More than 2,300 public charities and 160 private foundations responded to the Guidestar Fall 2010 fundraising survey. The survey was conducted in partnership with the National Research Collaborative—the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, Blackbaud, and the Foundation Center. Italics are mine.

Some highlights include:

• The proportion of participants reporting decreased contributions dropped 14%, from 51% in October 2009 to 37% in October 2010. This is good news!
  
• The percentage who said contributions had increased grew 13%, from 23% in October 2009 to 365 in October 2010. More good news!
  
• For the eighth consecutive year, a majority (68%) of participants reported increased demand for their organizations’ services. Not a surprise but certainly a case for support!
  
• Half of the organizations represented in the survey receive the bulk of contributions during the last quarter of the year, the period known as the giving season. Another reason to continue to build major giving, planned giving and online giving programs. Of this number
  
  • 36% predict that contributions received during the fourth quarter of 2010 will exceed those from the last quarter of 2009,
    
  • 43% expect end-of-year contributions to be about the same as last year, and
    
  • 22% anticipate that end-of-year contributions will be lower.
    
• Approximately 22% of charities used volunteers in positions that were formerly paid positions during the first nine months of 2010. This is up from 15% a year ago. 
  
• Twenty percent of survey respondents reported that their budgets for 2011 will be lower than their 2010 budgets.
• Seven percent reported that their organizations are at risk of folding next year because of finances.

We MUST continue to cultivate and solicit our donors. Communicate with them through outlets that work for them and with message focused on their interests. DO NOT give up. It is in our hands to make a difference to, for and with the organizations and Boards we serve.

You can download a free copy of the full report here.