Imagine a tidal wave of generosity where individuals alone poured over $369 billion into causes they care about last year, yet many nonprofits still struggle to connect with the hearts and wallets of the next generation of donors.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, total charitable giving in the United States amounted to $499.33 billion, representing a 3.4% increase (1.7% adjusted for inflation) from 2021
- Individuals contributed $369.58 billion to charity in 2022, accounting for 74% of total giving and a 2.1% increase from prior year
- Foundations gave $188.05 billion in 2022, up 7.5% from 2021 and comprising the second-largest source of charitable dollars
- In 2023, 72% of nonprofits planned to increase digital fundraising investments per NTG
- Boomers (born 1946-1964) gave 40% of total charitable dollars in 2022 despite being 20% of population
- Gen X donors increased average gift size by 12% in 2022 to $1,200 per Blackbaud data
- Online giving revenue increased 7.2% YoY in 2023 per Blackbaud Charitable Giving Report analyzing 2,800 orgs
- Email fundraising open rates averaged 26.1% for nonprofits in FY2023 per M+R Benchmarks
- 29% of online revenue came from new donors in 2023, down from 33% pre-pandemic per M+R
- Major gifts over $100K accounted for 20% of nonprofit revenue despite 1% of donors
- Planned giving revenue grew 12% YoY to $42B in 2022 per Giving USA bequests data
- 80% of major donors give to fewer than 5 orgs lifetime per DonorSearch analytics
- Donor retention rate for monthly givers reached 82% in 2023 per Bloomerang report on 10,000 orgs
- First-year donor retention averaged 42% in FY2023, down from 45% pre-pandemic per AFP
- Recurring donors give 46% more over lifetime than one-time per DonorPerfect data
Charitable giving grew modestly in 2022, while online and recurring donations saw significant increases.
Digital and Online Fundraising
- Online giving revenue increased 7.2% YoY in 2023 per Blackbaud Charitable Giving Report analyzing 2,800 orgs
- Email fundraising open rates averaged 26.1% for nonprofits in FY2023 per M+R Benchmarks
- 29% of online revenue came from new donors in 2023, down from 33% pre-pandemic per M+R
- Mobile giving accounted for 22% of online donations in 2023 per Classy report on 1,100 orgs
- Peer-to-peer fundraising grew 14% YoY to $4.5B in 2023 per Classy data
- 41% conversion rate for text-to-give campaigns in 2023 per Donorbox stats
- Social media drove 15.3% of online gifts in FY2023 per Blackbaud, highest ever
- Average online gift size rose 5% to $128 in 2023 amid economic caution
- 68% of nonprofits use Facebook for fundraising with 12% revenue share per NTG 2023
- TikTok fundraising views hit 2.5B in 2023 with 25M+ raised for nonprofits
- Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe raised $15B for personal causes benefiting nonprofits indirectly in 2023
- 55% of digital revenue from recurring gifts in 2023 per Bloomerang benchmarks
- SEO drives 53% of nonprofit website traffic leading to 14% donation conversion
- Live-stream fundraising events yielded 3x ROI vs static video in 2023 per Streamyard
- 73% of millennials donate via mobile devices per 2023 Classy survey
- Chatbots increased online donation completion by 20% for tested orgs in 2023
- Instagram fundraising tools raised $2B+ since 2020 launch per Meta 2023
- Email click-to-donate links converted at 4.2% in FY2023 per M+R
- 47% of online donors abandoned carts due to lack of payment options per PayPal nonprofit study
- Virtual events generated $1.2B in 2023, down 20% from peak but up 50% pre-COVID
- NFTs for charity raised $30M+ in 2022-2023 per NonFungible data
- 82% of nonprofits plan AI integration for personalized online appeals in 2024
- Google Ad Grants utilized by 60% of nonprofits averaged $10K/month free spend
- Text donation opt-in rates hit 35% with personalized SMS per Textedly 2023
- 29% of total giving now digital per Blackbaud 2024 report projecting continued growth
- Facebook Fundraisers averaged $350 per fundraiser in 2023 per Meta stats
- 64% of donors expect one-click giving on nonprofit sites per Donorbox 2023
- Online monthly giving retention at 85% vs 45% for one-time per Recurring Donor Alliance
- 21% revenue growth from personalized landing pages per Funraise A/B tests 2023
- Twitch charity streams raised $200M+ cumulatively by 2023 per Tiltify
Digital and Online Fundraising Interpretation
While nonprofits are expertly harnessing a crowded digital toolbox to drive giving and retain donors in novel ways, the real story is the sector's impressive—and necessary—adaptation to a world where every click, text, and stream must seamlessly convert into committed support.
