Fundraising trends have been rising over the past few years. At the top of 2020, the industry has found itself experiencing important changes, which will continue to develop as the year continues. Because the development and resource advancement field is forever changing, fundraising trends serve as essential staples that will affect the success of nonprofit organizations.

Option to Work Remotely

Even though there are many fundraisers who come into the office to conduct business, there is a steadily increasing trend of development professionals working remotely. This trend not only includes fundraisers who live locally and work from home but ones who work out of the state or even the country. Research shows that nonprofits who have flexible work environments tend to have a stronger employee retention rate. Additionally, this trend also helps the bottom line. For example, having employees who work remotely can allow employers to scale back on certain overhead costs. Additionally, employers are able to widen their candidate pool if geography is not a main concern.

Increased Donations from Socially Conscious Donors

Following the 2016 presidential election, there was a large spike in donations. Fundraisers anticipate seeing similar results in the 2020 race. Studies show that donors feel compelled to donate to causes close to their heart at the height of politics because they want to contribute. Even if a nonprofit does not have direct political affiliations, it is still likely to reap the benefits. Donors who sign up during these times tend to become recurring donors and are more active than casual contributors. Additionally, the State of Modern Philanthropy reported in 2018 that recurring donors are five times more likely to be valuable than one-off donors.

Need for Transparency

In today’s current market, donors demand reports and updates regarding impact transparency and global effectiveness. They want to know how their dollars are effecting change, and where they are most needed. The fundraising and philanthropy space has made strides to accommodate this emerging type of donors, providing more transparent donation options, such as donor-advised funds and blockchain good.

As technology continues to evolve, fundraising will move alongside its changes. Fundraisers utilize innovative apps that will provide ease and convenience for the donors, such as finding opportunities through platforms, including Uber, Shopify, Twitch, etc. Through various partnerships, nonprofits are enabled to gain access to consumers who have the potential of becoming donors.