RKD Group, a Dallas-based nonprofit fundraising and marketing agency, has partnered with McQueen Mackin & Associates, a nonprofit strategy consultancy, to co-commission a study reporting causes behind the drop in December 2018 giving.
According to the Blackbaud Giving Index, overall giving in December 2018 dropped -2.3% and online giving dropped -4.4%.
“Our main goal for this study was to get to the bottom of why people did not donate as much in December 2018,” stated Josh McQueen, co-founder of McQueen Mackin & Associates. “We noticed different theories thrown around regarding why this happened, but no clear facts or reports. Was it the economy? Tax laws? People had guesses, but we wanted answers.”
The study, conducted in January of 2019, surveyed donors who traditionally made 4+ gifts annually with questions centered around topics such as why, how and where they donated at the end of 2018. 1 in 5 donors reported giving less in 2018, and among reasons cited was a lack of a connection.
RKD Group reported the findings to form conclusions as to why this giving decrease occurred, and what compelled donors to feel less motivated to donate as much in 2018. These discoveries were recorded in their recently released whitepaper.
“RKD is driven by data and insights,” states Tim Kersten, CEO of RKD Group. “We know that donor motivations and giving habits are evolving, and it’s important that we leverage data to uncover insights that will allow us to continue connecting people with organizations that make the world more humane, just and compassionate. We’re excited to share our findings and answer questions about giving in December 2018.”
