Insights Archive - CCS Fundraising

CCS Fundraising is excited to share a new report, report, Do Donor-Advised Funds Respond to Nonprofit Financial Distress? Insights from the 2022 Economic Slowdown.

This publication, researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, examines how donor-advised funds (DAFs) respond when nonprofits face financial strain, both during major crises and in quieter moments of economic uncertainty. 

This data-driven report analyzes DAF grantmaking from 2018–2023 to understand donor behavior across different types of financial pressure, offering practical insights for nonprofits seeking to strengthen their financial resilience today.
 

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Key insights in the report include: 

DAF giving surged to human service organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, growing about 20% more than otherwise expected.
In the 2022 economic slowdown, DAF donors modestly increased support to financially vulnerable nonprofits. 
Donors appear to rely on simple, visible signals (like organizational size) when deciding which nonprofits may need support.

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Article

The Future is #DAF: Donor-Advised Fund Growth and How Nonprofits Can Benefit

October 15, 2025

As donor-advised funds grow, nonprofits have an unprecedented opportunity to engage donors, accelerate giving, and connect intent with immediate impact.

Publication

2025 Philanthropic Landscape, 14th Edition

September 9, 2025

This report provides a comprehensive look at the current state of US philanthropy, compiling and analyzing annual data from Giving USA and other prominent research to ensure your organization stays up-to-date on the most significant industry trends.

Video

Philanthropy and Economic Outlook Webinar

March 12, 2024

The economy’s impact on philanthropy is one of the most pressing topics for nonprofit leaders today. Plan your organization’s fundraising with confidence with this on-demand video and accompanying article.

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are changing the way philanthropy happens—making giving faster, more flexible, and more strategic. In recent years, DAFs have become one of the most widely used vehicles for charitable giving, allowing donors to make tax-deductible contributions to a public charity and then recommend grants to the nonprofits they care about most.

This model offers donors both immediacy and intentionality: they can contribute assets when it makes financial sense and distribute those funds when needs arise. For nonprofits, DAFs represent a growing channel for sustained, values-driven support.

“When I consider donor-advised funds, I imagine new opportunity,” says Elizabeth Abel, Senior Vice President at CCS Fundraising, “an opportunity to connect donor intent with impact, to turn long-term planning into immediate generosity.”

Donor-Advised Funds: Growth, Debate, and Opportunity

Early in 2025, several major studies—including the 2025 DAFgiving360 Giving Report,² the 2025 FreeWill Donor-Advised Fund Report,³ and the Independent Report on DAFs (IPS, 2025)⁴—confirmed that DAFs remain one of the fastest-growing and most debated tools in philanthropy. Together, these reports highlight the increasing prevalence, unique benefits, and ongoing questions about DAFs.

Abel notes, “The data confirm what we see in practice: DAFs are not only expanding in scale but also changing how nonprofits engage major donors and integrate a range of giving vehicles into their gift request strategies.”

The Expanding Scale of Donor-Advised Funds

In recent years, donor-advised funds have evolved from a niche vehicle into one of the most powerful forces in philanthropy. In 2019, National Philanthropic Trust reported $27.4 billion in grants, $38.8 billion in contributions, and nearly 874,000 accounts; already more than triple the 2015 total.⁵ Since 2019, growth has accelerated. By 2023, charitable assets in DAFs nearly doubled to $251.5 billion, even as contributions declined by 21.7% and grants dipped by 1.4% in response to economic conditions.⁶

Abel advises, “Many nonprofit leaders recognize that these shifts influence strategy and timing for major donor engagement. DAFs are not just a funding mechanism,” she continues. “They are a strategic tool for building relationships, advancing missions, and empowering donors to create immediate and long-lasting impact.”

DAFs in Times of Crisis

DAFs have become a highly responsive method of giving in times of crisis. During the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, grantmaking rose nearly 30% year-over-year:⁷

$8.32 billion was granted in the first half of 2020, compared with $6.41 billion in the same period in 2019.⁷

The number of grants surged by 37%, from 945,000 to nearly 1.3 million.⁷

That pattern has continued. In 2025, DAF donors directed $148 million to disaster relief, supporting humanitarian crises abroad and natural disasters in the U.S.²

“DAFs allow donors to act quickly when urgent needs arise, giving nonprofits financial resources for immediate results without sacrificing long-term planning,” Abel says.

Donor-Advised Funds: Opportunity and Debate

The opportunities DAFs present are undeniable: they allow donors to give strategically, offer flexibility in timing, and enable contributions of assets beyond cash.¹ Nonprofits increasingly see DAFs as an essential fundraising channel, with many reporting that donors who shift to DAF giving often increase their overall generosity—sometimes doubling their annual giving.¹⁰

Yet the debates about transparency and payout rates have sharpened. The 2025 IPS Independent Report on DAFs found that median payout rates remain around 9–10%, well above the 5% required for private foundations, but because there is no mandated minimum for DAFs, critics warn of “warehoused” charitable dollars.⁴

Abel emphasizes, “The debate isn’t about whether DAFs are effective. It’s about how nonprofits and policymakers can ensure funds are deployed responsibly while honoring donor intent.”

