Fundraising
Donations Barely Grew at All Last Year, 'Giving USA’ Finds
Charitable giving grew by just 0.9 percent after inflation, and researchers say the slow recovery means contributions may not fully rebound until 2021.
Back From the Brink
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Showing Teachers How to Raise Money Pays Off
Youth Speaks, a nonprofit that brings poetry and spoken-word performances into schools, realized teachers were the group's best cheerleaders.
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A Literary Museum Staves Off Bankruptcy
The Mark Twain House and Museum slashed its staff and then put new money into programs and marketing that have helped steady its finances.
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Making the Change From AIDS Clinic to Community Health Center
Whitman-Walker Health was able to bolster its finances by opening its doors to more people and getting rid of programs that other groups already offered.
Ideas That Work
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Giving Corporate Donors a Menu of Gift Options
Instead of asking businesses to underwrite a single program, allow companies to choose what mix of acknowledgments and other benefits they would like.
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Making Volunteerism Easy for Donors
Kids Around the World, which builds playgrounds for impoverished children and families overseas, delivers food to fundraisers for packing events.
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Adding Written Appeals to Online Fundraising
An international-relief group has reached out to nearly 800 people who have given through a donor’s fundraising site.
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Cutting Back Marketing to Hire Fundraisers
One college has dropped most telemarketing and direct-mail efforts to hire three entry-level fundraisers.
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Shaping Programs to Fit Community Needs
To replace corporate underwriting, Detroit Public Television created a department to find local organizations to help pay for and lend their expertise to new programs.
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Taking Cues From TV for Fundraising Events
One of the nation’s oldest charities is trying to reach young donors through events styled after two popular television shows.
More from Giving USA
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Charities May Face a Decade of Fundraising Woes, Says 'Giving USA’
For the second year in a row, nonprofits increased donations by less than 1 percent after inflation, and charities not favored by the very wealthy will have the toughest time...
Live Events
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Giving USA: What It Means
Watch the recording of a panel discussion with philanthropy experts.
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What's Next in Fundraising's Slow Recovery?
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about the recession's impact on giving and the 2012 "Giving USA" Report.
Data from the Study
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Sources of Giving in America: How They Are Recovering From the Recession
The ups and downs of giving by key sources of private donations and the progress they have made in returning to the levels achieved before the recession.
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How Charitable Causes Are Faring in Tough Times
How donations to various types of nonprofits have made out as charities seek to return to the levels of giving before the recession started in 2007.
Previous 'Giving USA' Surveys
Other Reports About Giving and Fundraising
Donors Say They Would Give More If They Saw More Results
June 2012
Young people are especially eager to give more but frustrated they aren't asked often enough, while other donors say they are asked too often.
75% of Young Adults Gave to Charity Last Year, Study Finds
June 2012
A look at data from 6,500 people ages 20 to 35 shows that large numbers contribute and help raise money for good causes, but most make small gifts.
A Rebound for Donor-Advised Funds
May 2012
Total assets are higher than before the recession, and the funds are now giving away so much, they rival big foundations.
Fundraising Outlook for 2012 Shows Mixed Signals
January 2012
More than half of charities increased giving in 2011, a Chronicle study found, but nearly as many said donations declined or were flat.
A Stark Outlook for Fund Raising in 2012
December 2011
Two surveys suggest that giving continues to be sluggish, but a third report shows that fund raisers are not daunted by the bad economic news.
