Giving increased .7% but you won’t hear many people celebrating and that’s really too bad

They were wrong.

Remember when the Lilly School predicted at least a $13 billion drop in giving due to the Trump Tax Cut (which would have taken us to $376 billion)?

Instead, we saw a .7% rise in real dollars to $427.71 billion.

They should have egg on their faces for their doomsday prediction. Instead I’m seeing reporters spin the recently released Giving USA data on last year’s charitable giving saying “the tax cut made people less generous.”

Good grief! Not true!!

Folks, the real reason people are giving just a little bit less (in inflation-adjusted dollars) is because people are fed up! They (your current and potential supporters) are sick and tired of being pummeled again and again by over-solicitous fundraising tactics that fail to provide value to them. PERIOD!

If you want to raise more money, keep focusing on providing value to your supporters. MAKE THEM FEEL GOOD!! Especially your major and legacy gift donors.

People are generous. But only if you treat them right. It’s just that simple!

Have a nice day.  🙂