Concerns also persist about foundation-to-DAF transfers, estimated at more than $3 billion annually, which can make it harder to see where donations actually go, and can make it less clear whether foundations are really giving out as much as they are supposed to.⁴

With DAF assets exceeding $250 billion in 2023⁶ and widely expected to approach $300 billion by the late 2020s, the conversation is evolving. Policymakers, nonprofits, and sponsors are navigating how to balance donor flexibility with public benefit and transparency.^4,6

#HalfMyDAF and the Rise of Proactive Giving

All eyes turned to DAFs in 2020 with the launch of #HalfMyDAF, a matching challenge created by philanthropists Jennifer and David Risher to inspire donors to give sooner rather than later.⁸ In just five months, the campaign mobilized $8.6 million in DAF grants with $1.4 million in matching funds.⁸ Relaunched in 2021 with a $20 million goal, the initiative became a touchstone for how urgency-driven campaigns could unlock charitable dollars sitting on the sidelines.⁸

Years later, #HalfMyDAF has had a sustained effect. By 2025, nearly 40% of all DAF distributions are recurring or scheduled, showing donors’ growing commitment to proactive, sustained giving.²

Abel notes, “Campaigns like #HalfMyDAF are a reminder that nonprofits can inspire donors to act now, while still supporting long-term goals.”

How to Attract More Donor-Advised Fund Gifts

How can nonprofit leaders translate these insights into action? Abel recommends three practical ways to build a stronger culture of giving through DAFs:

One: Make DAFs part of the donor dialogue. Normalize DAFs in conversations. Many supporters don’t realize that their retirement assets, appreciated stock, or even crypto can be donated through a DAF.¹ Try asking: “Many of our supporters give through a DAF. Would you like to explore how your DAF can be a tool for sustained impact on our community?”

Two: Make it seamless to give through a DAF. Donors expect ease. By 2025, many organizations feature a “Give via DAF” button on their websites through third-party integrations.³ Highlight DAF eligibility in appeals and employer matching campaigns. For example: “Send a check or recommend a grant from your DAF. Double the impact with an employer match.”  Technology is also expanding access. Platforms like GoFundMe’s Giving Funds (launched 2025) are making DAF-style giving available to everyday donors, not just the ultra-wealthy.⁹ Nonprofits that openly market their readiness to accept DAF gifts will have an edge.

Three: Demonstrate the importance of DAF grants today. Donors want to see how their gifts make an impact. Share examples of how DAF grants helped scale a program, respond to a crisis, or invest in critically needed infrastructure. Use personal donor stories to inspire and create urgency. For example: “Your DAF grant equips us with the resources to meet this challenge head-on.”

Looking Ahead: The Future of Donor-Advised Funds

As DAFs continue to grow and technology makes them more accessible, we can expect grantmaking to charitable organizations to expand steadily. The conversation is no longer about whether DAFs matter; they are now central to the future of philanthropy.

This growing influence was on full display during DAF Day 2025, when several organizations across sectors experienced remarkable increases in giving through donor-advised funds. ¹¹

“DAFs are influencing the continued evolution of charitable giving,” Abel reflects. “They demonstrate how strategic, donor-aligned philanthropy can fuel long-term solutions while meeting urgent needs. They are a reminder that the future of philanthropy must be both visionary and responsive.”

Originally published in February 2021.

References 

¹ National Philanthropic Trust, What Is a Donor-Advised Fund? (2025).

² DAFgiving360, Giving Report 2025 (2025).

³ FreeWill, Donor-Advised Fund Report 2025 (2025).

⁴ Institute for Policy Studies, Charity Reform Initiative, Independent Report on Donor-Advised Funds (April 2025).

⁵ National Philanthropic Trust, 2020 Donor-Advised Fund Report (February 2021).

⁶ Associated Press, “Donor-Advised Fund Assets Top $250 Billion, but Gifts In and Out of the Funds Are Down,” October 2024.

⁷ National Philanthropic Trust, Donor-Advised Fund COVID Grantmaking Survey (February 2021).

⁸ #HalfMyDAF, Campaign Reports (2020–2021).

⁹ Associated Press, “GoFundMe Launches Giving Funds to Make Charitable Giving Easier for Everyone,” June 2025.

¹⁰ Chariot and K2D Strategies, DAF Fundraising Report 2025 (2025).

¹¹ DAF Day DAF Day (2025).

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Fundraising From Family Foundations: An Introduction

August 20, 2024

Family foundations are an excellent source of nonprofit support. Read this article to learn about their goals, concerns, and how to connect to maximize impact for your nonprofit.

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AI in Fundraising

May 20, 2024

Elevate your nonprofit’s fundraising strategies with artificial intelligence (AI)! CCS’s newest thought leadership provides valuable insights, strategies, and tools to propel your organization and achieve unprecedented mission success.

For synagogues, summer camps, federations, and other Jewish organizations, the High Holidays offer a time of thoughtful reflection and valuable opportunity to connectJewish life and networks.

The High Holidays are a time of reconnection and renewal for Jews worldwide. They allow communities to recommit to living out Jewish values, highlight the comfort that Jewish communal spaces offer, and encourage personal and collective rededicatation to Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). With so many congregants and constituents turning to their communal organizations during this season, clergy, lay leaders, and professionals have a powerful opening to meaningfully engage donors and inspire greater generosity in the year to come.

1. Celebrate the Resilience of The Community and Surge of Engagement

As we enter 5786, the Jewish philanthropic landscape reflects both the profound trials and the extraordinary resilience Jewish communities have shown in the face of rising antisemitism and global challenges. In 2024, giving rose significantly across the Jewish community: 37% of organizations gained new donors and 27% received increased gifts from existing supporters. Recent data also show 30-35% of these new donors have subsequently remained engaged in 2025. A study by Jewish Federations of North America found a continued surge of engagement in communal spaces, both formal and informal. And while updated data shows a slight slowdown, there remains opportunities to connect over the High Holidays to deep relationships, a sense of communal belonging, and reinforcing long-term engagement.

