Giving USA® Report Summary

The Giving USA® 2023 report is in! While overall giving trends show a slight decline, there's valuable data to inform your 2024 strategies for your nonprofit organization. We've summarized key takeaways and strategic recommendations to optimize your fundraising efforts with the Giving USA® data. Stay tuned for a closer look at future considerations.

Key Takeaways from the Giving USA® Report

• Overall giving increased by 1.9% to $557.16 billion, but when adjusted for inflation, giving declined by 2.1%.
• Individual giving remains the largest source of charitable contributions, but other areas are rapidly increasing. This includes Foundations, Bequests, and Corporations, which are seeing sizeable increases.
• When adjusted for inflation, several subsectors saw an increase in gifts:
  • Human Services (+1.7%)
  • Health (+4.4%)
  • Education (+6.7%)
  • Foundations (+10.8%)
  • Public-Society Benefit (+7.2%)
  • Arts, Culture, and Humanities (+6.6%)
  • Environment and Animals (+3.9%)
• When adjusted for inflation, other subsectors saw a decrease in gifts:
  • Religious Organizations (-1.0%)
  • International Affairs (-1.6%)

A Brighter Future for Nonprofits

After a challenging 2022, the report points to a brighter future for nonprofit organizations with promising economic growth. The strongest growth is seen among grantmaking organizations (likely due to strong market performance that has increased the value of their assets). There has also been strong performance and continued growth in public-sector benefits and human services organizations.

We believe the Giving USA® report offers great insights to help your organization grow and meet the needs of modern donors. Based on the report's findings, some opportunities for continued growth are below.

Opportunities for Organizational Growth

1. Stay Informed on Economic Factors: As a fundraiser, it's crucial to be aware of economic factors that may disrupt fundraising, such as market changes and inflation. This awareness can help you adjust and pivot your strategies and conversations with donors.

   • TAKE ACTION: The market is strong right now, so focus on gifts of appreciated securities. Promote this type of giving and ensure you have processes to make it easy for donors!

2. Leverage Legacy Giving: The report highlights a steady increase in bequest giving, which will likely continue to rise as the population ages and a major transfer of wealth between generations occurs.

   • TAKE ACTION: Update your Planned Giving materials and ensure you integrate Planned Giving information into your newsletters, annual reports, or appeals.

3. Diversify Your Pipeline: Ensure your organization relies on various funding streams to remain sustainable in the ever-changing landscape of philanthropy. Focus your pipeline on attracting gifts from new groups to ensure you have strong giving streams from individuals, corporations, foundations, bequests, etc.

   • TAKE ACTION: Evaluate your past giving and pipeline to determine the percentages of gifts from each source. Does your donor file reflect the Giving USA® report? This can help you identify any gaps in your donor base.

4. Focus Your Case for Support: The report highlights areas that donors and new generations are increasingly supporting through philanthropy. Use this information to reframe your case for support to ensure you focus on priority areas of giving and philanthropic trends.

   • TAKE ACTION: Focus on the community's needs and how your organization will benefit your community and society. With a large increase in giving to human services and public society benefits, you can reframe your case for support in this light.

The Giving USA® 2024 is a valuable resource for fundraisers. By analyzing current giving trends, this report empowers you to optimize fundraising strategies and achieve superior results for your nonprofit organization!

Visit our Resource Center for more tips, tools, and educational material to help you maximize your fundraising efforts.