In the first quarter of 2010, charitable donations rose sharply, which may indicate an economic recovery.

• After donations to charity fell in 2009 due to the recession, first quarter reports indicate that 2010 looks much more promising.
• Many charities are working on new fund-raising approaches in order to make donations seem more personal.
• Even though things are looking up, it will still take a while for nonprofits to fully recover from the recession.

Facts and Figures

• The median rate of growth for the 73 charities that The Chronicle of Philanthropy polled was 14%.
• Donations decreased by about 12% in 2009.
• The 73 organizations polled raised a total of $564.4 million more in the first quarter of 2010 than in the first quarter of 2009.

Best Quote

“The economy has certainly loosened up a bit, and that has loosened up how our donors feel and how we all feel.” – Joe Kender, Vice President for Advancement at Lehigh University

Tags: charity, donations, economy, fundraising, philanthropy, recession recovery