Whether through personalized outreach, storytelling, or in-person engagement, Jewish organizations can use this season to reconnect with long-standing donors, welcome new supporters, acknowledge impact, and inspire continued investment in Jewish life and security.

Synagogues: Highlight this continued generosity in the congregation president’s High Holiday remarks, and how these additional resources have made an impact in the last year.
Summer camps: Share a summer impact report with parents and alumni of your camp.
All Organizations: Celebrate the day-to-day work of your professional staff and their commitment to the community in these challenging times.

The front cover of the Jewish Philanthropy Since October 7 report

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2. Share New Year Wishes with Donors

This time of year offers a natural touchpoint for donor engagement: reach out to donors and wish them a sweet new year! Whether through a personalized video message from your leadership reaching a broad audience, or phone calls to individual donors, use this time to thank your community for all they have done to advance your shared mission and inspire them for the year ahead, 5785.

3. Engage Donors by Connecting In-Person at Synagogues or Campus-Based Organizations

At least 6 in 10 Jews will attend High Holiday services this fall. With so many donors and prospects entering our religious homes, clergy, lay, and professional leaders have an opportunity to prioritize personal connections with families during this sacred season.

Synagogues: Identify a few loyal donors and relevant prospects and equip clergy and lay leaders to make personal contact with each of them before or after services, or in the days leading up to or following Rosh Hashanah.
JCCs: Nurture connections by creating communal spaces for High Holidays celebrations, and personally follow up with attendees, especially those who joined for the first or second time.
Campus-based organizations: Consider inviting donors to attend upcoming holiday-related programming so they can experience first-hand the impact of their giving.

4. Create Custom Appeal Plans for Renewed Annual Giving

Leverage your existing donor data to identify those who often give or pledge their annual commitments this time of year and invite them to do so again through a customized appeal sequence. Renew expiring payment plans and invite increased giving in the year ahead to meet the growing and evolving needs across the community.

All organizations: Invite newly connected constituents to make their first annual commitment and explore multi-year opportunities that cultivate long-term impact and lasting relationships.
Federations and synagogues: Highlight stories of impact from the past year in your appeal materials to remind donors how their giving sustains the community and inspires increased commitments.

5. Carry These High Holiday Donor Engagement Efforts Into the New Year

Capturing the energy and connection following the High Holidays helps keep the sweetness of the new year present and smoothly transition into fall fundraising. Track each interaction during the High Holidays. In the weeks and months that follow, find time to sit down with donors to personally share your outlook for the year ahead. Emphasize how their continued generosity will lead to greater impact. As you make plans for the fall, find ways to align donor cultivation, donor engagement, and other constituency events with upcoming holidays and festivals like Sukkot and Simchat Torah to deepen connections with your mission and shared Jewish identity.

CCS Fundraising is proud to partner with Jewish organizations across the sector to advance their important missions. We wish all who celebrate a sweet, meaningful new year. Shana Tova!

More Insights

Publication

Do Donor-Advised Funds Respond to Nonprofit Financial Distress? 

October 28, 2025

This report examines how donor-advised funds (DAFs) respond when nonprofits face financial strain with cutting-edge data from across the U.S.

Article

Nonprofit Communications Strategy: A Generational Guide

June 6, 2025

Leverage the latest research on donor communication preferences to support your personalized nonprofit communications strategy.

SEE ALL IN: Jewish

Your essential guide to philanthropy

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For the past 14 years, CCS’s Philanthropic Landscape reports have compiled and analyzed data from Giving USA and other leading industry sources to reveal an accurate, laser-focused look at the current state of philanthropy in the U.S.

In addition to sharing key stats, in-depth analysis, case studies, and insights on individual, foundation, and corporate giving in 2024, the 14th Edition report also reveals:

Current Events: Understand how current socio-political events in the U.S. are impacting nonprofits.
Giving by Generation and Sector: Drill down on philanthropy within each sector and donor group, and how to engage your constituency.
How to Build AI-Readiness: Learn how your organization can build a culture ready for new technologies integration.

Click to explore A Snapshot of the 2025 Philanthropic Landscape

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Philanthropic Landscape Archive

Discover all our Philanthropic Landscape reports throughout the years.

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How can we help you?

CCS offers an array of services to help your nonprofit grow its fundraising.

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The front cover of the 2025 Philanthropic Landscape, 14th Edition report

14th Edition, 2025

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13th Edition, 2024

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The front cover of the 2023 Philanthropic Landscape, 12th Edition report.

The cover of the 2022 Philanthropic Landscape.

The front cover of the 2021 Philanthropic Landscape.

12th Edition, 2023

11th Edition, 2022

10th Edition, 2021

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9th Edition, 2020

8th Edition, 2019

7th Edition, 2018

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6th Edition, 2017

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CCS turns insights into actions, challenges into opportunities, and fundraising goals into mission impact.

New York, NY — U.S. charitable giving reached $592.5 billion in 2024, a historic level in current dollars. CCS Fundraising’s 2025 Philanthropic Landscape report examines what drove this growth and provides insight for nonprofit leaders planning for the year ahead.

The report combines Giving USA data with CCS research, client insights, and frontline expertise to give a clear picture of giving trends, donor behavior, and sector dynamics, along with actionable guidance for fundraisers and nonprofit executives.

“Record generosity is only part of the story,” said Eric Javier, Principal and Managing Partner at CCS Fundraising and Executive Sponsor of the report. “The philanthropic landscape is changing fast. Nonprofits must strengthen trust with emerging generations, harness new tools and technology like AI responsibly, and invest in the leadership and talent that will sustain their missions for the long term.”

