In this episode, we catch up on what’s happening across the fundraising and marketing landscape as we discuss trends we’re seeing. From looking at who 2022’s top donors were to a new study that sheds light on donor behavior as we spring forward and new limitations TikTok is implementing for minors.

Consumer Trends:

• Donor Behavior
• Economic Insights
• Digital Trends

Donor Behavior

According to a study published by the University of California at Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science, money donated in the days following Daylight Saving Time declines by 10 percent. The study found that when the clocks spring forward, and Americans lose an hour of sleep, they are less generous and less likely to donate. 

In a post-pandemic world, volunteerism has seen a steep decline in the United States. 

The majority of the top donors reside in California and their median age was 74 years old. 

Economic Insights

As inflation continues and there is skepticism about the economy, we are noticing there have been positive signs in the first quarter of 2023, despite difficult times. Nonprofits haven’t seen the eased inflation rates. Because of inflation and a tight job market, many individuals are looking for higher-paying jobs. Nonprofits historically have a hard time with rising wages because they do not have the budget to compete with for-profit organizations. On a positive note, many Americans feel more confident about their financial circumstances. This could mean donors who pulled back in 2022 might rethink their giving in 2023.

Digital Trends

As people around the world have watched the TikTok hearings wondering what will come of them, a small but impactful action has come. Last week, the social media platform announced it would limit screen time to 60 minutes per day for users under the age of 18. Twitter also announced and began censoring violent speech on their platform, much like other social media channels.

Despite constant changes in the social media landscape, there is an opportunity for nonprofits to leverage LinkedIn to network with one another and engage new donors. LinkedIn has jumped on the AI bandwagon through a new feature called Collaborative Articles. Through this new feature, when you make a post on LinkedIn, this tool will automatically add relevant information and articles to spark a conversation on the topic you posted. 

Online shopping was king during the pandemic, but it still reigns post-pandemic. And not just younger generations; baby boomers account for a large percentage of online sales, too. Buy now, pay later subscriptions have also become standard for online shopping. Experts believe that by 2026, more than half of all shoppers will have used a buy now, pay later feature. We’ve also noticed that most shoppers are utilizing Amazon for product discovery rather than Google or Bing.

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