Individual Giving

Charitable giving may be up nationally, according to new data released last week, but it's a different story in Southern California. The ground is shaking beneath 35,000-plus charities based in Los Angeles County, and it’s not because of the San Andreas Fault this time. Angelenos are giving $1 billion less per year—almost all of it…

Charitable giving topped $373 billion in 2015, a 4 percent increase over 2014, according to "Giving USA 2016," the annual report published by Giving USA Foundation and produced by Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The giving totals are the highest ever recorded for a single year. Don't have time to dig into the full report? No worries. We've compiled some of the highlights...

Three in every $4 are donated by individuals, according to Giving USA 2015: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2014. Given this statistic, it’s imperative that, as fundraisers, we master the principles of people-based marketing. The principles are based on the evolution of a single idea: By understanding the unique characteristics of a donor, we can build highly customized experiences that will drive increased giving, improved retention and enhanced donor satisfaction...

People are far more distracted than they were a decade ago, which means that even the most experienced fundraiser must continually evolve—something the industry has found difficult at times—and leverage new outlets to increase donations. Is it possible that our inability to adapt or unwillingness to change is a primary reason for our industry’s declining performance?...

Successful fundraising isn’t just about money. It’s about relationships. The organizations that understand this have happy, repeat donors. So who’s doing well with individual giving? "Fundraising Bright Spots: Strategies and Inspiration From Social Change Organizations Raising Money From Individual Donors," sponsored by the Evelyn & Walter Hass Jr. Fund, explores some possibilities. The new report…

What motivates the ultra wealthy to give? Wealth-X conducted an Attitudes Survey in conjunction with Knight Frank to gain insights into the perspectives and behaviors of the ultra wealthy around wealth management, philanthropy, wealth transfer and more. The survey was based on the views of around 400 of the world’s leading private bankers and wealth…

A staffer responsible for donor relations at a mid-size community charity began our conversation by describing a fundraising program that, although fully functioning, is showing the early warning signs of real trouble. Stagnant gift size and a declining—albeit slowly—donor-renewal rate. Her concern was palpable. At an appropriate pause, I asked her what she thought the issues were. Her response was simple: “Our donors simply aren’t giving enough. They don’t understand the urgency of the work we’re doing.”...

On Dec. 14, I mailed checks for $25 to 19 nonprofits. Then, I mailed $25 checks on Dec. 31 to an additional four organizations that I have supported for several years. Despite all the arguments I have heard defending the need to save money by not receipting donors (or at least not donors under a certain threshold, often $50), I simply cannot support that cost-saving measure.

Daniel Moughon, an insurance salesman from Fort Worth, Texas, said he knew long-shot Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina was special after listening to one of her early Iowa speeches. He's donated to her 10 times since then. Moughon is not giving millions, though. He's not even giving thousands. In fact, he has added just $273…

Americans’ donations to arts and culture rose 9.2 percent in 2014, the highest increase in nine categories tracked by Giving USA, an annual report on charitable contributions. Overall, however, arts and culture commanded a modest share of the philanthropic pie. Estimated gifts to arts and culture totaled $17.2 billion, according to the report compiled by…