No Really, Let Us Engrave Your Name On That Building…

August 18th, 2009

Sometimes it’s really important for donors to take all the credit.

The rise in anonymous giving has people wondering whether or not it’s a good thing.
On the one hand, people who give huge donations publicly are sometimes seen as arrogant, since the media ranks big donors against each other – just like a competition.
On the other hand, in general, the best givers are those who have given in the past. Giving anonymously makes it harder for fundraisers to pinpoint these important donors. Arguably, the media hype they attract can also inspire smaller donors to get more involved.

In 2008, 19% of donations over $1 million were made anonymously, compared to the 3-5% norm for the past decade.
Americans gave a record $306 billion to charity in 2007.
While anonymous giving rose to an unprecedented 19% in 2008, total U.S. giving declined for only the third time in 50 years.