Highlights from the Report

Giving climbs to new heights: Total contributions in 2024 reached $592.5 billion
Individual donors on the rise: Gifts grew 8.2%, representing two-thirds of all contributions
Mega-donors making waves: Top 50 donors gave $16.2 billion, up 32% from 2023
Foundations holding steady: Giving topped $100 billion for the third straight year
Corporate giving hits record levels: Donations grew 9.1% in current dollars
Sector growth across the board: All nine philanthropic sectors gained in current dollars
Gen Z faith-based giving surge: Religious donations up 133%
Crypto donations surpass $1B: 70% of top charities now accept cryptocurrency
Mobile giving dominates younger donors: Especially Millennials and Gen Z
Mid-level donors punch above their weight: Small share of donors generating a large share of revenue

A Strategic Resource for Sector Leaders

The 2025 Philanthropic Landscape examines Individual Giving, High-Net-Worth Giving, Foundation Giving, Corporate Giving, and Sector Giving.

Special chapters explore:

Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Fundraising: How nonprofits are testing predictive and generative tools
People Power in Nonprofits: Workforce trends, leadership transitions, and strategies to retain talent
Building Tomorrow’s Donor Base: Engaging emerging generations and strengthening long-term trust

New this year, an International Giving overview and Generational Lens highlight donor behavior across age cohorts. The Emerging Realities section provides a sector-by-sector snapshot of policy shifts, funding developments, legal updates, and cultural trends shaping 2025’s philanthropic environment—highlighting a particularly fast-moving period for the sector.

Client case studies and CCS consultant perspectives add insight on donor-advised funds, mid-level donor engagement, leadership transitions, workforce resilience, and more.

“This report is not just about what happened last year. It’s about what is happening now,” Javier said. “We have paired the data with current developments and expert insight and tactical steps to help organizations think strategically and stay informed.”

To explore the full report, visit www.ccsfundraising.com.

About CCS Fundraising

CCS Fundraising is a strategic consulting firm that has partnered with nonprofits for transformational change for nearly 80 years. CCS provides services including campaign management, strategic planning, data analytics, gift planning, systems and change management, and major gift strategy.

Media Contact

Jackie Nelson, VP Field Marketing
marketing@ccsfundraising.com
www.ccsfundraising.com

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One gift is powerful. Many over time? Transformational. That’s why long-term success comes from understanding each donor’s lifetime potential.

In this on-demand video, you’ll learn how cutting-edge predictive analytics and Donor Lifetime Value (DLV) strategies can help your organization build stronger donor relationships and increase fundraising efficiency — even amid shifting budgets and staffing challenges.

You will discover:

Why Donor Lifetime Value is a critical metric for nonprofits
How AI tools can help you segment and prioritize donors
Practical ways to improve retention and revenue
Real examples of how leading organizations are applying these strategies

Play the on-demand video above to rethink how your organization engages donors and discover how to unlock the full potential of your champions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Predictive Modeling, Machine Learning & Data

How is predictive modeling implemented with value if only 1% of donors generate most giving?

We know that most organizations generate significant revenue from their top 1% donors but lose about half of these donors over the following six years, so there is a need to find the next set of top donors. Predictive modeling helps identify new major gift prospects from your own database to help keep the pipeline full.

How does predictive modeling differ from RFM?

RFM is an approach for ranking an organization’s donor database, basing the ranking on how much was given combined with the recency of the last gift and the frequency of total gifts. It looks at what has happened historically. Predictive modeling estimates what you might expect to happen in the future. It used your own donor data to build a “statistical characterization” of your good donors and applies that characterization to the full set of donors to find people who look like your good donors, but are not good donors yet.

What machine learning or third-party segmentation tools (e.g., Prizm) are most effective for donor profiling and engagement?

Most machine learning models are built using R or Python, which are programming tools that are used by almost all statisticians and data scientists. Other tools include SAS, SPSS and Minitab. Prizm, and other similar segmentation tools are products are used for creating Personas for which custom messaging can be created.

How much data (donor counts, transactions, etc.) is needed for nonprofits of different sizes to make predictive modeling actionable?

Predictive models work best for files that have a significant number of records and a broad set of fields. We like to see at least 7,500 constituent records. The models should start from the constituent records, with the transaction data joined into the constituent file, aggregated by constituent ID.

Donor Lifetime Value (DLV) & Acquisition

What is an effective approach to building DLV? What key questions should guide how we calculate it?

Calculating donor lifetime value (DLV) usually starts with basic transactional information such as how many gifts a donor makes, how often they give, and the size of those gifts. To get deeper insights, it is also helpful to look at how different types of engagement, such as attending events or becoming a member, affect giving over time.

There are some open-source tools, such as “But Till You Die” (BTYD) models, that can provide a starting point for calculating DLV. But for more advanced methods (for example, combining predictive models and machine learning), it is best to work with experienced partners who specialize in applying these approaches for nonprofits. When calculating DLV, some key questions to ask include:

How often do donors typically give?

What is the average size of their gifts?

How long do donors usually stay engaged with our organization?

Do certain types of engagement, like event attendance or memberships, lead to higher giving over time?

How should we balance revenue between retention, acquisition, and upgrades when thinking about long-term DLV?

Balancing revenue between retention, acquisition, and upgrades is one of the hardest questions fundraisers face. DLV gives you the lens to answer it.

Retention: Keeping existing donors engaged consistently yields the highest return. Even modest givers, when retained over many years, often surpass the value of one-time larger gifts.

Upgrades: Moving a mid-level donor to a major donor (or inspiring a planned gift) can dramatically change their DLV. Predictive insights help identify who is truly “upgrade ready,” allowing your team to focus its energy where it matters most.

