Why America Gives: Consumer Giving Trends for Year-End [REPORT]

Download Why America Gives 2019

The second iteration of Classy’s annual report—Why America Gives—is here, and it’s packed with consumer giving trends and insights around how donors are approaching year-end giving. For example, we found that those who plan to participate in Giving Tuesday this year plan on giving larger gifts. Specifically, survey results show that gifts of $100 or less may trend downward while gifts over $100 trend upward.

While raising money to fund a mission is a cornerstone of the nonprofit industry, it’s through increased awareness and engagement that an organization can maximize the results of those fundraising efforts. We want to help the nonprofit industry effectively engage audiences by tapping into the unique attitudes, motivators, and behaviors of donors.

To uncover these insights, Classy commissioned our second annual consumer survey to ask individuals how they are thinking about year-end giving. Why America Gives 2019: How current events, technology, and seasonality impact donor plans explores the findings from this year’s survey as well as comparing year-over-year data to identify where consumers have remained steady and where the general mindset has changed.

Key areas explored include the following:

Giving Tuesday Awareness

Not only is Giving Tuesday awareness on the rise, but we also found that 90% of consumers who participated in Giving Tuesday in 2018 plan on donating to the same causes or nonprofits this upcoming Giving Tuesday. This demonstrates the opportunity for organizations to reach out to existing donors and double down on retention efforts for those first-time donors acquired on Giving Tuesday.

Impact of Tax Law Changes

The tax conversation has been top of mind for a few years and we were inspired to see that for 43% of all respondents, the amount they received on their April 2019 tax return has no impact on how much they plan to donate this year. Share this information with your team to empower them in making direct appeals during the lucrative year-end giving season.

Motivations for Giving

Last year we saw that the number one motivator for unexpected giving (versus recurring giving) was a personal connection or crisis, with 46% of respondents saying they would give unexpectedly if a family member or friend asked them to do so. This sentiment came through again this year, with “to help a cause I care about” being the top motivator for giving, above the potential personal gain of a tax write-off.

More Insights Ahead

The report also explores how the online giving experience influences a donors’ likelihood to give, the causes that are top of mind during year-end, the anticipated size of donations on Giving Tuesday, and so much more.

Download the full report below to gain exclusive insights into the minds of your existing and potential donors so you can appeal to all supporters efficiently and effectively.

Free Report: Why America Gives 2019