- 8 % of 'typical' donors said they plan to give less in 2010 (a big improvement over the 17.5 %in a similar survey last year.
- But among 'affluent' donors, 11% say they are planning on giving less in 2010 than 2009.
- A full 17% of the very top 10 percent of donors who gave the most money to charity say they will give less.
Because so many charities rely more on loyal donors who make the largest gifts than they do on donors of more modest means, the economic downturn may continue to depress giving for a long time, the researchers said. The survey went beyond asking how much donors plan to give, and Cygnus said that many donors are:
- Cutting back on the number of charities they support.
- Increasingly favoring organizations that provide them with measurable results.
- More likely to stop giving to charities that they think solicit them too frequently.
- More influenced by the amount charities spend to raise money than in the past.
- Increasingly shifting their support to local rather than regional or national causes.
An executive summary of the survey is available free online through August 13. A full copy of the results may be ordered for $50.
