By Craig Shelley
The recently released Giving USA 2025 report offers encouraging news for the nonprofit sector: for the first time in three years, total charitable giving outpaced inflation. While part of this growth reflects moderating inflation rates, it’s notable that overall giving still rose by 6.3% in current dollars.
Despite predictions of donor hesitation amid election-year uncertainty and economic volatility, the data tells a different story. Strong stock market performance helped fuel historic generosity — a reminder that donors often continue to give, even when headlines suggest otherwise.
Key takeaway: Don’t believe the doom scroll; record giving means record opportunity for your organization.
All sources of giving — individuals, foundations, and corporations — showed increases. While the value of bequests declined, we suspect that once mortality data is fully reported, it may reflect death rates normalizing post-pandemic. This dip doesn’t change our view: planned giving remains a critical pillar of any comprehensive fundraising strategy. Accessing donors’ assets, not just their cash, continues to be powerful — particularly when paired with thoughtful planning around campaign spending and cash flow.
Key takeaway: Planned and blended gifts should remain a key part of your fundraising strategy.
Perhaps most encouraging, nonprofits focused on public-society benefit, international affairs, and education saw the largest increases in giving. While this data predates the cultural and governmental shifts underway in the current administration, it suggests donors are deeply committed to these causes — a hopeful sign as these organizations prepare to navigate policy and funding changes.
Key takeaway: Decreases in federal support, like USAID cuts and reduced funding for education and DEI, may not be fully offset by philanthropy, but donor commitment to these issues remains strong.
Data is powerful, but strategy brings it to life. The Giving USA 2025 findings reinforce that even in uncertain times, generosity persists — and that proactive, targeted fundraising strategies can position organizations not just to endure, but to grow stronger.