Giving USA 2025 | If you confuse, You’ll lose

“If you confuse, you’ll lose.”

This popular expression by Donald Miller is what comes to mind when reading the latest Giving USA 2025 report. But this isn't negative—it is rather a wake-up call to the shift in generosity trends that’s been taking place in the philanthropy landscape over the last decade.

The data doesn’t lie.

In 2024, total giving reached $592.5 billion, marking a growth of 6.3% in current dollars (3.3% adjusted for inflation). This growth, despite economic volatility and societal challenges, highlights an essential truth: generosity thrives even in uncertain times. In fact, individual contributions increased by 8.2% (5.1% after inflation), representing 66% of all giving. Clearly, while corporate and foundation support continue to play essential roles, individual donors remain the backbone of generosity across all sectors.

The willingness to give provides a clear signal that hearts are open and ready for vision and impact. The challenge for churches, ministries, schools, and nonprofit organizations is to steward this openness and cultivate generosity through CLARITY, VISION, and PURPOSE. These elements are critical for building authentic connections, nurturing relationships, and consistently communicating a compelling vision—while resisting the temptation to rely solely on "high-capacity givers" or foundation strategies. Real generosity blossoms from ongoing relationships and a clear sense of mission.

For Advancement: Schools and Nonprofits

Strategic Giving is on the rise. Significant growth was seen in education (+13.2%), international affairs (+17.7%), and public-society benefit (+19.5%). It indicates that donors are increasingly giving where they can see clear, tangible outcomes.

Nonprofit organizations and educational institutions must meet this shift head-on by enhancing their clarity of mission and communicating impact effectively. Donors are looking for tangible results from their generosity—whether it's improving educational outcomes, providing community resources, or addressing societal challenges.

For Church: Faith-Based Organizations

In contrast, giving to religion grew only 1.9% (declined by 1.0% adjusted for inflation). This stagnation doesn’t signal less generous hearts; it indicates that churches may not be communicating their vision and purpose clearly enough, in addition to a decreased number of people of faith.

To align with giver expectations and accelerate generosity toward God-inspired visions, churches must clearly communicate how their mission is transforming lives both spiritually and within the community. People give to what they believe will have a lasting impact, and the church must help them see how their generosity contributes to God's purpose for the congregation and the wider world.

Next Steps: For All Organizations - Church, School, or NPO

The moment calls for leadership that is more strategic, more biblical, and more courageous than ever before. Whether you are leading a church, school, or nonprofit organization, you must:

• Boldly articulate your vision and define the "WHY" with clarity. Donors and church members alike want to understand exactly how their contributions will make a difference.
  
  
• Align your vision with measurable outcomes and engage hearts meaningfully. Presenting tangible goals and real-world impact builds trust and fosters long-term engagement.
  
  
• Build trust through transparency and invite action consistently. Regardless of where they are giving, people are looking for confidence in their gifts and want to feel involved in the mission.

This is the new reality. People today are giving more like investors. They seek assurance that their generosity is fueling genuine transformation.

The data confirms what we already know: Generosity is alive and well. But it's also shifting - requiring more strategic, more biblical, and more courageous leadership than ever before. The time is now to embrace clarity, vision, and purpose in your generosity efforts.