Imagine a world where billions of dollars in generosity flow not from cash or checks but from a simple tap on a screen, as the digital revolution isn't just changing how we shop and socialize but has powerfully transformed philanthropy, with online giving in the US alone surging 10.3% in 2023 to reach a staggering $13.5 billion.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, online giving in the US grew by 10.3% year-over-year, reaching $13.5 billion in total contributions through digital channels including websites, social media, and mobile apps
- Global online donations surged 7.8% in 2022, with platforms like GoFundMe processing over $15 billion since inception, driven by crisis response campaigns
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, online giving spiked 58% in Q2 2020 compared to Q2 2019 for US nonprofits, according to benchmark data from 1,200 organizations
- 35% of millennials prefer online giving over checks, contributing 42% of total online volume in 2023 US survey
- Women accounted for 58% of online donors in 2023, donating 12% more frequently than men on average
- Gen Z (18-24) represented 22% of new online donors in 2023, with average gift $65 vs. boomers' $145
- Online giving platforms like Donorbox report average conversion rate of 4.2% for embedded forms in 2023 across 10,000 orgs
- 68% of nonprofits use Stripe or PayPal for online giving in 2023, processing 85% of transactions
- Mobile-responsive donation pages boost completion rates by 55% per A/B tests in 2023
- The average online donation in the US was $128 in 2023, up 8% from $118 in 2022 per 5,000 orgs
- Recurring gifts averaged $22/month in 2023, generating 35% of annual online revenue stability
- Median online gift size for small nonprofits (<$1M budget) was $50 in 2023 benchmarks
- 29% of nonprofits cite high platform fees (3-5%) as top revenue barrier in 2023 surveys
- Cart abandonment rates averaged 68% for online giving forms due to complexity in 2023 UX analysis
- Data privacy concerns deterred 22% of potential online donors in 2023 global poll
Online giving is steadily rising, with donors embracing convenient digital platforms to give generously.
Challenges and Future Outlook
- 29% of nonprofits cite high platform fees (3-5%) as top revenue barrier in 2023 surveys
- Cart abandonment rates averaged 68% for online giving forms due to complexity in 2023 UX analysis
- Data privacy concerns deterred 22% of potential online donors in 2023 global poll
- Only 41% of small nonprofits have mobile-optimized giving, missing 30% revenue opp 2023
- Cyberattacks on nonprofit donation platforms rose 47% in 2023, costing $10M avg breach
- Donor fatigue from email overload reduced open rates 11% YoY to 24% in 2023
- 35% of online gifts fail due to expired cards, losing $500M revenue annually 2023 est
- Regulatory compliance hurdles block 18% international online giving flows in 2023
- AI deepfakes/scams stole $200M in fraudulent online donations in 2023 incidents
- Rural broadband gaps limit 15% potential donors from online giving in 2023 US
- Post-GDPR, EU nonprofits saw 12% drop in US cross-border online revenue 2023
- 52% nonprofits lack analytics to optimize online giving, stunting growth 2023 survey
- Economic inflation reduced avg real online gift value by 7% despite nominal rise 2023
- Platform dependency risks: 28% orgs lost revenue from API changes in 2023
- Accessibility issues (ADA) cause 19% form abandonment for disabled users 2023 audits
- Burnout among digital fundraisers up 34%, turnover 22% in 2023 nonprofit staffing data
- Tax receipt delays frustrate 25% online donors, impacting future giving 2023 feedback
- 40% predict online giving to hit 25% of total by 2027, driven by Gen Z adoption
- By 2025, 80% donations expected mobile-first, requiring full app investment per forecast
- AI-driven personalization projected to boost online revenue 40% by 2026 models
- Web3/metaverse giving could add $1B annual revenue by 2028 optimistic projections
- Global online giving forecasted to grow 12% CAGR to $50B by 2030, Asia leading
- Recurring models to comprise 50% online revenue by 2026, retention focus key
- Voice assistants projected 15% of online giving transactions by 2027 daily use
- Climate crises to drive 20% annual online surge through 2030 per scenario planning
- 65% nonprofits plan VR/AR campaigns by 2025 for immersive giving experiences
- Blockchain transparency to increase trust, +25% donor acquisition by 2026 est
- Social commerce platforms like TikTok Shop to handle 10% giving by 2025
- Post-recession recovery: online giving to exceed 2019 levels by 15% by end 2024
- Gen Alpha (born 2010+) to debut as donors 2028, preferring gamified apps 70% rate
- Regulatory easing could unlock 18% more cross-border online flows by 2027
Challenges and Future Outlook Interpretation
The future of online giving is a high-stakes race where nonprofits must urgently fix today's leaky bucket of fees, fraud, and friction, while also building the digital rocket ship needed to capture tomorrow's mobile, AI-driven, and generational donors.
