Over the last century, surveys of the landscape of American generosity have been dominated by a single feature: the longstanding year-over-year increase in the aggregate dollars Americans have given to tax-deductible nonprofit organizations. However, in 2022, the view from the top began to look different, with the total amount raised representing a decline of 8.4% from the year before in inflation-adjusted dollars; in 2023, total giving fell by another 2.1%.  

We have also seen a steady decline in the share of households giving to nonprofits dropping from 66.2% in 2000 to 49.6% in 2018 and a parallel decline in the rate of volunteering going from 27 percent of Americans in 2002 to 23 percent in 2021. 

In the face of these changes, the Generosity Commission was convened in October 2021 to better understand giving and volunteering today. The Generosity Commission, a group of leaders from across the charitable sector, is committed to celebrating and supporting everyday givers and volunteers in the United States while also illuminating the important role these social actors play in our society and recommending actions that could be taken by policymakers, business leaders, foundation officers, and nonprofit innovators to encourage their participation and contribute to growing their numbers. 

Join commission leaders, Mike Gianoni, President, CEO, and Vice Chairman, Blackbaud, and commission co-chair  Kenneth Hodder, national commander for Salvation Army and commission member, and John Tyler, general counsel and corporate secretary for Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, co-chair of the commission’s policy task force, for a moderated conversation hosted by Sally Ehrenfried, head of government relations, Blackbaud, on the commission’s report, which will be released on Tuesday, September 17.  

Everyday givers and volunteers have extraordinary power to meet local needs, build community, and strengthen our social fabric. As fewer people are giving to and volunteering with nonprofits today, the Generosity Commission is sharing research and recommendations to protect and promote the future of generosity in the United States.

After the panel session is concluded, please grab your lunch right outside our room and come back for some related table-top discussions to help you network!