As I See It: Turn Important Insights from the 2025 Giving USA Report into Action
Photo: GUSA2025
Hi friends! As you know, every summer, Giving USA publishes its annual report, which offers the most comprehensive snapshot of charitable giving in the United States. Earlier this month, the most recent report on 2024 philanthropic giving came out, and as members of the Giving Institute and supporters of the publication, M. Gale’s team members dove right into the fun, advancing the data in our work and discussions with each other and our partners.
Whatever your role within your nonprofit, I urge you to view the 2025 report as more than just a numbers update. In fact, I think the report presents an invaluable opportunity to engage your full team and powerfully guide your mission impact and work ahead. All too often, people read the headlines and stop … And I get it. There can be a lot to process through, and from year to year, there may not be huge shifts. I often hear myself saying, “I often hear myself saying, ‘I’m really not much of a data person, but…’ Well, if you’re in a nonprofit, now’s the time to proudly put on your data hat and dig in—together.”
Below are some practical ways to tie this year’s Giving USA data into your organization’s planning activities.
Bring Your Team into the Conversation
Don’t keep insights stored in a file or locked away on the cloud. Share and discuss the findings:
Host a team meeting to dig into key findings around overall giving, donor sources, and which causes are growing fastest.
Ask questions like: “2024 giving grew 6.3%. What that does that mean for our ability to be successful?”
If your NPO sector (such as education) grew, discuss ways to bring that energy into programs and customized messaging for your stakeholders.
Equip Leadership with the Right Context
Everyone needs context that resonates. Frame the narrative using:
A one-page snapshot:
Total giving reached $592.5B in 2024, up 6.3% in current dollars.
Individual gifts accounted for $392.45B, up 8.2%; corporate giving hit a record $44.4B, which is up 9.1%.
Your NPO sector: Was there a rise in giving?
Position these numbers accordingly in reports and conversations, such as proof that donors are stepping up and more importantly, giving for causes like yours.
Align Fundraising Strategy with Trends
Development teams can lean directly on these trends for program planning:
Individual giving is critical (representing about 66% of total giving); retention and cultivation efforts make sense now more than ever.
Corporate giving is at a record high, so seek well-aligned partnerships, especially on community engagement.
Bequests dipped slightly, and foundation giving was flat, but both remain essential, especially for legacy and planned giving programs.
Benchmark your growth against national trends. Present giving trends as important context for bold and fact-based action.
Deepen Donor Relationships with Talking Points
Donors want to feel part of something larger, which is something data helps with:
Say things like: “You’re part of a movement! Overall giving grew more than 6% in 2024, even beating inflation.”
Connect their giving to cause-related generosity: “Giving to education grew nearly 10%. Your support is aligned with real growth.”
Use these stories in newsletters, donor events, or one-on-one conversations to cultivate interest, trust and further dialogue.
In summary, don’t just read the Giving USA report. Use it! When you treat these insights as tools for discussion, consensus building, strategy and communication, you create real opportunity for your team to thrive organically and enhance your mission impact in new and innovative ways.
As President, Laura Hutyra is a results-driven leader focused on M. Gale team collaboration and operational goals across all of the company’s departments. Laura also serves as a consultant to help clients navigate organizational and fundraising solutions that maintain mission promises. She is a seasoned campaign fundraiser, with experience managing multi-million dollar campaigns.
