Turning Giving USA Into 'Giving to My Organization'

Principle No. 2: Be patient
Yes, we all want patience — and we want it now. But the reality is that growth in giving has been rather modest the last two years. According to Giving USA's presenter at a webinar earlier this week, "Philanthropy tends to react to the market a little more modestly."

People still want to support philanthropy, but they often won't increase their giving in direct correlation to market increases. They take more of a "wait and see" approach, making sure their own personal wealth (be that small or large) is stable, despite what the Dow Jones Industrial Average says. Continue to maintain relationships with donors and build new relationships with prospects, and give them time to regain confidence as the economy improves.