Giving by donors of modest means in the United States is in decline, and it appears that this has also hurt the nonprofits that depend on their donations. But there are solutions that can help smaller givers make bigger gifts.
One bright spot and an important counter–trend, as Ronnie Polaneczky covers in the Philadelphia Inquirer, is the proliferation of giving circles.
As Polaneczky writes, “It’s time for the lesser–heeled to reclaim the word [philanthropy], which comes from a word that means “a lover of mankind.” It’s not as if only the … rich use their time, talent, and money for the betterment of others.” Plenty of people do.
The growing trend toward giving circles has been bolstered by the availability of online tools that allow people to “back–end” accounting functions. One study founded that the number of giving circles nationwide tripled between 2007 and 2016.