Thanks to Convio for this great report!

Edge Research conducted a national survey of more than 1,100 holiday donors from a census-representative population of adults for Convio from October 20, 2010 to November 8, 2010. The results are encouraging. Americans, by and large, are seemingly willing to put aside today’s economic challenges to support nonprofits and the beneficial work they do in our society. To download the report, click here.

• US giving during the 2010 holiday season to nonprofit organizations will be more than $48 billion across all giving channels — including online, direct mail and donation at checkout — as more than 174 million adult Americans plan to give money to charity between Thanksgiving and year-end. Online giving alone is estimated to account for more than $6 billion, an increase of more than 30 percent from this same period in 2009.
  
  
• Nearly three-quarters (74%) of adults plan to make a charitable contribution this holiday season, and a majority of holiday donors (60%) plan to give $100 or more.

• Holiday giving is emotional — donors say that appeals, which put a face to the donation (either human or animal), and remind donors to help those who are less fortunate at this time of year, are most persuasive.
  
  
• Holiday giving is particularly effective with harder-to-reach Generations X and Y, as large percentages of these groups intend to give and give generously – 83% of Gen Y plan to give, while 79% of Gen X say they will give. Gen X plans to give $348 in total this holiday season, more than any other generation.

• Donors are projected to give through a variety of different channels this holiday season, with 72% giving in two or more ways, such as direct mail and online.

• A substantial 25% of high-dollar donors and 21% of holiday givers will make online donations, emphasizing the importance of nonprofits adopting an integrated marketing strategy. High-dollar donors are individuals who have given at least $1,000 to a single charity in the last 18 months

• Social media is still an emerging vehicle for holiday donations – 9% say they might be solicited through Facebook, Twitter or another social network; and about half of those (4%) say they will give through these outlets.

• The average total amount holiday givers plan to donate is $281, while high-dollar donors’ average projected donations totalling $952. More than half (55%) will spread their contributions across 2-3 organizations, and 23% will give to four more organizations.

• Two-thirds (66%) plan to donate the same amount as last year, and 12% plan to increase their contributions this holiday season.

• Support spans a variety of charitable sectors:
  • Human and Social Service organizations with 50% of donors
  • Faith-based organizations come in second with 45% of donors.
  • Disease and Health Services at 29%
  • Animal Welfare organizations at 25%
  • Disaster and International Relief at 19%
  • Education-related organizations at 15%.

• High-dollar donors are particularly supportive of Faith-based organizations, with 68% giving to these groups. This is not surprising given that 74% of donors said the number one reason they give is because “the holidays are a time to be thankful for what you have, and give to those who need it.”

What are you going to do with this information?

• Do you have a plan for cultivating and following up with donors who give during this critical time? These donors are testing you…..what happens after they make their gift? How you respond will determine their loyalty to your mission and work. We need to BUILD donor loyalty through cultivation – solicitation is NOT a donor-centric, loyalty strategy.
  
• PERSONALIZED thank you letters going out within 48 hours of receiving a gift?
• Do you have an email welcome series ready to go?
• Implementing an integrated communication, cultivation and solicitation program?

Want some ideas and solutions? Send me an email – barbara@3talisman.com.