Donor Demographics
- In 2023, 72% of nonprofits planned to increase digital fundraising investments per NTG
- Boomers (born 1946-1964) gave 40% of total charitable dollars in 2022 despite being 20% of population
- Gen X donors increased average gift size by 12% in 2022 to $1,200 per Blackbaud data
- Millennials represented 35% of new donors in 2022 but only 21% of total giving volume
- 51% of Gen Z donors prefer monthly recurring gifts per 2023 NTG survey of 5,000+
- Women donors outpaced men by 15% in giving volume in 2022 per Women's Philanthropy Institute
- High-net-worth individuals (HNI >$1M assets) gave $200B+ annually, 40% of total US giving
- 28% of donors aged 65+ made planned gifts in 2022 per Legacy Initiative
- Hispanic donors grew 18% in number from 2021-2022 per Classy State of the Donor report
- Black/African American donors gave 11% more in 2022 amid social justice focus
- 62% of donors under 40 research causes online before giving per M+R Benchmarks 2022
- Average donor age for new acquirers dropped to 42 in 2022 from 47 in 2019 per Bloomerang
- 45% of household donors give to 4+ organizations annually per 2022 Giving USA
- Lapsed donors (1-2 years) respond 2x better than cold prospects per DonorSearch data
- 73% of donors are married or in partnerships influencing joint giving decisions
- Urban donors give 25% more per capita than rural donors per IRS SOI data 2022
- 39% of donors motivated by personal connection to cause per 2023 CAF survey
- Repeat donors (3+ years) give 45% more lifetime value than new donors per Bloomerang
- 67% of high-value donors (> $10K gifts) are college-educated per DonorPerfect
- Female-headed households donate 8.3% of income vs 4.7% for male-headed per WPI
- 55% of donors aged 30-49 use mobile apps for giving per Classy 2023
- Baby boomers control 70% of US disposable income but only 50% plan to leave inheritance to charity
- 24% of Gen Z donors influenced by social media peers per NTG 2023
- Average new donor lifetime value at $1,500 vs $5,200 for retained donors per AFP
- 76% of donors over 70 have estate plans including charity per Leaving a Legacy study
- Corporate employee donors average $500/year with 60% matching eligibility
- 33% of donors shifted to local causes post-COVID per 2022 Fidelity Charitable
Donor Demographics Interpretation
Nonprofits are trying to master the digital future while still relying heavily on Baby Boomers' analog-era wealth, a balancing act where courting the loyalty of experienced Gen X and tapping into the recurring potential of younger generations is just as crucial as acknowledging that a personal story and a retained donor are still worth their weight in gold.
Major Gifts and Planned Giving
- Major gifts over $100K accounted for 20% of nonprofit revenue despite 1% of donors
- Planned giving revenue grew 12% YoY to $42B in 2022 per Giving USA bequests data
- 80% of major donors give to fewer than 5 orgs lifetime per DonorSearch analytics
- Average major gift size $25K for mid-sized nonprofits per Blackbaud 2023
- Bequest society members give 6x more annually than non-members pre-death
- Corporate foundations gave $10B in major grants over $1M each in 2022
- 62% of planned gifts come from donors over 75 per PG Calc data 2023
- Major donor acquisition cost averages $1,200 vs $50 for small donors per AFP
- 91% of major gifts unsolicited per 2023 Major Gifts Initiative study of 200 orgs
- DAF grants to nonprofits hit $54.8B in 2022 with average grant $11K
- Family foundations represent 45% of all US foundations with $300B assets
- Top 1% of donors provide 33% of major gifts revenue per Indiana University Lilly study
- Planned giving marketing yields 10:1 ROI over 5 years per Stelter Company
- 35% of major donors motivated by capital campaigns per CASE survey 2023
- Endowments grew 8% to $1.1T for higher ed nonprofits in FY2023 per NACUBO
- 48% of HNWIs use stock gifts for major donations to avoid capital gains tax
- Community foundations distributed $15B in grants from major gifts in 2022
- 76% retention rate for major donors vs 45% overall per Bloomerang 2023
- IRA QCDs totaled $12B+ since 2007 with 100K+ donors annually
- Venture philanthropy deals grew 15% to 500+ in 2023 per Global Impact Investing Network
- 55% of major gifts follow personal meetings vs 10% from events per Van Wagner study
- Charitable lead trusts used in 12% of planned major gifts per PG Calc
- Billion-dollar gifts to nonprofits hit 20 in 2023 per Chronicle of Philanthropy
- 67% of major donors want impact reports quarterly per DonorVoice research
- Retained major donors increase gift size 15% YoY per Blackbaud analytics
- 42% of planned gifts revocable via wills amended post-80 years old
- Corporate major gifts averaged $500K with 60% multi-year pledges in 2023
Major Gifts and Planned Giving Interpretation
The data reveals a world where a few deeply committed supporters carry the nonprofit sector on their shoulders, proving that while fundraising is a wide field, its most bountiful harvests come from cultivating fewer but richer relationships with thoughtful, long-term intention.