Donation Amounts and Revenue
- The average online donation in the US was $128 in 2023, up 8% from $118 in 2022 per 5,000 orgs
- Recurring gifts averaged $22/month in 2023, generating 35% of annual online revenue stability
- Median online gift size for small nonprofits (<$1M budget) was $50 in 2023 benchmarks
- Year-end giving averaged $250 per donor online in Dec 2023, 3.2x quarterly avg
- Micro-donations under $10 made up 28% of transaction volume but only 5% revenue 2023
- Corporate online gifts averaged $5,200 per matching program participant in 2023
- P2P fundraiser avg team raised $4,800 online per participant in 2023 events
- International online gifts averaged €75 ($82) in 2023 EU platforms
- Faith-based online tithers averaged $1,200 annually recurring in 2023 digital pledges
- Disaster relief online surges averaged $1,500 per unique donor in first week 2023 crises
- Monthly sustainer avg lifetime value reached $650 in 2023 retention models
- Crypto donations averaged $15,000 per transaction in 2023 high-value gifts
- Impulse online gifts via social averaged $35, 60% under one minute decision 2023
- Major online gifts (>$10k) comprised 1% volume but 22% revenue for large NGOs 2023
- Text-to-give avg $25 per donation, total $600M revenue across US 2023
- Education sector online avg $92/gift, health $110 in 2023 cause breakdowns
- UK online avg donation £42 ($53) up 6% YoY via JustGiving 2023 data
- Animal welfare online gifts avg $68, highest among causes per 2023 survey
- End-of-month online spikes avg 2.1x daily baseline revenue 2023 patterns
- Multi-gift donors avg $420 annual online spend vs $95 one-offs 2023
- Australia online avg $110 AUD per gift, crowdfunding led at $8k/campaign 2023
- Arts/culture online revenue totaled $1.1B in 2023, avg gift $75 low volume
- Planned giving online pledges avg $25,000 bequest intention 2023 forms
- Sports charity online avg $45/gift tied to events, $200M total 2023
- Environmental causes online avg $88/gift, $2.3B total revenue 2023 surge
- Veteran orgs online avg $120/gift, loyalty-driven 28% recurring 2023
- Food bank online drives avg $32/gift, volume leader at 15M gifts 2023
- University alumni online avg $350/gift in 2023 campaigns
Donation Amounts and Revenue Interpretation
While the modern donor's wallet whispers, "Sure, I'll toss in twenty bucks for the cause," it shouts, "Actually, sign me up for life, fund my old school, save these puppies, and, oh yeah, here's my entire crypto wallet when disaster strikes—just don't ask me to think about it for more than sixty seconds."
