Will Political Fundraising Affect Year-End Donations?

As the holiday season approaches, fundraisers are wondering: Has election-year spending left donors too tapped out to give generously to charities?

Now that Election Day has passed, fundraisers in the charitable community will focus efforts on the most active time of year for donations: the holiday season. On the other hand, some are concerned that political donations during 2024 may have tapped out generous Americans who have fundraising fatigue and/or less to share with charities. Although that concern sounds logical, statistics show that total giving in the U.S. actually increased in nine of the last ten presidential election years, with the exception of 2008 due to the financial crisis. There are a number of factors that probably influenced this trend, including the spotlight drawn to various causes during the campaign season.

There are some regional caveats to consider. A Candid article referenced a study suggesting that donors in competitive “swing” states were 8% less likely to say they planned to contribute to charities this year. If that prediction holds, charities in some communities may be facing a more challenging fundraising environment than other states.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) notes that some organizations will avoid sending appeals too close to Election Day, such as the week before or the week after, otherwise they “will get lost in the noise and die on the vine.”

Overall, a very active year of campaigning is about engaging people to get involved. We hope that spark will spread to engagement with charities during the season of giving. Of course, we hope that no matter what the incentive, donors will take the time to visit Give.org to verify the trustworthiness of charities. Our evaluative reports specify if the subject charity meets the BBB Charity Standards. If there is less cash available, consider helping by donating goods or your time to your favorite causes.

Heart of Giving Podcast – Jane Wales & Kenneth Hodder Discuss the Generosity Commission Report

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a discussion of the recently released Generosity Commission Report with two key leaders: Jane Wales, Co-Chair of the Commission and Vice President, Philanthropy and Society, The Aspen Institute and Kenneth Hodder, National Commander of The Salvation Army. The Report proposes a set of recommendations to address declines in giving and volunteering rates.

Explore Three of Our Latest Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Salvation Army - Southern Territory
• Soles4Souls
• Task Force Dagger Special Operations Foundation 

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.