What the New Data Says About Giving—and How to Win Year-End 2025 (and Build for 2026)
The headline: dollars are up, breadth is down
- Total U.S. giving hit ~$592.5B in 2024, up 6.3% in current dollars (≈3.3% inflation-adjusted), buoyed by strong markets and GDP—ending a three-year stretch where inflation eroded gains. Most subsectors saw increases, led by education, civil rights/community, and international affairs. Source
- But donor participation keeps shrinking. 2024 closed with fewer donors and lower retention; Q1-2025 continued the pattern: dollars up ~3–4%, donors down ~1–4%, with the steepest drop among small ($1–$100) donors. New-donor retention remains weak. Translation: giving is concentrating among fewer, larger givers. Source
Online and direct response: steady growth, monthly is the engine
- Online revenue rose ~2% in 2024; monthly giving grew ~5% and now accounts for ~31% of online revenue. Direct mail revenue also ticked up (~3%), and channels work best together. Source
- End-of-year held firm in an election cycle. Blackbaud reports EOY giving was not deterred by the 2024 election; several subsectors posted gains (healthcare, animal welfare, environment). Blackbaud
- GivingTuesday 2024 climbed to ~$3.6B, +16% YoY—evidence that concentrated, community-driven moments still scale. AP News
DAFs keep accelerating—and diversifying
- Fidelity Charitable granted $14.9B in 2024 (5× a decade ago), including 1,971 grants ≥$1M. Half of Giving Account balances were under $25K, showing DAFs aren’t only for the ultra-wealthy. Source
- Sector-wide benchmarks show DAF-sourced revenue up ~6%; for every $1 raised online, orgs averaged $0.13 from DAFs (varies by vertical). Build DAF-ready pipelines. Source
- Debate continues over payout dynamics, but net-net: DAFs are now a core channel you must design for. Institute for Policy Studies
Christian-sector signals: attendance, identity, and next-gen givers
- Religious affiliation and in-person attendance continue long-term declines (Pew’s 2023–24 Landscape Study), which correlates with fewer habitual givers in many churches—but not uniformly. Pew Research Center
- Barna’s generosity research highlights that Gen Z’s “generosity identity” skews toward action and cause alignment, with lower default to monetary tithes and higher interest in visible impact and peer cues. Source
- Many churches reported giving increases in 2024, though distribution is uneven; digital giving keeps rising. Worship Facility
7 pivots for year-end 2025—and the 2026 runway
- Fight “dollars-up, donors-down” with a base-builder plan.
- Create a micro-donor ladder: <$50 welcome + quick second-ask within 60–90 days; an evergreen welcome series; first gift → monthly upgrade path by Day 45. (FEP shows small-donor and first-year retention are where leakage is worst.)Source
- Make monthly giving your default.
- Pre-select “make it monthly,” offer gentle nudges (e.g., “$18/month funds ___”), and design a simple benefits stack (impact notes, prayer updates, quarterly Zoom briefings). Benchmarks show recurring is the growth engine online. Source
- Be DAF-first—before December.
- Add a DAF widget/link on all appeals and receipts; include language like “Give from your Fidelity/Schwab/BNY DAF in two clicks.”
- Map your DAF households and run a fall cultivation sprint (impact sprints, asset-gift guidance, year-end pledge forms). Use GivingTuesday as a DAF mobilizer. Source
- Blend channels (don’t choose): mail + email + text + social.
- M+R shows direct mail and online are complementary; coordinate calendars, mirror creative, and sync landing pages to letters (scan-to-give). Use SMS for reminders and monthly-ask cadences. Source
- Message for impact and trust (especially to Gen Z and the DAF set).
- Tie gifts to clear outcomes with short time horizons; show cost-per-impact.
- Barna/Pew suggest younger donors respond to cause clarity, authenticity, and visible community benefit—in Christian contexts, that includes stories of spiritual fruit + measurable social impact. Source
- Engineer year-end like a product launch.
- Four-week arc (Thanksgiving → Dec 31): anchor moments (GivingTuesday, mid-December, Dec 29–31).
- Show matching gifts and asset-giving prompts (stock/crypto/DAF) as markets are strong, which historically correlates with higher giving levels. Giving USA
- Retention is the 2026 multiplier.
- New-donor “day-zero” plan: instant confirmation + 2 emails in 7 days; 30-day impact note; 45-day monthly upgrade; handwritten note or pastor/ED voicemail for larger first gifts.
- Monitor cohort retention monthly; aim to lift first-year retention by 3–5 points—that’s the most reliable growth lever per FEP trends. Association of Fundraising Professionals
Quick plays tailored to Christian nonprofits
- Tithe-adjacent options: Offer “first-fruits monthly” (recurring) and “above-and-beyond” project funds with 90-day reporting windows. (Aligns with Gen Z’s “show me impact” posture.) Barna Group
- Sermon+appeal integration: Pair a teaching moment with a live act of generosity (benevolence, local mission), then follow with a DAF/stock/IRA QCD tutorial the same week. (DAFs/asset gifts are surging.) Fidelity Charitable
- Community proof: Short testimonies beat long appeals. Use a GivingTuesday-style “local wins” montage before Dec 15 to prime year-end momentum. AP News
What to watch in 2026
- Market-sensitive giving: With 2024’s market tailwinds behind the 2025 rise, keep an eye on equity performance and HNW liquidity (Giving USA notes how markets/GDP map to giving). Giving USA
- DAF normalization: Expect continued mainstreaming of smaller-balance DAFs and larger gifts via DAFs. Build stewardship that treats DAF grants like household gifts (because they are). institutional.fidelity.com
- Participation problem: Reversing the small-donor slide is a sector-wide priority; plan for list growth, low-friction asks, and fast second gifts. Association of Fundraising Professionals
Sources & further reading
