Study shows that nonprofit fundraising is growing and is set to continue

Last week we looked at the exciting results from a new study just published by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative that suggested 2013 was the healthiest year for nonprofits since before the recession last decade. Part one of our review is well worth reading as is the report itself and today we bring you more analysis from the same study of more than 500 charities of all sizes in the United States.

Changing Trends

Another factor that the report sheds extra light on is how the industry continues to evolve which of course is a crucial matter for fundraising. The ability to use diverse and strategic approaches to fundraising is at the heart of growth for nonprofits and the methods being used are changing more than you might expect, even from year-to-year. As the graphic below shows the levels of receipts for ‘methods used’ only remained the same in certain instances with large increases being shown in the use of telephone fundraising (43%) and SMS/texting (33%) while other methods showed smaller gains. This is important data as it demonstrates the value, in terms of donations,  for each respective method albeit the less popular ones.

Online Giving

The report has a wealth of data covering ten years that shows the overall changes in charitable receipts for direct mail, special events, major gifts and planned giving. You’ll see a mostly positive trend right across the board particularly over the last three years, however the growth in receipts via online giving stands apart in terms of success. The data below shows that online giving has increased by at least 50% in each of those ten years with results from the last five years showing remarkable consistency with growth locked between 57% (2012) and 62% (last year) with every report. Just as importantly decreases in online fundraising are reported by very few as the graphic proves.

Underlying that data is the logical interpretation that online fundraising is still in a very healthy phase of expansion, there are no signs that momentum is slowing and in fact the trend for growing receipts in this arena may continue for many years to come.

Optimism

I feel that the report as a whole does much to give one confidence in the overall health of the fundraising sector today with supporting historical data that shows this isn’t just a trick of the light. Dependent on the starting point the industry shows three to five years of sustained growth and development while the apex doesn’t yet appear to have been reached.

In fact the report also explores the expectations for 2014 from those polled and again the numbers will encourage you.

• 13% of those surveyed expect fundraising receipts to increase by more than 15% this year versus last
• 57% of those surveyed expect fundraising receipts to increase by 1%-15%
• 15% of those surveyed expect fundraising receipts to remain about the same
• 15% of those surveyed expect fundraising receipts to decline in 2014

I certainly hope that the majority will be proved right and we’ll be here to report the findings of this report next year.

The Nonprofit Fundraising Study is well worth your investment in time to review and hopefully, like me, you’ll find it very encouraging.
________________________________________________________________________________
Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services