Donor Confidence on the Rise

Valencia, CA, May 1, 2009 — Confidence among individual American donors edged higher in April 2009 to an index level of 88.2, according to a nationwide survey published by polling firm Campbell Rinker. The firm’s April Donor Confidence Index topped a score of 87.5 measured in February and bested the 84.7 measured in December. This trend suggests that donors are gradually gaining confidence in 2009.

The baseline index of 100 was established in February 2008, and takes into account donor confidence donors’ self-reported expectations about their future giving, their views on the nonprofit sector and the nation’s economic health, and a half-dozen other responses.

While nearly half of donors (48%) say they expect to give the same this year compared to last February, 28% expect to give less, and 15% expect to give more.

In releasing the fourth edition of the confidence tracking poll since October 2008, study author Dirk Rinker notes that “there seems to be some reluctance among donors to say they plan to give the same or more in the coming year, even though they feel better about the state of the country at this point.”

In April, a 51% majority of donors were satisfied with the country’s direction, up strongly from just 32% of donors in December. Furthermore, the proportion of donors who see the economy in decline is now 29%, half the level it was in October 2008, and those who expect the economy to improve within the next year jumped from 23% in February to 33% in April.

“On the whole,” Rinker adds, “donors are feeling much better about the direction of the country and the prospects for economic recovery within the year. For the time being, we don’t see that optimism translating into a renewed willingness to give.”