News/Stats/Studies

Online Donations Grew Fast—Especially at Year’s End
January 6, 2011

Online donations rose sharply last year, say three big organizations that handle Internet gifts.

Convio says online donations to its 1,300 clients topped $1.3-billion, a more than 40-percent increase.

Giving to 5,000 charity clients of Blackbaud grew by more than 10 percent in December alone, though the company wouldn’t give the precise increase. It's preparing a fuller report on 2010 results to release within the month.

And Network for Good says it processed 20 percent more in charitable donations last year than it did in 2009.

Biggest Gifts to Charity Falter in Bad Economy
January 4, 2011

In yet another sign of how the nation’s economic slump is causing struggles for many charities, big donations from individuals and their foundations fell for the second consecutive year. The 10 biggest gifts donated by Americans in 2010 totaled slightly more than $1.3-billion, compared with $2.7-billion in 2009 and $8-billion in 2008.

In addition, only six individuals announced gifts of $100-million or more in 2010, a minor decline from 2009, when seven donors gave gifts of $100-million or more, but a significant drop from 2008, when 15 philanthropists announced gifts of that size.

India's rich slow to give to charity
January 3, 2011

A huge charity gift by a high-tech tycoon has shone a harsh light on the philanthropic track record of India's established and emerging billionaires. Mr. Azim Premji announced earlier this month that he was giving US$2 billion (S$2.5 billion) to fund rural education.

In India, individuals and companies account for just 10 percent of charity funding, compared with 75 percent in the U.S.

2011 Philanthropic Fundraising Keyed to Effective Business Principles: AHP Says
January 3, 2011

Because it costs more to raise philanthropic money during a recession, nonprofit hospitals and other institutions who are willing to invest in fundraising personnel and emphasize major gifts and planned giving in their well-rounded programs will weather the current fiscal crisis in America, according to a “State of Philanthropic Health Care Address” released by William C. McGinly, Ph.D., CAE, president and chief executive officer, Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP).

Wikipedia hits $16 million fundraising target
January 3, 2011

A rush of donations over the holiday period has helped the Wikimedia Foundation hit its fundraising target for the year. The organization has hit its $16 million target to fully fund the online encyclopaedia and other projects for the next twelve months.

5 Fundraising Trends for 2011
December 28, 2010

At the Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association Year-End Luncheon, veteran fundraising expert Roger Craver, founder of DonorTrends and editor of The Agitator, shared five fundraising trends to get on top of in 2011.

Late surge in charitable donations typical for tax write-off purposes
December 27, 2010

Many nonprofit agencies see a spike in donations at the end of the year, said Dawn Littlefield, executive director of the Kishwaukee United Way, which supports more than two dozen DeKalb County nonprofits.

December is typically a busy month at the DeKalb County Community Foundation as well, executive director Dan Templin said. Many donors wait until the end of the year to take stock of their tax situation, he said, or to catch up on the amount they had budgeted for charity for the year.

Lean times bringing nonprofits together
December 27, 2010

Continued high unemployment and decreases in charitable donations have taken a toll on nonprofits over the past few years, said John Baker, managing director of the Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies.

Many nonprofits have responded by collaborating on projects, sharing resources and finding new sources of donations, he said.

Survey shows more people think charities strive to be professional
December 22, 2010

The proportion of people who think charities work professionally has increased by more than a sixth over the past three years, according to a survey.

The poll by the consultancy nfpSynergy shows that the proportion of people who agree that "charities strive to achieve the highest professional standards at all times" rose from 47 percent in 2007 to 55 percent in 2010.

The consultancy regularly surveys a representative sample of 1,000 people aged 16 and over in Britain about their perceptions of charities for its Charity Awareness Monitor.