Many Types of Giving Are Challenging to Quantify. We Call On Others in Philanthropy to Help Us Measure Them.

To the Editor:

A recent opinion piece by Jeff Cain, “Giving USA Misses the Boat on the True State of Generosity in America” (July 26, 2023), rests on the premise that the “Giving USA 2023” report ignores many forms of giving. But it misrepresents the goal and scope of the annual study.

The report provides estimates for the sources and recipient categories of charitable giving and analyzes the landscape so that readers can better understand philanthropy in the United States. These estimates are the result of the most rigorous methodologies available for calculating giving, and the data from which they draw is from trustworthy sources, including the IRS and Candid. For more than six decades, “Giving USA” has been invaluable for fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, and others who participate in charitable giving, helping them navigate an ever-changing philanthropic environment.

While “Giving USA” report estimates do not include every form of generosity, which the beginning of the latest report acknowledges, the report does highlight existing research on the array of informal giving in the field. Additionally, Giving USA Foundation publishes special reports exploring aspects of generosity, such as trends in generational giving, that are beyond the scope of the “Giving USA” report.

Giving USA Foundation and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy are committed to understanding and reporting on how generosity is evolving. In recent years, interest in informal giving, such as mutual-aid groups, crowdsourcing, and peer-to-peer giving, has grown. They’re more challenging to measure than donations to most 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. It takes time and effort to cultivate new, reliable data sources and develop verifiable estimates.

Charitable giving in 2022 reached nearly a half trillion dollars — a remarkable achievement. Those of us in philanthropy celebrate and are heartened by the spirit of American generosity, even amid challenging economic times.

We encourage everyone in the sector to work together to develop innovative models that track newer and existing forms of generosity. Painting a fuller picture will require many organizations, resources, and methods. As with all great achievements, it takes a village, and we hope you’ll join us.

Josh Birkholz
Chair
Giving USA Foundation