Which day of the year records the highest volume of online charitable donations in the United States?
If you answered #GivingTuesday, you are incorrect.
November is certainly a very generous month with National Philanthropy Day, Thanksgiving and #GivingTuesday. Many experienced fundraisers, however, know while Thanksgiving traditionally kicks off the most generous time of the year, the most generous day of the year is actually December 31.
Gifts from individuals surge in December, and most charities receive more gifts in the last month of the year than during the previous 11 months combined!
There are several sources online featuring information about these statistics. Here are a couple of recent ones that offer important facts and statistics:
- 10 Year-End Giving Statistics Every Fundraiser Should Know for 2023
- 18 Year-End Giving Statistics with Surprising Facts [2023]
And earlier this year, we started looking toward year-end giving with our consultant Matt Czyl’s blog post, “Year-End Recipe for Success.” In case you missed it, check it out here.
What accounts for this increase in giving?
- Gifts of publicly traded securities and donor advised funds often occur in December.
- Qualified charitable distributions from retirement accounts must be completed/transferred to charities before the year ends to count toward an individual’s required minimum distribution (RMD).
- Financial planners and advisors may suggest to their high-net-worth clients who itemize that they could benefit from additional charitable deductions for 2023 by making additional charitable gifts.
- A heightened awareness of giving , plus an individual desire to support your mission.
As a busy fundraiser, you can only personally reach a limited number of your best prospects in a meaningful way through visits and phone calls.
Sharpe has solutions to allow you to share the information that your best donors need to make critical decisions and meaningful gifts before the end of the year. Our specially priced year-end brochures, booklets and pocket guides are a cost-effective and efficient way for you to engage with your top donors and prospects.
Our year-end publications are easily personalized, then can be quickly printed and shipped to get into your donors’ hands during that critical time in the last two weeks of the year. (For orders of 5,000 or fewer, publications can be printed in five business days. Larger orders may take ten days.) 2023 is almost over, and time is running out. Most charities’ giving totals are currently flat or down year to date, but year-end gifts may just make the difference.
To learn more about our personalized year-end publications, click here.