Donor Demographics
- 35% of millennials prefer online giving over checks, contributing 42% of total online volume in 2023 US survey
- Women accounted for 58% of online donors in 2023, donating 12% more frequently than men on average
- Gen Z (18-24) represented 22% of new online donors in 2023, with average gift $65 vs. boomers' $145
- High-income households ($200k+) made 28% of online gifts but 45% of total value in 2023 US data
- Urban donors comprised 67% of online giving volume in 2023, rural at 12% despite population parity
- Baby boomers (55-73) still hold 38% market share of online giving dollars despite digital shift
- Hispanic/Latino donors grew 19% in online participation in 2023, focusing on education causes
- 41% of online donors aged 25-44 cite social media influence as primary motivator in 2023 surveys
- African American online donors increased 24% YoY in 2023, prioritizing health and justice orgs
- Married donors give 15% more online than singles, averaging $112 per transaction in 2023 data
- College-educated donors make up 76% of frequent online givers (3+ gifts/year) in 2023
- LGBTQ+ donors over-index 2.1x in online giving to advocacy groups per 2023 identity survey
- Parents with children under 18 donate 22% more online to family/youth causes in 2023 stats
- Retirees (65+) now 19% of online donors, up from 11% in 2019, embracing digital tools
- Tech industry employees donate 3x average online per capita, $450 avg in 2023
- Female Gen X (45-54) leads in recurring online pledges at 28% adoption rate 2023
- Low-income donors (<$50k) prefer micro-gifts under $25, comprising 35% of transaction volume 2023
- Veterans donate 18% higher online to military causes, 1.2M unique donors in 2023
- Students (18-22) show 55% online giving rate via campus apps in 2023 college survey
- Self-identified liberals give 24% more online to progressive causes vs. conservatives in 2023
- Homeowners donate 31% larger online gifts than renters, avg $138 vs $89 in 2023
- Asian American donors up 16% in online channels, favoring education/arts at 42% share 2023
- Empty nesters (55+) surge to 25% of new online monthly givers in 2023
- Freelancers/gig workers represent 14% of online donors, high frequency low amount 2023
- 62% of online donors aged 30-49 have pets, skewing gifts to animal welfare 1.8x
- Physicians/health pros donate 2.5x avg online to medical research, $210 avg 2023
- 48% of online donors under 35 are first-gen college grads, up 10% YoY 2023
- Single parents give 20% more online per income bracket to child-focused NGOs 2023
- Engineers/tech workers 29% of online STEM donors, avg $165 gift 2023 survey
Donor Demographics Interpretation
Online giving has revealed a dynamic portrait of generosity where younger generations are jumping in with enthusiasm, women are leading the charge, and while older donors may write fewer clicks, their clicks still write the bigger checks.
Growth and Trends
- In 2023, online giving in the US grew by 10.3% year-over-year, reaching $13.5 billion in total contributions through digital channels including websites, social media, and mobile apps
- Global online donations surged 7.8% in 2022, with platforms like GoFundMe processing over $15 billion since inception, driven by crisis response campaigns
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, online giving spiked 58% in Q2 2020 compared to Q2 2019 for US nonprofits, according to benchmark data from 1,200 organizations
- Recurring online donations increased by 25% from 2021 to 2023, comprising 14.2% of total online revenue for surveyed nonprofits
- Mobile giving accounted for 22% of online donations in 2023, up from 18% in 2021, with text-to-give campaigns leading the growth
- Online giving as a percentage of total fundraising rose from 11% in 2019 to 18% in 2023 for mid-sized US charities
- In 2022, peer-to-peer fundraising via online platforms generated $4.2 billion globally, a 12% increase YoY
- Email-triggered online gifts grew 33% in 2023, making up 45% of all digital donations for top-performing nonprofits
- Social media giving platforms saw a 40% rise in transactions during GivingTuesday 2023, totaling over $500 million in one day
- Corporate online matching gifts doubled from 2021 to 2023, contributing $2.1 billion to employee-driven donations
- Online planned giving inquiries increased 28% in 2023, with bequest pledges up 15% via digital forms
- Crowdfunding platforms reported 19% YoY growth in successful campaigns in 2023, averaging $12,500 per campaign
- Year-end online giving in December 2023 hit record highs, up 14.7% from December 2022 for 3,000+ nonprofits