Acquisition: You need new donors to fuel the pipeline, but not all acquisitions are equal. DLV helps you identify which first-time donors are likely to become long-term loyalists versus those unlikely to give again, so you can spend acquisition dollars wisely.

In short, DLV reframes the balance, helping allocate resources where the lifetime value potential is greatest.

Should planned giving (e.g., wills, retirement assets) be factored into DLV, and how does that change the picture?

Planned giving should absolutely be factored into DLV. DLV is about seeing the whole picture of a donor’s potential over their relationship with your organization. If someone has included you in their will or designated retirement assets, that planned gift meaningfully changes their lifetime value.

Application Across Nonprofits

Do these donor stats and metrics apply equally to colleges with fixed alumni bases versus nonprofits with open prospect pools (e.g., Doctors Without Borders)?

Metrics such as acquisition will be different across sectors. Higher ed will be pulling most of their new donors from their alumni base. An organization like Doctors Without Borders would need to reach outside their donor base. Both organizations have similar challenges with retaining these new donors.

Should the focus be on 1% of prospects or 1% of actual donors when modeling giving?

You likely know who the top 1% donors are, so you don’t need help identifying them. The focus should be on the donors who score well on the affinity models, have meaningful gift capacity, and are not on the radar screen. These are the people that will fill your pipeline to replace the top donors who you are not retaining.

Are predictive models designed differently for various nonprofit sectors (healthcare, education, social services)?

Yes, helpful predictive models are designed to meet specific organizational goals, and the set of possible predictor variables for the models will be different across sectors and even within sectors. For example, higher ed will have a rich set of data on alums, such as class year, degree and major. Arts organizations will have data on memberships and ticket sales.

Implementation & Next Steps

What are the first, most practical steps to begin implementing DLV and predictive modeling strategies today?

Get your data in shape.

Start by cleaning and consolidating donor records. Predictive models rely on good data. Even simple steps such as removing duplicates or standardizing gift history can deliver value.

Segment and test.

Pick a few donor groups: mid-level givers, lapsed donors, or planned giving prospects, and ask: What does their giving say about future potential? A basic pilot, even in Excel, can uncover clear trends.

Choose one predictive goal.

Focus on a high-impact use case: re-engaging at-risk donors or spotting those ready to upgrade. Run a model (in-house or with a partner). The goal is to learn, apply, and improve.

PRESENTED BY

Ashutosh R. Nandeshwar

Executive Vice President, Data Science & Analytics

Peter Fader

Co-Founder and Director

Theta

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How to Strengthen Your Donor Portfolio With Data Analytics

May 19, 2025

Learn how to effectively analyze, refine, and refresh your donor portfolio to secure long-term fundraising success.

Article

How to Analyze CRM Data: The Hidden Power of Your Database

April 30, 2025

Unlock the potential of your organization’s CRM and data management techniques to secure long-term fundraising success.

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Explore CCS Fundraising’s Signal Strength: Philanthropy and the Future of Public Media on-demand video, a conversation about what a changing funding landscape means for nonprofit resilience and readiness.

This 60-minute session focuses on the implications of potential shifts in federal support for public media and how sector leaders are planning and adapting.

Our expert panel explores how public media and journalism organizations and institutions are navigating uncertainty, evolving donor expectations, and the need for long-term sustainability.

PRESENTED BY

Annie Madonia

Chief Advancement Officer

The Lenfest Institute

Katherine Lawson

Vice President of Philanthropy

Rocky Mountain PBS

Monica Villamizar

Freelance Filmmaker

Tikal Media

Douglas H. London

Managing Director

More Insights

Publication

Do Donor-Advised Funds Respond to Nonprofit Financial Distress? 

October 28, 2025

This report examines how donor-advised funds (DAFs) respond when nonprofits face financial strain with cutting-edge data from across the U.S.

Article

The Future is #DAF: Donor-Advised Fund Growth and How Nonprofits Can Benefit

October 15, 2025

As donor-advised funds grow, nonprofits have an unprecedented opportunity to engage donors, accelerate giving, and connect intent with immediate impact.

Ninety two percent (92%) of college-aged individuals are on social media. At the same time, a 2023 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) study found that institutions with structured alumni engagement see up to 40% higher donor participation. With soaring social media use and an opportunity for strategic engagement, your higher education institution is uniquely positioned to leverage these tools and engage young donors in building a lifelong connection to their alma mater.

According to research from CASE, colleges that prioritize alumni engagement can see a strong return—earning an average of $5.60 for every $1 invested. Social platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn are especially effective for bringing alumni-student connections to life, helping younger donors feel recognized, valued, and motivated to contribute. To increase giving from students and newer alumni, consider building social media strategies that spotlight real connections, especially those between alumni and current students.

Social media is one of the most powerful tools for engaging young alumni philanthropically. It meets them where they are, turns giving into a shared experience, and makes impact visible in real time. It’s not just about raising funds but about building a lasting community around shared values and stories, all while using data-driven insights to continually refine and strengthen engagement strategies.
Melissa Rothberg, Executive Vice President, CCS Fundraising

Why Engaging Young Alumni Through Social Media Matters

As new alumni transition from college to career, their connection with their alma mater is still fresh. This is a pivotal opportunity to foster long-term relationships. However, traditional outreach methods, such as mass emails or alumni events without follow-up or clear calls to action, often fall short. The 2025 Giving by Generation report found that all generations except for Boomers strongly prefer online giving over other options. Moreover, “the younger the donor, the more likely it is that social media will play a role in their giving.”

