Home Page
Gifts & Grants
Fund Raising
Managing Nonprofit Groups
Technology
Philanthropy Today
Jobs
Guide to Grants
The Nonprofit Handbook
Facts & Figures
Events
Deadlines
Current Issue
Back Issues
Directory of Services
Guide to Managing Nonprofits
Continuing-Education Guide
Fund-Raising Services Guide
Technology Guide
About The Chronicle
How to Contact Us
How to Subscribe
How to Register
Manage Your Account
How to Advertise
Press Inquiries
Feedback
Privacy Policy
User Agreement
Help
July 01, 2008
Direct-Mail Returns Continue to Slide
Donations made in response to direct-mail appeals declined in the first three months of this year, continuing a downward trend that began in 2006 and has accelerated since then, according to an analysis released today.
The quarterly analysis, conducted by Target Analytics, a Boston research company, looked at gifts to 72 large charities, mostly made through direct mail. Those charities reported gifts exceeding $1.8-billion from more than 36 million donors over the preceding 12 months.
From January to March, the total number of donors fell by 4 percent, compared with the first quarter of last year, and the overall amount raised declined by 1.8 percent.
The decline in total contributions was even more evident when the analysts examined donations for the year-long period ending in March of this year, compared with the same period in 2006. “When adjusted for inflation, revenue has actually declined 3.6 per cent in real dollars,” they write.
For most organizations, the dwindling number of donors demonstrates the trouble charities have in attracting new contributors, although some organizations are also failing to attract money from people who gave in the past, the report said. The worsening economy is also partly to blame.
A full summary of the Index of National Fundraising Performance: 2008 First Calendar Quarter Results is available on Target’s Web site.
Comments
Commenting is closed for this article.
Previous: The Wrong Way to Find New Donors
Next: How to Plan a Green Fund-Raising Event
Copyright © 2008 The Chronicle of Philanthropy
As the economy gets more questionable,all giving may begin to slip. However the past has shown that when things get real tough, giving does pick up. Also it could be that the older givers who are at large the better mail donors, may begin to withdraw from On line and credit card giving, and turn more to writing their checks to the mail appeals and give more. Maybe we need to take a hard look at our mail appeals and make them more appealing.
— David Jul 8, 08:46 AM #