How Confident Are Donors For The Rest of 2020?

How Confident Are Donors For The Rest of 2020?

by Bill High

My friends at BBS & Associates published their Donor Confidence Report a few months back in July 2020. The report draws upon an online poll of nearly 650 givers conducted in late July by research firm Campbell Rinker, which also posted a summary.

Granted, the results are now a bit dated (took me awhile to get around to this post). But I still find value in this snapshot of donor sentiment, even from three months back.

Here are a few of the highlights:

  • 54% of donors will continue giving, albeit more carefully, whereas only 17% said they would stop giving until the economy is on track.
  • 28% said they would keep giving regardless of the pandemic. That commitment was especially strong among those donors who attend religious services at least weekly, with 41% of those donors planning to maintain their giving. That contrasts with the 19% of those who never attend religious services who plan to keep giving.
  • When comparing their giving to 2019, 58% of donors expected to give the same amount while 13% expected to give more.
  • In total, 71% of donors expect to give the same or more compared to their 2019 giving levels. In general, BBS notes that donor confidence remains strong.
  • On the other hand, 23% of donors say they will give less than their 2019 levels and generally hold a negative sentiment that their giving will return to pre-pandemic levels.
  • Overall, 52% of donors believe the economy will stay the same or improve. 41% believe that the economy will decline over the coming year.
  • And finally, in the midst of the pandemic donors indicated a willingness to support new causes, particularly if tied to those affected by the pandemic or the poor. Other new areas of giving that earned slightly positive results: racial healing, protecting religious freedoms, protecting unborn lives.

How do these findings match your own experiences? As a giver, do you expect to give more this year compared to last year, or less?

If you’re in a nonprofit fundraising role, have you seen donors increase or decrease giving through the challenges we’ve experienced this year? And what do you see as contributing to the change?

I encourage those in nonprofit development roles to explore The Signatry’s Ministry Services. We equip ministries for fundraising success with insights, resources and opportunities to connect with peers.

 

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Published October 16, 2020

Topics: Giving Trends | Nonprofit Development

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