Higher education institutions must meet young alumni where they spend most of their time. Compare how young users engage across social platforms.

young adult Social Media usage by Platform

PLATFORM	% OF 18-29-YEAR-OLDS WHO USE IT
YouTube	93%
Instagram	76%
Facebook	68%
Snapchat	65%
TikTok	59%
Reddit	46%
Pinterest	43%
LinkedIn	40%
X (formerly Twitter)	38%
WhatsApp	30%
BeReal	10%

Source: Pew Research Center Social Media Fact Sheet

Social media platforms help colleges highlight genuine relationships between alumni and current students by telling alumni stories that resonate. Sharing updates, milestones, and accomplishments adds depth to the connection and shows the lasting impact of the alumni community. When done effectively, social media posts can demonstrate mentorship, community-building, and shared school pride, turning passive followers into inspired young donors.

Tailor your Alumni Engagement to Platform and Audience

Not all content is created equal, and not every message belongs on every platform. Successful outreach depends on customizing tone, visuals, and content format to match the audience’s expectations.

Instagram

Instagram is a powerful tool to reach young donors. It is ideal for personal, short-form emotional storytelling and visual moments. For example, consider posting a video of a graduating class, or a student’s first job offer with special thanks to an alumnus. Use Instagram to demonstrate your college or university’s culture and spirit, allowing young alumni to connect on an informal and deeper level.

LinkedIn, on the other hand, is a professional network. Use this platform to share detailed student and alumni success stories or career milestones. This is a space to show your higher education institutions’ long-term impact on careers and networks.

YouTube

Youtube is an effective platform that helps show in-depth student or alumni profiles, behind the scenes campus experiences, or day in the life videos that highlight an institution’s unique values. With its strong search capabilities and wide reach, YouTube also serves as a powerful tool to allow prospective donors and young alumni to discover your message at any time. The platform supports both professional and authentic content, making it a flexible space to deepen alumni engagement and tell a story over time.

To truly reach a younger audience, posts should be simple, clear, and emotionally resonant. Ideally, a single post should easily showcase how alumni-driven philanthropic investment is making a difference for students and your university’s community.

understand Gen Z and Millennial Donor Behavior

Younger generations are rethinking philanthropy, which means advancement departments need to stay agile to evolving donor behavior, including in their social media campaigns.

Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to engage with alma maters that:

Offer user-friendly digital experiences
Share compelling stories
Demonstrate measurable outcomes
Reflect values in branding, diversity, and tone

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

“I am always more likely to engage with a post when I can tell that it reflects my values or something that I care about. Having a compelling story that builds community will keep me focused on the post rather than clicking past it.”

~ Natalie Malarkey, college student and CCS Summer Intern

According to the 2025 CCS Philanthropy Pulse, 63% of organizations use digital campaigns to engage next-gen philanthropists, and for good reason; younger donors are interested in transparency, authenticity, and impact more than obligation. Social media and digital engagement ensure accessible, personalized, original, mission-driven outreach.

Nurture a Long-Term, Donor-centric Culture through young alumni engagement

Higher education institutions must view alumni engagement strategies as long-term investments rather than one-off solicitations. Repeatedly engaged donors are far more valuable over time. Donor retention (cultivating long-term relationships) significantly outperforms one-time solicitations; in 2023, the average donor retention rate was about 45%, but the retention rate for donors who had given two or more consecutive years was over 60%. This shows that it can take five to 10 years of consistent engagement before a donor makes their first major gift. It is essential for more reliable, long-term revenue to build donor relationships early and intentionally.

Universities are moving beyond one-day fundraising events and embracing more integrated, year-round advancement strategies, weaving them into the student experience. Today’s engagement efforts focus on building authentic relationships early by highlighting student involvement, shared values, and visible impact. Newer generations want to give because they feel personally connected to their cause and see how those gifts make a difference.

Newer generations cherish involvement and want to see first-hand how their efforts make a difference. Students want to see what benefits of staying connected, and alumni hope to understand how their involvement is shaping the future generations.

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

“As a current college student, I have seen fundraising efforts take many forms. From my experience at my university, I have felt more connected and inclined to donate when I see posts that highlight our strong sense of school spirit. Watching alumni return to campus and seeing the lasting bond they still have with the university inspires me. It makes me feel confident that I will want to give back and support my school as I grow into my own career.”

~ Natalie Malarkey, college student and CCS Summer Intern

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

“From my student perspective, I have seen first-hand how fundraising works best when it feels personal. I have been to events on campus where the focus was more on sharing and connecting with donors rather than just asking for money. When donors have the opportunity to hear directly from students and see the impact they make, it sticks with them. It’s not just about giving… it’s about feeling part of something meaningful and making long-lasting connections.”

~ Melissa Elwood, college student and CCS Summer Intern

Measure your young alumni social media efforts

You can and should track the efficacy of your social media efforts through clickthrough rates. With a nonprofit industry benchmark of 1-3% for social media posts, clickthrough rates matters because they measure how people engage with the content.

Connect With young alumni where they are

Current student and young alumni engagement is more than raising funds—rather, effective engagement is about creating a sense of belonging, shared purpose, and pride. To engage a growing base of constituents with minimal friction, consider meeting young donors where they are: on social media. By employing social media platforms intentionally to drive a more dynamic digital environment, your college or university will strategically enhance both its footprint and toolkit.

When young graduates feel that their stories matter and their contributions count, they become lifelong givers and advocates for your institution.

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DOWNLOAD SLIDE DECK

ABOUT GIVING USA

In this recording of Perspectives on Philanthropy | Giving USA 2025, keynote speaker Dr. Una Osili shares the latest data on American giving. Dr. Osili is the Associate Dean for Research and International Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and one of the nation’s leading experts on giving and social innovation. She oversees the research and publication of Giving USA and brings more than two decades of experience in philanthropy, economics, and public policy.

