In this donor-focused, data-packed episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. is joined by Jon Bergdoll, Interim Director of Data and Research Partnerships at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, to break down the latest findings from the 2023 Bank of America Study of High Net-Worth Philanthropy. Now in its 20th year, the report offers a close-up on the giving habits of households with $1M+ in investable assets or incomes over $200,000.
The numbers tell a nuanced story. While total dollars donated by high-net-worth households remain strong, the percentage of those households giving annually is slipping, a continuation of the “donors down, dollars up” trend seen in the broader population. Volunteering, meanwhile, is bouncing back post-pandemic, now at 43% (up from a 2020 low of 30%) but still below pre-2020 levels. These donors continue to prioritize religion, education, and human services, and they’re increasingly aligning their financial choices, spending and giving alike, with their values.
Local impact matters. Over 70% of high-net-worth donors report giving to causes in their own communities, compared to 32% giving nationally and just 13% internationally. Spontaneity still plays a role, roughly 85% of donors say they sometimes or always give when asked or in response to emerging needs, but effectiveness is key. Donors want to know their gifts are making a difference. Use of giving vehicles like donor-advised funds, private foundations, and IRA distributions is slowly rising, with nearly 1 in 5 affluent households now leveraging at least one structured giving mechanism.
This year’s report also introduces five philanthropic identities: Steadfast Supporters, Devout Donors, Entrepreneurs, Changemakers, and Philanthropic Experts. These profiles offer fundraisers a practical way to understand donor motivations and tailor outreach accordingly.
All content for First Day Podcast is the property of The Fund Raising School and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In this donor-focused, data-packed episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. is joined by Jon Bergdoll, Interim Director of Data and Research Partnerships at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, to break down the latest findings from the 2023 Bank of America Study of High Net-Worth Philanthropy. Now in its 20th year, the report offers a close-up on the giving habits of households with $1M+ in investable assets or incomes over $200,000.
The numbers tell a nuanced story. While total dollars donated by high-net-worth households remain strong, the percentage of those households giving annually is slipping, a continuation of the “donors down, dollars up” trend seen in the broader population. Volunteering, meanwhile, is bouncing back post-pandemic, now at 43% (up from a 2020 low of 30%) but still below pre-2020 levels. These donors continue to prioritize religion, education, and human services, and they’re increasingly aligning their financial choices, spending and giving alike, with their values.
Local impact matters. Over 70% of high-net-worth donors report giving to causes in their own communities, compared to 32% giving nationally and just 13% internationally. Spontaneity still plays a role, roughly 85% of donors say they sometimes or always give when asked or in response to emerging needs, but effectiveness is key. Donors want to know their gifts are making a difference. Use of giving vehicles like donor-advised funds, private foundations, and IRA distributions is slowly rising, with nearly 1 in 5 affluent households now leveraging at least one structured giving mechanism.
This year’s report also introduces five philanthropic identities: Steadfast Supporters, Devout Donors, Entrepreneurs, Changemakers, and Philanthropic Experts. These profiles offer fundraisers a practical way to understand donor motivations and tailor outreach accordingly.
In this soul-soothing episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., sits down with fundraising coach, burnout buster, and author of What the Fundraising, Mallory Erickson. A former “accidental fundraiser” turned executive coach, Mallory brings a compassionate yet data-backed perspective on one of the sector’s stickiest problems: burnout. Spoiler alert, turns out it’s not just about working too many hours. From pandemic pivots to deep dives on limiting beliefs, Mallory invites fundraisers to rethink the way they show up; for their donors, for their missions, and most importantly, for themselves.
Mallory kicks off with a candid look at her own crash-and-burn moment in the fundraising trenches, which sparked a journey through coaching, behavior design, and neuroscience. The aha moment? Our nervous systems weren’t built for constant rejection, scarcity thinking, and “spray and pray” donor outreach. From internalized shame about asking for money to the “double the goal, same resources” treadmill, she lays out the five hidden drivers of burnout: rejection, uncertainty, and power dynamics all made the cut. “You can’t mindset your way out of a toxic culture,” she says, “but you can start with alignment.”
The conversation digs into Mallory’s signature approach, alignment-first fundraising. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill “manifest a million-dollar donor” advice. It’s neuroscience, baby. Mallory helps fundraisers identify the disconnect between how they feel and what they do, using frameworks that put self-awareness at the center of strategy. Through tools like asset mapping, funder lenses, and yes, actually asking if a donor is the right fit, fundraisers learn to lead with curiosity and trust, not desperation. “Alignment isn’t just a tactic,” she explains, “it’s the foundation for genuine connection.”
Bill and Mallory also explore how fundraisers can lead up, even in environments thick with scarcity mindset and outdated metrics. From convincing skeptical bosses to try a new approach (“just give me two months!”) to shifting culture one pilot project at a time, Mallory’s coaching is both practical and powerful. And for those who feel stuck between mission and meltdown, she offers a gentle but firm reminder: transformational fundraising is possible, but only if we transform ourselves first.
First Day Podcast
In this donor-focused, data-packed episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. is joined by Jon Bergdoll, Interim Director of Data and Research Partnerships at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, to break down the latest findings from the 2023 Bank of America Study of High Net-Worth Philanthropy. Now in its 20th year, the report offers a close-up on the giving habits of households with $1M+ in investable assets or incomes over $200,000.
The numbers tell a nuanced story. While total dollars donated by high-net-worth households remain strong, the percentage of those households giving annually is slipping, a continuation of the “donors down, dollars up” trend seen in the broader population. Volunteering, meanwhile, is bouncing back post-pandemic, now at 43% (up from a 2020 low of 30%) but still below pre-2020 levels. These donors continue to prioritize religion, education, and human services, and they’re increasingly aligning their financial choices, spending and giving alike, with their values.
Local impact matters. Over 70% of high-net-worth donors report giving to causes in their own communities, compared to 32% giving nationally and just 13% internationally. Spontaneity still plays a role, roughly 85% of donors say they sometimes or always give when asked or in response to emerging needs, but effectiveness is key. Donors want to know their gifts are making a difference. Use of giving vehicles like donor-advised funds, private foundations, and IRA distributions is slowly rising, with nearly 1 in 5 affluent households now leveraging at least one structured giving mechanism.
This year’s report also introduces five philanthropic identities: Steadfast Supporters, Devout Donors, Entrepreneurs, Changemakers, and Philanthropic Experts. These profiles offer fundraisers a practical way to understand donor motivations and tailor outreach accordingly.
