Charitable giving as a form of civic engagement in the United States attracts greater participation than many other types of civic involvement – even voting. For more than fifty years, the annual publication Giving USA, published by Giving USA Foundation and researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, has reported who gives what to whom. But 2009 was no ordinary year. How did charitable giving fare amidst the economic crisis? What shifts took place in giving by individuals, corporations, and foundations? More importantly, what do the results tell us about who we are, where philanthropy is going, and what fundraisers can expect of 2010?
On June 10—the day after the release of Giving USA 2010 —Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University joined forces to host a distinguished panel to discuss the questions raised by the latest numbers. Trustees, philanthropists, financial advisors, giving officers, volunteers, nonprofit leaders, executive directors, and fundraising and public policy professionals will find this Giving USA briefing helpful in understanding philanthropy, fundraising expectations and long-term national trends.
