GIVING USA, Philanthropy in Review

September 1, 2016

Source: Giving USA 2016 (Highlights)

Published by The Giving Institute, in cooperation with

Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Thank you

A special thanks to everyone who came out last Friday to hear Len Moisan’s presentation on the results of Giving USA 2016. Also, thanks to the Center for Nonprofit Excellence for coordinating the event and Metro United Way for being such gracious hosts.

We trust that you found the data informative and applicable to your own development operations. We also hope that you are already finding ways to implement some of the strategies we discussed to enhance your fundraising efforts.

A Few Statistics

With 2015 being the most generous year ever that presents much optimism and opportunity for local nonprofits. Americans gave $373.25 billion to charitable causes last year and that was an increase of over 4% compared to 2014. The top five sectors that continue to receive the largest share of total giving are:

Religion (32%)
Education (15%)
Human Services (12%)
Foundations (11%)
Health (8%)

Specifically, all four categories of giving experienced growth. Those include:

Giving by Foundations: +6.5%
Giving by Corporations: +3.9%
Giving by Individuals: +3.8%
Giving by Bequest: +2.1%

More than likely your nonprofit has received support from several of these sources. However, some categories maybe more than others, so how can you maximize your support from as many of these sources as possible? The following are a few of the key strategies we discussed.

Strategies to Consider

Put a renewed emphasis on individual giving

When conducting capital or annual campaigns, organizations tend to neglect giving from individuals.
On average, individuals give 88% of the total giving each year.
Of the total amount given, 71% came in direct gifts from individuals. However, individuals also are the ones who make bequests and nearly half of the gifts from foundations came from family foundations, again, controlled by individuals.
The most effective form of solicitation is still face-to-face visits. In fact, 70% of the time a peer visits a peer in a face-to-face solicitation the answer is “yes”. However, it is still important to have a full program that includes social media, direct mail, special events and more.

More to Come

This is the first in a series of blogs that will continue to present strategies that you can apply to your own fundraising efforts. The next blog will focus on Starting to Think About Some Foundations as Individuals.

Remember, The Covenant Group is here to help you create and implement strategies to grow your fundraising. We have worked with hundreds of nonprofits to accomplish their strategic planning, capital campaign and fundraising goals. Our associates have raised over $1 billion in our 20-year company history. Contact us to put our experience to work for you.

“I really support The Covenant Group’s strategic planning process because their approach encourages staff-based support with board buy-in, and I felt that was important given what we were trying to achieve. The outcome is an effective plan that builds consensus and provides a clear sense of direction.”
- Jennifer Scott, Director of Development - The Cabbage Patch Settlement House

“The Covenant Group is highly competent, very experienced and knowledgeable. They provided a broad perspective by equipping us with useful data…and best practices in the field. All in all, they are excellent.”
- Dan Jones, CEO - 21st Century Parks

“The campaign has truly been a miracle. People were committed from the beginning, but…even raising $650,000 seemed like a stretch. To nearly double that amount is incredible! When the plan they developed allows you to hit a goal like that, it builds such a sense of community. The momentum built by the campaign is spilling outside the walls of our church and benefiting others in the process.”
-Father John Hollowell - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

“For those of us who don’t do this everyday, The Covenant Group instilled confidence in us. They helped us get through the fear and apprehension by providing us with a process, training and motivation. They taught us and helped us plan in a way that was for the better. We have built lasting relationships with donors and we will continue to steward these relationships long into the future.”
- Sue Finke, Director of Institutional Advancement - Covington Catholic High School

“No one anticipated we could raise this amount. Even the Archdiocese is surprised. The funds raised represent about 15 times our annual giving. But it’s not just the financial results. People stand around talking more than they did before the campaign. There is also a renewed and energized spirit among the parishioners. It’s the most exciting thing to happen in our parish in the last 100 years.”
- Gary Libs, Campaign Co-Chair - St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church

“The Covenant Group’s process involved a lot of people in our congregation doing small tasks … that built ownership. They took our vision and put it into a concrete plan. They helped us understand the importance of making our vision clear and laid out the steps to make the vision a reality. Their process built consensus and showed people how they could help. Their methods are based on a solid theological foundation that includes key documents, prayer support, and requisite training … all of which were invaluable.”
- Daniel Montgomery, Pastor - Sojourn Community Church

“Everything The Covenant Group did to help us…in the initial stages was helpful…the development of the case statement; our materials; the training of our Board members; strategies; all these steps laid the foundation for eventual success. They brought such a high level of professionalism, a wealth of experience and a strong track record of integrity and success… just being associated with The Covenant Group helped us.”
- Nancy Doctor, Development Director - Wellspring

“The structure The Covenant Group provided was excellent. It allowed our members to use their God-given talents to benefit the church community They helped us develop a plan and identify key leadership candidates to chair the effort, as well as engaging between 80 to 100 people to carry out the work of the campaign. It was truly a whole congregation effort and The Covenant Group helped facilitate that. They helped us reach our full potential as a congregation.”
- Ron Poisel, Pastor - Christ Lutheran Church

GIVING USA, Philanthropy in Review

Thank you

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