Top Takeaways from Classy’s 2022 Why America Gives Report

Go Beyond Fundraising: The Podcast for Nonprofits

On today’s episode, we’re diving into Classy’s fourth annual Why America Gives Report and talking through some of the data points that caught our eye. We’re also thrilled to be joined by Michelle Boggs, the executive nonprofit industry advisor at Classy, who has more than 15 years of experience in fund development, community partnerships, team and constituent building, and strategy for nonprofit organizations. This report offers numerous significant insights we know you’ll want to dig into as you plan fundraising strategies for 2023. It relays how donors feel in these times of economic uncertainty and shares critical data nonprofit leaders can use to inspire giving. The main takeaway: people want to help others now more than ever before. In preparing the Why America Gives Report, Classy surveyed 1,000 donors across the United States. Half said they have a pessimistic view of the current economic climate, but 90% of those still plan to donate at the same or higher rate. The report also looked at loyal donors vs. passive donors and found fascinating trends within each group: - 50% of loyal donors are open to supporting a mix of new causes or organizations alongside those they’ve given to in the past - Loyal donors are twice as likely to increase donations and are expected to give four times more this year - 70% of passive donors only give to one cause - Passive donors are more likely to give to an individual directly, although they often research organizations working to solve the same issue Finally, the report explored the generational divide among donor segments, generally grouping Gen X and Baby Boomers into one group and Gen Z and Millennials into another. The findings will change how you engage with each group and can drive your communication and outreach strategy for the year ahead. For example: - Older donors prefer longer and less frequent updates, perhaps in a quarterly newsletter - Younger, next-gen donors are 3x more likely to prefer monthly or bi-monthly email updates