For the second year in a row, Schwab Charitable grants from donor advised funds topped $1 billion, Schwab announced Wednesday.

Grants to charities and not-for-profits totaled $1.2 billion during the fiscal year that ended June 30, a 12 percent increase over last fiscal year, when the grants crossed the $1 billion mark for the first time. More than 56,000 charities received donations.

The largest number of grants went to organizations focused on health and human services, religion and education. Nearly $7 million went to organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, International Rescue Committee and Save the Children Foundation, whose work includes assisting refugees from the war in Syria with medical care, temporary shelter, food, clothing and other resources.

To assist donors in making contributions to support global crises, Schwab Charitable this year began offering personalized guidance from professionals with experience in international granting.

“With another record year of granting, our donors once again demonstrated their extraordinary generosity,” says Kim Laughton, president of Schwab Charitable. “Despite a tumultuous year for stock markets and investments, donor-advised funds are proving to be a steady force in philanthropy.”

Fifty-nine percent of the contributions to the donor-advised funds were from appreciated, non-cash assets such as publicly traded stock, as well as more complex assets such as restricted stock, interests in private businesses, real estate, private equity, venture capital funds and hedge funds.

When appreciated assets held for a year or more are contributed to a donor-advised fund or other public charity,they are typically not subject to capital gains tax when they are sold. This means that donors may realize up to 20 percent in tax savings, allowing them to potentially give even more than they otherwise would to their favorite charities, Schwab says.