According to the new data released by Giving USA, individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations gave an estimated $592.50 billion to U.S. charities in 2024. Total giving grew 6.3% in current dollars, reaching a new high by that measure (3.3% when adjusted for inflation). A strong stock market and GDP growth helped fuel the increase in total giving, which was led by individual and corporate giving. All recipient subsectors saw donations increase in current dollars. When adjusted for inflation, giving to seven of the nine categories rose, while giving to foundations remained relatively flat and giving to religion decreased slightly.

Explore expert analysis of these trends and what they mean for the future of philanthropy during the panel conversation at the end of the Perspectives on Philanthropy video, moderated by Polly Breit, Executive Vice President at CCS Fundraising.

PRESENTED BY

Dr. Una Osili

Associate Dean for Research

IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Emily Church

Chief Impact Officer

Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Tim McMahon

Vice President, University Advancement

Marquette University

Eric Javier

Principal & Managing Director

Polly Breit

Executive Vice President

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

giving usa report DEFINITIONS

Where does giving usa count Donor Advised Funds?

On the sources side, grants from DAFs are counted at their original source (which is almost always an individual, though corporate DAFs do exist).

On the uses side, DAFs are included in almost every subsector. National, or commercial, DAFs are counted as public-society benefit organizations. DAFs at Community Foundations are included under TO Foundations. Other DAFs focus on a single organization or issue, and those can be found among the subsectors (e.g., a university DAF would be under education).

It is important to note that Giving USA counts only the net of DAF grants in minus DAF grants out among recipients. This is to avoid double-counting, as the grants OUT of DAFs are counted at their final destination. DAF grants from community foundations are subtracted out of our FROM foundations value.

How does Giving usa define foundation giving?

Foundation giving is defined by the longstanding list of foundations used by the Foundation Center, now a part of Candid. These include private foundations as well as community foundations. Additionally, Giving USA calculates its estimates by counting corporate foundations under corporate giving.

How does giving usa define individual giving?

Individual giving is defined as giving done by US individuals to tax-deductible charitable organizations. Most giving vehicles allow for a deduction by the individual for the amount given either to or from the vehicle, depending on the vehicle in question (e.g., a donation to a DAF is counted at the moment it enters the DAF, a donation from the LLC can be counted by the owner when it is donated to a tax-deductible organization). Gifts to community foundations are included as gifts from individuals; gifts out of DAFs held by community foundations are sourced as coming from the individual, not the community foundation, as Giving USA considers these pass-through donations.

How does Giving USA define its subsectors?

Most of Giving USA’s subsector definitions come from the NTEE codes given to organizations. These codes are available on some tax documentation, and are often used by other organizations as a quick reference, such as Candid. Religious organizations are those 501c(3)s that are assumed or have been granted religious exemption from filing. Giving USA’s list of foundations is developed and maintained by Candid.

How does Giving USA define corporate giving?

Corporate giving is defined as donations made by corporations that are then deducted on their tax returns. These donations are then adjusted for contributions made to and from their corporate foundations. Because political contributions are not tax deductible, political contributions made by corporations are not included in corporate giving. Corporate giving does not include donations made by employees either, as those gifts are counted under individual giving. However, matching gifts made by corporations are included in corporate giving. Giving USA also does not include sponsorships, ticket purchases, or other contributions to nonprofit organizations that corporations allocate to marketing expenses on their tax returns.

where does Giving USA count donations by entrepreneurs, small businesses, and LLCS?

If a business is legally organized as a for-profit C-corporation, any donations made by the corporation that are deducted on the corporate tax return are included in corporate giving. If a business is legally structured as an S-corporation, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), a partnership, a sole proprietorship or some other legal structure for which the organization’s tax liability is passed through to the owner’s personal tax return, the giving by that business is counted under individual giving.

where does giving usa count political donations?

Giving USA counts only gifts to tax-deductible 501c(3) organizations; this does not include gifts to 501c(4) lobbying groups, political action committees (PACs), etc.

Some organizations that work in the fields of advocacy or civil rights are legally recognized as 501c(3) organizations by the IRS (e.g., ACLU, Lambda Legal), and are counted in Giving USA under public-society benefit organizations.

How does Giving USA define mega giving?

Mega-giving is an adjustment Giving USA does to giving estimates to account for particularly large gifts that would have a significant influence on the estimates. The report defines this as 0.1% of total giving, rounded to the nearest $50 million. For 2024, the threshold was $600 million.

Does Giving USA include donations from outside the US?

No, Giving USA does not generally include donations from outside the U.S.

However, although the report’s total giving figure is based on the sum of sources, and the source data exclusively encompasses US giving, its uses data includes all private gifts and grants to an organization. The figure for all private gifts and grants to an organization will occasionally include donations from foreign individuals. Historically this value appears to be fairly small, but it is something Giving USA seek additional data on to verify.

How does Giving USA define trust-based philanthropy?

Giving USA does not specifically measure trust-based philanthropy and therefore has not created a definition for the term. Definitions of the term can vary somewhat within the philanthropic sector, but trust-based giving is generally recognized as grantmaking or philanthropic giving that has few, if any, reporting requirements or restrictions that the beneficiary is obligated to abide by.

How long has Giving USA reported on the environment/animals subsector for?

Giving USA has data on the environment/animals subsector from 1987 to 2024.

giving usa report Methodology

Does the 2025 Giving USA report include subsector data breakdowns?