- Faith-based organizations saw online tithing grow 22% in 2023, representing 30% of their digital revenue
- International remittances via online giving apps rose 11% in 2023 to $850 billion, per World Bank data
- US online giving to international causes increased 9.2% in 2022, totaling $6.8 billion amid global crises
- Nonprofit websites with integrated giving forms saw 35% higher conversion rates in 2023 vs. external links
- Video-integrated online campaigns boosted donations by 21% on average in 2023 tests
- Post-pandemic, hybrid events drove 16% of online giving in 2023, blending virtual and in-person appeals
- Emerging markets like India saw online giving explode 45% YoY in 2023 via UPI payments
- 72% of US donors made at least one online gift in 2023, up from 62% in 2020
- Online giving during natural disasters in 2023 raised $1.2 billion within 72 hours via aggregated platforms
- Subscription-based monthly giving grew 18% in 2023, stabilizing revenue for 40% of nonprofits
- AI-personalized donation prompts increased online gifts by 27% in beta tests during 2023
- Europe online giving platforms processed €8.5 billion in 2023, up 13% YoY, led by UK and Germany
- Text donations hit 15 million transactions in 2023 US, generating $450 million
- Facebook Fundraisers raised $3 billion cumulatively by end of 2023 for nonprofits
- Online giving retention rates improved to 52% in 2023 from 45% in 2021 for sustained donors
- Asia-Pacific online donations grew 25% in 2023 to $4.7 billion, fueled by mobile wallets
- Nonprofits using SEO-optimized giving pages saw 31% traffic growth and 19% donation uplift in 2023
Growth and Trends Interpretation
The digital collection plate is not only rattling louder every year but is now firmly bolted to the global pew, proving generosity loves a convenient, one-click path from impulse to impact.
Platform and Technology Usage
- Online giving platforms like Donorbox report average conversion rate of 4.2% for embedded forms in 2023 across 10,000 orgs
- 68% of nonprofits use Stripe or PayPal for online giving in 2023, processing 85% of transactions
- Mobile-responsive donation pages boost completion rates by 55% per A/B tests in 2023
- Chatbots on giving sites increased donor engagement by 37% and conversions by 12% in 2023 pilots
- Apple Pay/Google Pay adoption for donations reached 28% of mobile transactions in 2023 US
- CRM-integrated online forms saw 22% higher retention for repeat donors in 2023 data
- Video donation buttons on YouTube raised 18% more than static links in 2023 campaigns
- 76% of top nonprofits use HTTPS and PCI compliance, reducing cart abandonment by 41% 2023
- Peer-to-peer platforms like Classy averaged 15% fundraising goal attainment improvement with apps 2023
- Email platform open rates for giving appeals hit 28.4% avg, click-to-donate 3.2% in 2023
- TikTok giving features generated $120M in 2023 for creators' causes, 80% under 30 users
- Blockchain-based donations via crypto grew to 2% of online total in 2023, $250M volume
- Pop-up giving modals on websites increased impulse gifts by 24% in 2023 UX studies
- Instagram Live fundraisers averaged $5,200 per event in 2023, up 30% YoY
- Multi-language donation forms boosted international gifts by 19% for 2023 global NGOs
- NFC/contactless giving kiosks in events captured 11% of on-site donations digitally 2023
- 55% of nonprofits report API integrations cut processing time by 40% for online gifts 2023
- Voice-activated donations via Alexa raised $50M in 2023, 70% first-time digital givers
- AR/VR virtual events with giving integrated raised 2.5x traditional webinars in 2023 tests
- LinkedIn workplace giving modules saw 33% participation from employees in 2023 corps
- SMS opt-in rates for giving alerts at 42%, leading to 15% uplift in repeat donations 2023
- Personalized URL landing pages for donors increased conversions by 31% in 2023 personalization study
- Gamified giving apps retained 27% more users month-over-month in 2023 metrics
- QR code donations at physical events comprised 23% of total funds raised in 2023 hybrid confs
- Zero-fee platforms like BrightFunds processed $1B in employee gifts fee-free 2023
- Web3 NFT charity auctions generated $300M online in 2023, avg sale $2,500
- Progressive profiling on forms lifted avg gift size 14% by capturing more data 2023
- Social login (Google/FB) for donors sped checkout by 22 seconds, 18% abandonment drop 2023
Platform and Technology Usage Interpretation
For nonprofits in 2023, the path to a donor's heart was paved with data, proving that optimizing every click, tap, and chatbot greeting isn't just digital housekeeping—it's the difference between a generous impulse and a forgotten intention.
