US Charity Donations Suggest Growing Confidence

Wednesday, April 16, 2014 - 10:30

Reality Check: US Charity Donations Suggest Growing Confidence

By Jon Hurdle
--Biggest Growth Seen for Major Gifts; Community Donations Show Signs of Decline

PHILADELPHIA (MNI) - Charitable giving by U.S. individuals, foundations, and corporations gained in the first quarter as stock prices rose and the job market improved, but donations have not fully recovered to their pre-recession level, fundraising professionals said.
Anecdotal reports from philanthropic trade groups and the leading academic source of data on the U.S. charity sector indicate that improving economic confidence among donors, especially those giving $1 million or more, is boosting the income of universities, hospitals, arts organizations and other recipients of charitable gifts.

There is some evidence that donations from those much lower on the income scale is declining, perhaps as a result of greater competition for limited funds, in a trend that could disrupt fundraising strategies in future, experts said.

But overall giving so far this year has continued the solid gains seen in 2013, according to preliminary indications ahead of the industry's annual data that are not published until mid-year.

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