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Giving Up 4.3% Compared To 2016

Santa packed more into his sleigh for Christmas in July this year as compared to last year, according to the Blackbaud Index. The index, which measures giving in three-month increments and compares it to the same period the prior year, reports an increase in overall giving of 4.3 percent for the three-month period ending in July. That increase includes a 10.4-percent jump in online giving as compared to 2016 totals.

The data shows that overall giving is outpacing online growth among small organizations while the inverse is true for larger organizations. Overall giving is up 8.1 percent for small organizations, those with a $1 million or less in revenue, but up just 5 percent online. Large organizations, those with more than $10 million in annual revenue, had a more modest bump overall, 3.9 percent, but online giving has taken off — increasing by 12.6 percent.

Medium-sized organizations, with revenue falling between $1 million and $10 million, experienced the smallest increase in overall giving, 2.9 percent, with a 9.9-percent bump online.

Subsectors that performed the best overall tended not to do as well online. Foundations, which led all subsectors in overall giving increase at 7.1 percent posted the smallest gain online at just 2 percent. Faith-based organization, with an overall increase of 6.4 percent, and medical research organizations, with an overall swell of 5.4 percent, similarly recorded the fourth- and second-lowest online increases, respectively, at 7.2 and 3.2 percent.

Environmental and animal welfare organizations were the outlier, with an overall increase tied for second best at 6.4 percent, and the third-best raise online at 12.8 percent.

Arts was the only subsector to post an overall decrease in giving, -1.3 percent, which was paired with a 9.8-percent improvement online.

International organizations and public/society benefit nonprofits were the most successful groups online, per the index. International organizations saw a 15-percent jump online, part of a 4.9-percent overall gain. Public/society benefit groups experienced a 13.4-percent uptick online as part of a 4.2-percent overall hike.

The Blackbaud Index tracks approximately $23 billion in U.S.-based charitable giving and is updated at the beginning of each month. For more information, visit www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/blackbaud-index.