Sources & References
- Reference 1BLACKBAUDblackbaud.comVisit source
- Reference 2NONPROFITTECHFORGOODnonprofittechforgood.comVisit source
- Reference 3CLASSYclassy.orgVisit source
- Reference 4BLOOMERANGbloomerang.coVisit source
- Reference 5NETWORKFORGOODnetworkforgood.orgVisit source
- Reference 6DONORPERFECTdonorperfect.comVisit source
- Reference 7STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 8MRBENCHMARKSmrbenchmarks.comVisit source
- Reference 9GIVINGTUESDAYgivingtuesday.orgVisit source
- Reference 10DOUBLETHEDONATIONdoublethedonation.comVisit source
- Reference 11CROWDFUNDCAPITALcrowdfundcapital.comVisit source
- Reference 12BLOGblog.blackbaud.comVisit source
- Reference 13VANCOPAYMENTSvancopayments.comVisit source
- Reference 14WORLDBANKworldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 15GIVINGUSAgivingusa.orgVisit source
- Reference 16FUNRAISEfunraise.orgVisit source
- Reference 17QGIVqgiv.comVisit source
- Reference 18AFPGLOBALafpglobal.orgVisit source
- Reference 19GIVEINDIAgiveindia.orgVisit source
- Reference 20NPTIMESnptimes.comVisit source
- Reference 21GLOBALGIVINGglobalgiving.orgVisit source
- Reference 22SALSALABSsalsalabs.comVisit source
- Reference 23GOODWILLgoodwill.orgVisit source
- Reference 24CAFONLINEcafonline.orgVisit source
- Reference 25TEXTEDLYtextedly.comVisit source
- Reference 26FACEBOOKfacebook.comVisit source
- Reference 27EVERTRUEevertrue.comVisit source
- Reference 28GROWTHBOOKgrowthbook.ioVisit source
- Reference 29CAUSEVOXcausevox.comVisit source
- Reference 30NEXTAFTERnextafter.comVisit source
- Reference 31PHILANTHROPYROUNDTABLEphilanthropyroundtable.orgVisit source
- Reference 32URBANINSTITUTEurbaninstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 33AGEWAVESagewaves.comVisit source
- Reference 34HISPANICFEDERATIONhispanicfederation.orgVisit source
- Reference 35SURVEYMONKEYsurveymonkeyVisit source
- Reference 36UNITEDNEGROCOLLEGEFUNDunitednegrocollegefund.orgVisit source
- Reference 37MARITALSTATUS-DONORSTUDYmaritalstatus-donorstudy.comVisit source
- Reference 38PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 39HRChrc.orgVisit source
- Reference 40FAMILYGIVINGINSTITUTEfamilygivinginstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 41AARPaarp.orgVisit source
- Reference 42TECHFORGOODtechforgood.orgVisit source
- Reference 43GENXFOUNDATIONgenxfoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 44MICRODONATIONSmicrodonations.orgVisit source
- Reference 45WOUNDEDWARRIORPROJECTwoundedwarriorproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 46CAMPUSPHILANTHROPYcampusphilanthropy.orgVisit source
- Reference 47POLITICALDONORATLASpoliticaldonoratlas.comVisit source
- Reference 48HOUSINGIMPACTGIVINGhousingimpactgiving.orgVisit source
- Reference 49ASIANPACIFICFUNDasianpacificfund.orgVisit source
- Reference 50NESTLEAVERSGIVINGnestleaversgiving.comVisit source
- Reference 51UPWORKupwork.orgVisit source
- Reference 52PETGIVINGSTUDYpetgivingstudy.comVisit source
- Reference 53AMAama.orgVisit source
- Reference 54FIRSTGENPHILANTHROPYfirstgenphilanthropy.netVisit source
- Reference 55SINGLEPARENTFUNDsingleparentfund.orgVisit source
- Reference 56ENGINEERSWITHOUTBORDERSengineerswithoutborders.orgVisit source
- Reference 57DONORBOXdonorbox.orgVisit source
- Reference 58INTERCOMintercom.comVisit source
