start with the cause you care about, not necessarily the location.
Many donors are already passionate about issues that have a global impact, whether that’s healthcare, education, environmental protection, or humanitarian aid. If you focus on the difference you want to make, international giving feels much more approachable.
I’d also encourage people not to be intimidated by the process. With the right partners and guidance, giving internationally can be just as straightforward and rewarding as giving close to home.
The world is more connected than ever, and donors have incredible opportunities to make a difference locally and far beyond their own communities.
Ready to Explore Global Giving?
If you have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with us and would like to learn more about how to support international charities safely and efficiently, we would love to chat. And if you’d like to explore opening a DAF with us to support your local and global philanthropic goals, we’d welcome that conversation as well! Reach out to our Philanthropy team today to see how your vision can create change, both close to home and around the globe at [email protected]
