Upward Fundraising Trend Continues
On Monday Tom summarized Pamela Barden’s Fundraising Wellness Check to help you glide more smoothly into the final third of 2015 and begin preparing for 2016.
Today, in a nutshell, The Agitator gives The Atlas Of Giving’s forecast for the balance of 2015.
- Through July 2015 the first half U.S. charitable giving has been exceptionally (and unexpectedly) strong – up a total of 7.6% to $238.88 Billion from $222.03 Billion for the same period in 2014.
- According to The Atlas, “Most of this strong giving performance is attributed to the continually good news of improving employment rates. Individual donors, who account for 74% of all U.S. giving, are finding jobs, less fearful of losing their jobs, and enjoying some splendid economic conditions like low interest rates, low gas prices, and little inflation. This leaves them with more disposable income that can be applied to charitable giving.
- Overall for 2015 charitable giving is forecast to finish 5.4% higher than 2014.
- Look for growth of 3.8% in the last half of this year; Compared with 7,6% in the first half.
What accounts for this year’s growth? According to The Atlas:
- Strong foundation grants.
- Record contributions from Donor Advised Funds.
- More niche nonprofits bringing in new money.
- Increased adoption of more efficient and inexpensive technology including crowd funding, online event support, donor relations management tools and better predictive and analytic tools.
Sector laggards and leaders for 2015:
- Leaders—enviro organizations, human needs organizations, donor advised funds and higher ed.
- Laggards—churches and health.
The Atlas attributes fall off in church giving to decline in church membership and participation. For declines in health giving they cite the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and confusion among many individual donors who are under the impression that the federal government is now taking care of all the health needs of the less fortunate coupled with the decline in the number of nonprofit hospitals.
The Atlas of Giving Charitable Giving forecast is updated monthly and you can register to can get it free of charge here.
What did your first half of 2015 look like? What are you expecting for the balance of the year?
Roger
One response to “Upward Fundraising Trend Continues”
Behavioral Science Q & A
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Great news, Roger. I do wonder whether the very recent hit to stock market is/will have impact. My thoughts, before yesterday’s new plunge, are encapsulated in the attached. I still maintain that sanguine view though I also agree that much of the great news has been driven by “splendid economic conditions” — not least least of which has been stock gains.
What do you and your readers think?
http://bit.ly/1IJfdZ1