NEW YORK (AP) — A new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that most Americans are not making plans for end-of-year charitable donations, even as nonprofits ramp up their fundraising appeals. This trend could significantly affect the traditional surge in donations that many organizations rely on to meet their annual budgets.
Conducted in early December, the survey indicates that approximately half of U.S. adults report that they have already made their charitable contributions for 2025. Only 18% plan to donate again before the year ends, and just 6% say they have yet to give but will do so by the end of the month, leaving 30% who have not and do not intend to donate at all.
Economic pressures are evident this year, as donors grapple with competing financial commitments. Factors such as President Trump’s social services grant cuts, foreign aid reductions, and a freeze on SNAP benefits are creating a challenging financial landscape, influencing the decisions of potential donors. Additionally, inflation has put a strain on lower-income households, limiting their ability to give.
Dianne Chipps Bailey, managing director of Bank of America's Philanthropic Solutions division, stresses the significance of December, which typically accounts for a substantial portion of annual donations. The National Philanthropic Trust reports that nearly one-third of charitable giving occurs in the final month of the year.
The importance of GivingTuesday, a day dedicated to charitable donations that follows Black Friday, also continues to grow. However, this year, Americans were more likely to make purchases during Black Friday than to donate on GivingTuesday, with participation rates dropping significantly.
Alternatives to traditional giving are emerging, such as checkout donations at retailers, with approximately 40% of Americans claiming to donate when checking out at stores. Older adults disproportionately tend to engage in such small-scale donations.
Amid these trends, people like Chuck Dietrick, a 69-year-old architect, exemplify the shift toward a more diversified approach to donations, favoring monthly contributions to various organizations near to their hearts rather than larger one-off gifts.
As the end of the year approaches, the willingness to support charities remains contingent on broader financial contexts. Despite federal funding cuts or government shutdowns, many donors assert that their giving habits were not significantly affected, although there is an observable shift in the causes they choose to support. As demonstrated by participants in the poll, motivations for donation vary widely, indicating that the nonprofit sector may need to adapt their strategies to meet changing donor dynamics.
