The annual flood of fundraising benchmark reports makes me feel like Michael Scott from the Office when he said, “Oh my God! Okay, it’s happening! Everybody stay calm!” With so many reports to choose from—each packed with stats, trends, and takeaways—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the data. Which reports actually matter for your organization? How do you turn all that data into action?
Even with my enthusiasm for fundraising reports, I recognize all the data can quickly become overwhelming. In this blog, I break down four of my top fundraising benchmark reports—what sets them apart, why they’re valuable tools, and how you can use their insights to improve your fundraising strategy. Whether you’re planning your next campaign, building a board presentation, or simply trying to stay current, this guide will help you make sense of the metrics that matter.
1. Giving USA
Things I love about this report: Oh, the nostalgia! Giving USA is the OG in philanthropy benchmarking. Published consistently since 1956, this report analyzes broad economic factors influencing the state of philanthropy. It is one of the most authoritative sources on charitable donations, making it an essential tool for understanding the larger landscape of philanthropy. I also love that Giving USA provides a ready-made PowerPoint presentation, a visual infographic highlighting the big take-aways, and a Key Findings Report for a quick focus on what you need to know. Though not free, the subscription to Giving USA is very modest ($159/year) and offers a great value for the cost.
Ideal Use: If you want a macroeconomic perspective on charitable giving broken down by subsector, this is the report for you. Giving USA is your primary resource for understanding the origins and distribution of the $592.50 billion that Americans donated to charitable organizations in 2024. Understanding the economic and social trends through this data can help shape your priorities and enhance your engagement approaches to ensure alignment with donor interests and external factors affecting giving.
Fun fact from the report: Religious organizations received 56% of all charitable contributions made between 1984-1989. From 2020-2024 religious organizations received just 25%. Human services organizations saw the largest percentage boost–from 6% to 15% during that same time period.
2. M+R Benchmarks
Things I love about this report: M+R has been at the forefront of digital fundraising and advocacy since before it was “a thing.” M+R compiles data from literally millions of transactions, synthesizes it in easy-to-understand language, and, best of all, offers it as a FREE download on their website.
The M+R Benchmark report focuses on the use and effectiveness of various fundraising channels, particularly digital platforms such as social media, on-line giving, email campaigns, and more. Oh, and the folks doing the writing at M+R can be a bit cheeky—I love that, too!
Ideal Use: If you want to understand current trends in digital fundraising and advocacy, check out M+R. You’ll have access to key data points such as how donors engage with nonprofits, which social media platforms are booming and which are busts, and how organizations are incorporating tools like AI into their fundraising efforts. This report provides information that can help enhance your donor retention strategies and better understand engagement techniques, all of which can help you develop a more donor-centric approach to fundraising while increasing your bottom line.
Fun fact from the report: Of all social media platforms, TikTok had the fastest growing audiences, with average follower counts growing by 37% in 2024. Twitter/X was the only platform to see a decline in growth.
3. Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP)
Things I love about this report: For fundraisers by fundraisers! FEP is a collaborative project of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Foundation for Philanthropy and Giving Tuesday. Centered on measuring and benchmarking fundraising effectiveness, FEP presents performance metrics, including donor acquisition and retention rates across different channels, and provides insights that enable organizations to evaluate their fundraising strategies and identify areas for improvement. The FEP report is another FREE resource, so you know the price is right! Centered on measuring and benchmarking fundraising effectiveness, FEP presents performance metrics, including donor acquisition and retention rates across different channels, and provides insights that enable organizations to evaluate their fundraising strategies and identify areas for improvement. The FEP report is another FREE resource, so you know the price is right!
Ideal Use: If you’ve ever wondered what KPIs should be on your fundraising dashboard, the FEP report is a great place to start. FEP can help you assess your current fundraising performance against benchmarks and is particularly useful for nonprofits that seek to refine their tactics and understand the effectiveness of various fundraising channels.
Fun fact from the report: First time donors accounted for 39.9% of all donors to an organization yet only 19.3% went on to renew their support.
4. Virtuous
What I love about this report: We’ve come a long way from tracking moves management on index cards! Virtuous highlights innovative trends in fundraising, especially regarding the use of technology and data analytics in developing a responsive fundraising program. The report discusses how nonprofits can utilize technology to improve donor engagement and enhance the overall fundraising and giving experience. And if you want a deeper dive into their responsive fundraising model, you can also download their free e-book Responsive Maturity Model.
Ideal Use: If you’re looking at ways to integrate technology more robustly into your fundraising strategies and improve the experience for your donors, be sure to check out the Virtuous report. This report provides valuable insights for organizations wanting to stay ahead of trends in digital fundraising and donor relationship management. While this report is also free, Virtuous is a software company and one of their objectives may be to illustrate how their solution can be beneficial to your organization. Even with that in mind, there’s still plenty of good, actionable data provided that will make you reconsider how you think about fundraising.
Fun fact from the report: Income from monthly donors accounted for 12.88% on average, with the top quartile of nonprofits in the study consistently able to achieve 33.5% of their revenue from monthly donors.
While all this data might seem overwhelming at first, let’s remember it can also offer an exciting opportunity for growth and innovation. The insights from Giving USA, M+R Benchmarks, the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, and the Virtuous report can help illuminate your path toward more effective fundraising strategies and deeper long-lasting donor connections.
So, whether you’re looking to understand trends, assess your impact, or explore new technologies, dive into these resources and others like them. With the right information at your fingertips, you can strengthen your fundraising program, improve your donor stewardship and make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people and communities you serve.
Let’s get you on track! Find out how My Philanthropy Team can help you meet your year-end fundraising goals.
Recent Comments