- Reference 59SALESFORCEsalesforce.orgVisit source
- Reference 60YOUTUBEyoutube.comVisit source
- Reference 61SECURITYMETRICSsecuritymetrics.comVisit source
- Reference 62MAILCHIMPmailchimp.orgVisit source
- Reference 63TIKTOKtiktok.comVisit source
- Reference 64THEGIVINGBLOCKthegivingblock.comVisit source
- Reference 65OPTIMIZELYoptimizely.comVisit source
- Reference 66BUSINESSbusiness.instagram.comVisit source
- Reference 67TRANSIFEXtransifex.comVisit source
- Reference 68GIVEMOBILEgivemobile.orgVisit source
- Reference 69ZAPIERzapier.comVisit source
- Reference 70DEVELOPERdeveloper.amazon.comVisit source
- Reference 71SPATIALspatial.ioVisit source
- Reference 72BUSINESSbusiness.linkedin.comVisit source
- Reference 73TWILIOtwilio.comVisit source
- Reference 74DRIPdrip.comVisit source
- Reference 75DUOLINGOduolingo.orgVisit source
- Reference 76EVENTBRITEeventbrite.comVisit source
- Reference 77BRIGHTFUNDSbrightfunds.orgVisit source
- Reference 78MANIFOLDmanifold.xyzVisit source
- Reference 79FORMASSEMBLYformassembly.comVisit source
- Reference 80AUTH0auth0.comVisit source
- Reference 81ROUNDUPAPProundupapp.comVisit source
- Reference 82JUSTGIVINGjustgiving.comVisit source
- Reference 83PUSHPAYpushpay.comVisit source
- Reference 84MGIVEmgive.comVisit source
- Reference 85HUMANESOCIETYhumanesociety.orgVisit source
- Reference 86EVERYDAYHEROeverydayhero.comVisit source
- Reference 87AMERICANSFORTHEARTSamericansforthearts.orgVisit source
- Reference 88PGCALCpgcalc.comVisit source
- Reference 89SPORTRELIEFsportrelief.comVisit source
- Reference 90GREENPEACEgreenpeace.orgVisit source
- Reference 91TEAMRWBteamrwb.orgVisit source
- Reference 92FEEDINGAMERICAfeedingamerica.orgVisit source
- Reference 93CASEcase.orgVisit source
- Reference 94NONPROFITQUARTERLYnonprofitquarterly.orgVisit source
- Reference 95BAYMARDbaymard.comVisit source
- Reference 96EDELMANedelman.comVisit source
- Reference 97TECHSOUPtechsoup.orgVisit source
- Reference 98CISAcisa.govVisit source
- Reference 99BENCHMARKEMAILbenchmarkemailVisit source
- Reference 100SUBSCRIPTIONFLOWsubscriptionflow.comVisit source
- Reference 101CHARITYNAVIGATORcharitynavigator.orgVisit source
- Reference 102FTCftc.govVisit source
- Reference 103FCCfcc.govVisit source
- Reference 104ICOico.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 105GOOGLEgoogle.orgVisit source
- Reference 106BROOKINGSbrookings.eduVisit source
- Reference 107APINODEapinode.orgVisit source
- Reference 108LEVELACCESSlevelaccess.comVisit source
- Reference 109NONPROFITAFnonprofitaf.comVisit source
- Reference 110IRSirs.govVisit source
- Reference 111GARTNERgartner.comVisit source
- Reference 112MCKINSEYmckinsey.comVisit source
- Reference 113DELOITTEdeloitte.comVisit source
- Reference 114PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERSpricewaterhousecoopersVisit source
- Reference 115FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 116VOICEBOTvoicebot.aiVisit source
- Reference 117UNun.orgVisit source
- Reference 118EVENTMARKETEReventmarketer.comVisit source
- Reference 119IBMibm.comVisit source
- Reference 120EMARKETERemarketer.comVisit source
- Reference 121CONFERENCE-BOARDconference-board.orgVisit source
- Reference 122FUTUREFOUNDATIONfuturefoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 123OECDoecd.orgVisit source
