First Day Podcast

Making Sense of Giving USA

Informações:

Sinopsis

In this episode of "The First Day from the Fund Raising School," host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. discusses the key findings of the 2024 Giving USA report with Josh Birkholz, CEO of BWF and Board Chair of the Giving USA Foundation. The conversation kicks off with the staggering headline figure—$557 billion in charitable donations, the highest ever. Adjusted for inflation, however, most donation sources show a decline, except for bequests. Birkholz clarifies that, unlike the stock market, these donations are "new gifts" each year, underscoring the sector’s continued resilience despite economic pressures like inflation. Inflation plays a big role in the analysis of charitable giving, affecting both donor behavior and the perceived value of contributions. While everyday donors may feel the pinch, high-net-worth individuals continue to contribute significantly, often through structured vehicles like foundations and donor-advised funds (DAFs). Birkholz also emphasizes that giving has remained around 2% of the U.S.