Giving USA includes total giving estimates to nine subsectors in the U.S., including religion, education, human services, foundations, health, public-society benefit, arts, culture & humanities, international affairs, and environment/animals. Beyond total giving to each of these subsectors, Giving USA does not have additional subsector data.

Does Giving USA provide a breakdown of individual giving by giving vehicle?

No.

Does GUSA track non-charity giving (e.g., crowdfunding for medical expense)?

Giving USA estimates include only giving to tax-deductible charitable organizations. This does not include crowdfunding for specific individuals or businesses, or other forms of direct support. The chapters do include information on this and other trends, collected from other sources.

Does giving to health include giving to international health organizations?

Organizations included in the data are organizations filing as US-based 501c(3)s. These organizations may have an international presence, but are US-based.

How does Giving USA calculate the numbers for religious giving?

There are two components to the religious estimate. A baseline value is periodically generated based on a largescale, high quality, representative survey of congregations and faith organizations in the US that asks detailed questions about charitable revenue. A growth rate is calculated annually based on aggregate datasets of specific faith network or denomination charitable revenue. For the most recent edition of Giving USA, $36 billion, or about 25%, was directly tracked in this method.

Giving USA 2025 Report data

What percentage of Americans give?

Giving USA does not track the percentage of US households that give.

What was the average individual gift and mode donation amount in 2024?

Giving USA does not track gifts at a per-gift level and so cannot answer this.

How much did individuals give in 2024 when bequests, family foundations, and DAFs are included?

DAFs are already included at the source of their giving. Giving USA does not separately estimate family foundations, though there is a heuristic that they are around 64% of Giving USA’s independent foundation value. Summed together, these would represent 83% of giving in the most recent estimable year, though this is not a value Giving USA estimates.

What percentage of foundation giving is from family foundations?

Giving USA does not estimate a separate value for this. Occasionally in the past, Giving USA has seen family foundations represent approximately 64% of independent foundation giving. For 2023, the most recent year available for this data, they represented approximately 50% of foundation giving.

How much of the growth in public-society benefit has been a result of MacKenzie Scott’s giving?

For 2024, Giving USA estimated approximately $817 million of MacKenzie Scott’s giving went to public-society benefit organizations. While this is an increase from her estimated $235 million in 2023, this accounts for about 5% of the $10.9 billion increase seen in public-society benefit in 2024.

Does Giving USA have any data about the impact of tax cuts on charitable behavior?

No, though Giving USA’s data has been used in research regarding the effect of tax legislation on charitable giving, Giving USA does not directly estimate any legislative impact.

Is the uptick in giving to education equal across all types of educational institutions?

Giving USA does not disaggregate education giving at this level.

latest trends on american charitable giving

What are the trends in online giving?

Giving USA does not track online giving. However, more information on online giving from other sources can be found within the chapters of the report.

what have the trends in philanthropy been in the first half of 2025?

Giving USA 2025 estimates giving that occurred in 2024, so it does not have an estimate for the first 6 months of 2025. It is worth noting, though, that historically speaking a larger percentage of giving is done in the latter portion of the year, so the trend of the first six months may not be reflective of the year in total.

How might federal funding cutbacks impact philanthropy in 2025?

The relationship between government grants and charitable donations is unclear, though it is an important topic in regards to giving in 2025.

Are the number of donors continuing to decrease?

Giving USA does not track the percentage of US households that give. Recent data on the topic from other sources suggests that the trend has likely continued in recent years.

What is driving the trends in corporate giving?

Corporate pre-tax profits have seen a rise alongside corporate giving, with corporate giving shifting only from 0.8% to 1.1% of these profits. Additionally, Giving USA has noted a surge in in-kind assistance being done by patient assistance programs, which are typically made through corporate foundations (this total is tracked in the “Giving TO individuals” estimate). However, at present Giving USA doesn’t know if these are causally related or simply correlated with each other.

What are the trends in corporate giving to racial justice organizations and broader DEI initiatives?

Giving USA is not able to track the purposes or destination of gifts by source, and so cannot answer.

How are the dynamics of workplace giving shifting over time?

Giving USA does not separately estimate workplace giving. However, the chapters on individual and corporate giving may include information on workplace giving that is drawn from external sources.

How is AI changing the fundraising landscape?

Giving USA does not have any estimates in regards to AI. However, information from other sources on how AI is impacting philanthropy, fundraising and nonprofit organizations is included in the chapters of the report. Explore CCS Fundraising’s AI in Fundraising paper and the 2025 CCS Philanthropy Pulse Report‘s Donor Data, AI, & Innovation chapter.

What are the trends in individual giving among specific demographics?

Giving USA does not look at giving on a demographic basis.

What has the trend in bequests been over the past 10 years?

Bequests have seen 3.8% annualized growth over the last ten years, the lowest of any of Giving USA’s four sources.

Did the 2024 election cycle with record-setting political fundraising impact charitable giving?

Giving USA does not specifically analyze the impact of political fundraising on charitable fundraising. Historically speaking though, presidential election cycles rarely have a sizable impact on giving. There are now multiple pieces of evidence suggesting that political giving does not have a significant negative effect on charitable giving. Learn more about giving during presidential elections.

What are the trends in cryptocurrency donations to nonprofits?

While there has been a noted increase in cryptocurrency donations, Giving USA does not separately estimate methods of giving.

Any insight into the slight increase in giving to Environmental organizations in 2024?

Environmental giving has seen fairly solid growth in recent years, with the fourth highest 5-year annualized growth rate among the uses (third when excluding giving TO individuals). While 2024 was the second smallest increase in this five-year span for environment, it still represented the 5^th largest growth rate among uses this year, not dissimilar from its recent history.

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