Overall Fundraising Trends
- In 2022, total charitable giving in the United States amounted to $499.33 billion, representing a 3.4% increase (1.7% adjusted for inflation) from 2021
- Individuals contributed $369.58 billion to charity in 2022, accounting for 74% of total giving and a 2.1% increase from prior year
- Foundations gave $188.05 billion in 2022, up 7.5% from 2021 and comprising the second-largest source of charitable dollars
- Bequests totaled $42.12 billion in 2022, a 10.9% rise year-over-year driven by strong stock market performance
- Corporations donated $29.48 billion in 2022, including $21.56 billion in direct giving and $7.92 billion in foundation grants, up 3.4%
- Religion subsector received $143.53 billion in 2022, 29% of total giving despite a slight 1.3% decline adjusted for inflation
- Human services organizations saw $74.82 billion in 2022, up 7.3% and second-highest recipient subsector
- Education received $71.55 billion in 2022, a modest 1.9% increase primarily from individual donors
- Grantmaking organizations got $65.83 billion, up 8.6% in 2022 due to foundation support
- Health organizations raised $44.81 billion in 2022, a 4.2% increase led by hospitals
- 2023 Blackbaud Charitable Giving Report showed online giving surged 7.2% year-over-year to nonprofits
- Total online revenue for nonprofits grew 13.4% in FY2022 per M+R Benchmarks, driven by digital appeals
- Average nonprofit saw 4.3% growth in total revenue in 2022 according to Nonprofit Finance Fund
- Fundraising expenses averaged 18% of total budget for nonprofits in 2022 per NCCS data
- 41% of nonprofits reported increased fundraising revenue in 2023 per Nonprofit Tech for Good survey
- US charitable giving as percentage of GDP held steady at 2.1% in 2022 per Giving USA
- Post-COVID, 2021 giving rebounded 10.5% to $484.87 billion before moderating in 2022
- Inflation-adjusted giving declined 2.1% in 2022 after years of growth, per Giving USA analysis
- Small nonprofits (under $1M revenue) saw 5.2% fundraising growth in 2022 per Classy report
- Mid-sized orgs ($1-10M) experienced 3.8% decline in giving post-2022 per Blackbaud
- Large nonprofits (over $10M) grew fundraising 4.1% in FY2022 per M+R
- 2023 saw 2.1% projected growth in giving per Blackbaud forecast
- Global nonprofit revenue grew 4.7% in 2022 excluding US per CAF World Giving Index
- Donor-advised funds distributed $54.77 billion in 2022, up 8% per NPTrust
- Impact investing in nonprofits reached $1.164 trillion assets under management in 2022
- 69% of nonprofits diversified revenue streams in 2022 to boost fundraising per Guidestar
- Fee-for-service revenue overtook donations for 25% of nonprofits in 2022 per NFF
- Year-end giving accounted for 30% of annual revenue for average nonprofit in 2022
- 55% of nonprofits missed 2022 revenue goals due to economic pressures per AFP survey
- Corporate giving matched employee giving at $4.5B via matching programs in 2022
Overall Fundraising Trends Interpretation
The data reveals a resilient, if slightly winded, philanthropic spirit in America—where individual generosity remains the steadfast engine, foundations are stepping on the gas, and everyone else is just trying to keep the tires inflated in the potholes of economic uncertainty.
Retention and Recurring Giving
- Donor retention rate for monthly givers reached 82% in 2023 per Bloomerang report on 10,000 orgs
- First-year donor retention averaged 42% in FY2023, down from 45% pre-pandemic per AFP
- Recurring donors give 46% more over lifetime than one-time per DonorPerfect data
- 69% of retained donors cite impact stories as top retention factor per M+R 2023
- Lapsed donor reactivation rate 25% with personalized appeals per Classy 2023
- Monthly giving programs grew 20% in participation since 2020 per Classy
- 85% retention for sustainer programs vs 22% for annual appeals per NTG survey
- Thank-you speed under 48 hours boosts retention 30% per Bloomerang study
- 56% of donors stop giving due to lack of communication per 2023 Blackbaud
- Upgrading monthly donors by 10% annually doubles revenue over 5 years per Paradigm
- 73% of recurring donors via auto-renew credit card per Funraise 2023
- Personalized retention emails have 40% higher open rates per Mailchimp nonprofit benchmarks
- 2-year lapsed donors worth 3x reactivation effort per DonorSearch ROI calc
- Events retain 65% of attendees as donors next year with follow-up per Peer-to-Peer report
- 91% of donors want less mail, prefer digital for retention per 2023 Donor Fatigue study
- Sustainer cancellation rate under 5% with proactive surveys per Recurring Donor Alliance
- Volunteering donors retained at 78% vs 40% non-volunteers per Points of Light
- Mid-level donors ($1K-$25K) retained at 70% with cultivation events per AFP
- 44% retention improvement from donor surveys per DonorVoice pyramid model
- Legacy society members retained 95% with annual events per Stelter
- Email frequency optimal at 4-6/year for 50%+ retention per M+R
- 62% of lapsed cite irrelevant appeals; segmentation fixes 35% per Blackbaud
- Corporate partners renew 88% with impact dashboards per CECP 2023
- 77% of Gen Z donors stay loyal with social proof updates per NTG
- Reactivation campaigns ROI 5:1 for 1-3 year lapsed per Target Analytics
- 52% retention lift from video thank-yous per VideoAsk nonprofit study
- Household giving retains 2x better when addressed to both spouses
Retention and Recurring Giving Interpretation
Treat your donors like cherished friends who crave meaningful updates, not ATMs, because they'll gladly commit for life when you show the impact of their gifts, promptly thank them, and listen to what they want—otherwise, you're just leaving money and loyalty on the table.
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