Less Donors But Bigger Gifts

Even though fewer affluent Americans are giving, their donations have increased by 30% over the past decade, according to a report from Bank of America Private Bank and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

The 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy Key Findings

• Total charitable contributions from affluent donors in 2024 were more than 10 times higher than those of the general population. Yet participation in giving has reduced, with 81% making charitable donations in 2024, down from 91% in 2015.

• On average, donors gave to five organizations in 2024, with 79% supporting groups in their local communities.

• More than 40% of affluent donors reported developing a giving strategy, 45% had a giving budget, and 20% actively monitored the impact of their gifts.

• Those who identify as expert givers awarded at least six times more than those who identify as novices.

• In 2024, 18% of charitable gifts were made through giving vehicles—up from 11% nine years earlier—and 48% of affluent households with a net worth between $5 million and $20 million have or plan to establish a giving vehicle within the next three years.  

More here.

Words That Work

People don’t trust what they don’t understand. And in a country where trust is unraveling, too much nonprofit language feels like being stuck in a conversation in which everyone but you know the code. Below are seven words that do work — that invite people in, rather than push them away. Adopting these words widely is one important step toward restoring trust in the nonprofit sector and the nation’s civic institutions.

Family. Regardless of how people define the word in their own lives, family carries meaning without explanation.

Community. Embodying the notion of connection and shared responsibility, community resonates for most people, whether it describes a neighborhood, faith circle, or group chat check-in after a destructive storm.

Fairness. One of the most universally understood moral concepts, fairness signals balance, decency, and the expectation that people should be treated with respect and given a real chance.

Dignity. While people define dignity differently — in terms of faith, work, or care — they recognize its fundamental meaning: being seen as fully human.

Safety. Rather than an abstract value, safety is a felt condition.

Respect. Respect signals that someone’s presence matters, that their voice carries weight; it’s often the unspoken requirement beneath every conversation.

Service. In a sector that often reaches for the language of innovation and scale, service brings the work back to its purpose.

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Practice Due Diligence with Crypto-Philanthropy and DAFs

Donor-advised funds are wildly popular, with total DAF assets standing at $250 billion, according to the latest analysis from the National Philanthropic Trust. And by one count, gifts in cryptocurrency exceeded $1 billion last year. But many don’t know that when a donor places money — or any kind of asset, like stock or crypto — in a DAF and gets an immediate tax break, they also relinquish control of those assets. Though in most cases, DAFs parcel grants to charities at the donor’s request.

Below are some tips about how to ensure your philanthropy goes as planned.

Giving it up. Remember, when donating through a DAF, you are legally ceding control over the funds. If things go sideways with the fund, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to get the money back because the donor no longer owns the donation.

Fees are important. Be cautious of a donor-advised fund that asks for a large upfront commission but does not have yearly management fees. Although those annual management fees may seem burdensome or unnecessary, they help ensure the fund can fulfill your grant requests.

Remember, it’s charity. Be cautious of solicitations presented as investment opportunities. While it’s common for donors to be asked to make matching gifts, it’s unusual for a DAF to request that a donor provide upfront funds with the promise that it will grow by a certain amount. 

Investment policies are standard. Ensure that a donor-advised fund or crypto-philanthropy has an investment policy approved by its board that clearly outlines the risks the fund is willing to accept and the types of investment vehicles it will utilize. 

Lawyer up. For all big transactions, consult a lawyer. IRS rules are complicated, and every situation is different. Having a lawyer look for potential problems is a must.

Paper trail. Carefully consider whether you want to donate to a group that hasn’t filed a 990 in several consecutive years. While missing the required IRS paperwork can happen, be cautious if a donor-advised fund skips multiple years.

Tracking crypto. Many nonprofits are enhancing their staff’s knowledge to determine whether potential crypto partners are legitimate. To prevent internal fraud and external attacks, grantees need to be skilled in evaluating a fund’s digital credentials.

Do research. Due diligence isn’t just about googling the organization and reviewing their financials. If you’re considering supporting a specific charity or cause, you can also contact that charity directly to ask if they’ve worked with the DAF in question.

Get a complete overview. When dealing with crypto investments, see how transparent the funds are beyond what is required in the IRS 990 form. You should know where your assets are held, what their current value is, and how they are liquidated.

More here.