Inside the Issue: Is Your Giving Down This Year?

By Douglas Shaw

Many organizations experienced lower giving in 2022 than at any time in the past three years. Almost everyone we talk to wants to know “Why is giving down?”

So . . . if you’re doing what I’m doing, poring over the numbers and comparing them to previous years, this task might feel somewhat daunting.

It’s true that comparing 2022 to 2021 and 2020 is not encouraging, but I feel a whole lot better when I look at numbers compared to 2019! It makes me ask a question of my own: “Which years are the anomaly?”

All the trend lines indicate that 2020 and 2021 were unexpected spikes in giving. And we all know the downside of “giving spikes” is the return to normalcy. It leaves us scratching our heads and wondering how to explain this “downturn” to the boss. In all reality, 2022 was not a downturn at all! For most organizations, it was a resumption of the trendline that preceded the 2020-21 giving spikes. I hope this provides you with a little more perspective when the boss begins to ask questions.

Doug