Last week, we were proud to release the Give.org Donor Trust Report 2022: Five Year Review of Trust and Giving Attitudes. Our annual survey of over 2,000 adults in the U.S. and more than 1,000 in Canada reached its fifth year of production. It once again addressed issues about public trust in the charitable sector and sought to shed light on the relationship between donors and charities, with the goal of strengthening their bond. The top line result was that respondents showed an increase in “highly trusted” charities for 12 out of 13 charity categories. This highlight was featured in articles that appeared in both The NonProfit Times and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Kathleen Enright, CEO of the Council on Foundations, noted, in the Chronicle article, that trust is a major factor in determining how and when donors decide to give to charity.

In an open-ended question that appeared in the Donor Trust Report, participants identified what makes them trust a charity. Top-of-mind reasons, by order of frequency were: (1) charity finances, (2) charity reputation and (3) honesty and transparency. There were generational differences, however, in how respondents interpreted financial accountability. While older participants are more likely to focus on how much a charity spends on fundraising and management activities, younger generations are more influenced by what the charity will do with the money and if they have clear recent accomplishments. See further details on this issue in the following infographic.   

As stated in the Donor Trust Report’s conclusions, “…public trust is both an asset and a lifeline.” Increased trust can help fuel charity resources but any decline in trust could pose a threat to the well-being of the charitable sector. BBB Wise Giving Alliance will continue to monitor these matters. The five-years’ worth of survey data will serve as a helpful foundation on which to further build a better understanding of public attitudes about trust in charities.

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Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, BBB Wise Giving Alliance interviews Omoiye Kinney, Chief Marketing Officer of the United Way Worldwide (a BBB Accredited Charity). UWW's stated purpose is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good. 

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast is part of the special series "Made by the Bay" sponsored by the Tipping Point Community to feature the work of people in the San Francisco Bay Area, working for the betterment of their community. This week BBB WGA’s guest is Tim Waters, Executive Director of Friends of the Children, SF Bay Area. This organization is engaged in a long-term professional mentoring program for children, seeking to build sustained and nurturing relationships.

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Recent 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:

• American Kidney Services
• Seva Foundation
• One Percent for the Planet

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.