Portland, OR. While December continues to be the largest month for charitable giving, 2018 gave way to the biggest shift in distribution across other months. In 2017, approximately 18.2% of giving took place in December and this shifted to 17% in 2018, according to a report by Blackbaud. June has continued to be the second-largest giving month of the year, which aligns with the end of the fiscal year for many nonprofit organizations. Meals on Wheels People, pictured above, like many nonprofits, continues to need support.
In 2018, overall charitable giving in the United States increased by 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Large organizations grew by 2.3%; medium organizations increased 2%; and small nonprofits experienced a decrease of 2.3% compared to the same time period in 2017. Since 2016, overall giving has grown 9% and giving to Foundations grew 5% over the same three year time period.
Online giving grew 1.2% in 2018 compared to 2017. Large organizations had a decrease of 0.5%; medium-sized organizations grew 3.7%; and small nonprofits grew 0.7% on a year-over-year basis. Since 2016, online giving has grown 17%, and average online gift amounts have continued to increase. The percentage of total fundraising that came from online giving once again reached another record high in 2018. Approximately 8.5% of overall fundraising revenue, excluding grants, was raised online. In 2018, 24% of online transactions were made using a mobile device.
This is the continuation of a growing trend we have measured over many years now. Arts and Culture organizations had the largest growth in both overall and online giving during 2018. Animal Welfare, International Affairs, Higher Education, and Public and Society Benefit organizations also experienced significant growth in overall giving compared to 2017. Public and Society Benefit, Healthcare, and Faith Communities also had growth in online giving in 2018. 2018 continued the longest sustained period of charitable giving growth since the last recession.
There are several key trends shaping charitable giving that are highlighted here. First, charitable giving in the United States is returning to normal levels following two years of significant growth. Second, online giving is entering a new phase where mobile and other digital channels continue to change how donors engage with nonprofit organizations. Finally, giving to Foundations and Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) continues to grow in response to supporter preferences and changes in incentives. A 36-month view of fundraising from the same organizations reveals a 9% growth in overall giving and a 17% increase in online giving. When we take a broader view, spikes in giving during 2017 gave way to more normal growth rates in 2018. There is a tendency to want to identify a single reason for shifts in giving, but that is not how the philanthropic ecosystem works.
The digital marketing firm for nonprofits, Blackbaud, released this finding in its 2018 Charitable Giving Report.
Portland, OR. The Northwest Film Center and the Portland Art Museum (PAM) continue their virtual offerings like the YouTube viewing of the film Monsters and Men, (pictured above) directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.
PAM leaders say they’re also creating a plan to reopen. For the past three months, the Portland Art Museum has been closed due to COVID-19. Now head of visitor services, Lisa Hoffman is announcing a plan to reopen. Beginning July 16th, the Museum will reopen some of its galleries and welcome a limited number of visitors. The popular Volcano! and Art and Race Mattersexhibitions will now be extended through the end of the year. Exhibits that were slated for the summer and fall, including Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism and Ansel Adams in Our Time, will open at later dates.
Over the summer, more galleries in the museum will be reopened as conditions allow.
The museum still has many virtual options in the meantime:
Here’s more information about The Northwest Film Center’s virtual screening of Monsters and Men, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. The film, Monsters and Men is screening for free on YouTube via NEON.Monsters and Men is an important cinematic attempt to reckon with one of the central challenges of our moment and it’s free.
Portland Art Museum:
The mission of the Portland Art Museum is to engage diverse communities through art and film of enduring quality, and to collect, preserve, and educate for the enrichment of present and future generations.
Portland, OR. The Portland Japanese Garden reopened to the public on June 11th. According to Garden leaders, it’s the first of the cultural organizations in Portland to reopen and could not come at a more important time.
Using guidelines for outdoor recreation areas issued by federal and state health authorities, Portland Japanese Garden leadership says it is following best practices for guest and employee safety. Among the new safety adjustments are timed entry admissions, one-way routes through the Garden, and limiting the number of people in spaces.
Founded shortly after the end of World War II, the organization is dedicated to ideals of peace and cultural understanding. “We were established specifically to cultivate inner peace as well as peace between peoples and cultures,” said CEO, Steve Bloom. “Between the coronavirus, the economy, and the heightened awareness around pervasive racial injustice, there are a lot of personal and social challenges everyone is working through. We stand with Black Lives Matter because we recognize that people of color have borne a disproportionate share of these hardships and we reaffirm our organization’s values of inclusivity, anti-racism, and cultural understanding.”
The Garden closed to the public March 19th just before Governor Kate Brown issued stay-at-home orders. Since then, the garden was unable to earn revenue from ticket sales, therefore temporarily laid off nearly 90% of its staff while Through the closure, the Japanese Garden continued to post “One Minute of Serenity” videos as a way to share some much-needed calm during an uneasy time. Now with the reopening, the Garden hopes that those who are able to leave home will come back to the Garden early and often to support and sustain it. “Portland is an incredible city and places like Portland Japanese Garden are what makes it so special,” says Bloom. “We are here for the community and because of the community. It’s community support that makes our existence possible.”
Portland Japanese Garden is a nonprofit organization originally founded in 1963 as a place for cross-cultural understanding following World War II. A hallmark in the City of Portland, the Garden was founded on the ideals of peace and mutual understanding between peoples and cultures. Portland Japanese Garden is considered the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan and the foremost Japanese cultural organization in North America.
Portland, OR. Girls Inc. held a virtual celebration of girls’ empowerment on Friday, June 5th which raised over $395,000. The funds are earmarked for the organization’s STEM, health, and life skills programs which benefit girls ages 6-18. There were 900 attendees at the virtual benefit. Because of COVID-19, this was the first year the event was online. Power of the Purse has raised over $5 million dollars over the last 15 years.
In previous years Girls Inc. had a live runway show, like the event in 2016. (Girls Inc. girl, Lana, are pictured with Carol Risley, Designer, and Daria Eliuk, Purse-o-nality)
Every year notable Portland leaders, artists, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists work with local purse designers to create one-of-a-kind handbags to raise money for Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest. Each piece is a unique work of art that is auctioned off during a live fashion show featuring Girls Inc. youth.
The organization provides many opportunities for girls like the, “Rappel for Her,” event, during which participants rappel down a downtown skyscraper. (This photo of “Rappel for Her” in August of 2019, Provided by Girls Inc.)
About Girls Inc.:
In partnership with schools and at Girls Inc. centers, we focus on the development of the whole girl. She learns to value herself, take risks, and discover and develop her inherent strengths. The combination of long-lasting mentoring relationships, a pro-girl environment, and research-based programming equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers, and grow up healthy, educated, and independent. Informed by girls and their families, we also advocate for legislation and policies to increase opportunities and rights for all girls.
Portland, OR. Self Enhancement, Inc. provided the first free coronavirus testing to the African American community on June 6th. An estimated 300 community members came to the Northeast Portland headquarters of the nonprofit for the free tests. Tony Hopson Sr., director of the nonprofit, has been pushing for more testing since April when it became clear the virus was disproportionately affecting African Americans.
Non-symptomatic people and those who have been near large crowds recently were also encouraged to come to be tested.
Self Enhancement, Inc., was able to serve walk-ups on top of the scheduled appointments.
Earlier in the week, Patrick Allen, Oregon Health Authority director, apologized to communities of color for the disproportionate effect the virus has had on “Black and African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Native American, and Latino, Latina, and Latinx people, in the U.S., and here in Oregon…A centuries-long history of racism and oppression have led to the very health conditions that exacerbate the impacts of COVID-19. And we at OHA were, frankly, too slow to recognize that threat and act on it,” Allen said in a statement. “For that, I’m truly sorry.”
At least one Oregon tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, has seen more than 20 positive COVID-19 cases as of the end of May. Some of the state’s largest workplace outbreaks have been at fruit-packing plants, where employees are predominantly Latino.
The public health agency announced Wednesday it was expanding its recommendations for people who should get tested to include all people of color in Oregon, and a spokesman said the agency is helping to facilitate the testing Saturday.
About Self Enhancement, Inc:
Self Enhancement, Inc (SEI) is dedicated to guiding underserved youth to realize their full potential. Working with schools, families, and partner community organizations, SEI provides support, guidance, and opportunities to achieve personal and academic success. SEI brings hope to individual young people and enhances the quality of community life.
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