New Survey: Americans believe the future of philanthropy is local, and more passionate about social impact

Americans also think women will play a bigger role in charitable giving in the future 

Malvern, Pa., November 19, 2024 - An online survey conducted by The Harris Poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults on behalf of Vanguard Charitable, a leading nonprofit and sponsor of donor-advised funds (DAFs), found that Americans are spirited about giving locally and thinking about better social impact in their future philanthropy. Donors are optimistic about utilizing digital means of giving and women playing a larger role in charitable giving.  

“While younger generations have changing perspectives on how and where they want to give, we are finding that all generations are steadfast in their belief that purposeful giving is vital for nonprofits,” said Elaine Kenig, chief communications officer at Vanguard Charitable. “With great wealth transfer to younger generations in the coming years, these emerging trends will help enable donors and nonprofits connect better to drive a lasting philanthropic impact. This is where we can partner with donors of all ages, set strategic giving plans, and make their charitable donations go further.” 

Key findings from the survey include: 

• Increased Focus on Local Support: 62% of Americans agree that the majority of future monetary donations will be to local organizations instead of national or international organizations.

   

• Greater Commitment to Social Change: 59% of Americans agree that, in the future, younger generations (Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha) will be more likely than older generations (Boomers, Silent Generation) to make monetary donations to nonprofit organizations that are attempting to solve large societal and environmental issues (e.g. climate change, women’s health, economic inequality, race relations, etc.).

   

• Women to Lead Future Philanthropic Action: 55% of Americans believe the future of philanthropy will be women making the majority of monetary donations.

   

• A Shared Focus on Family Giving and Legacy: 60% of Millennials (ages 28-43) and 52% of Gen Z (ages 18-27) agree that younger generations (Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha) will give monetary donations to the same nonprofit organizations and/or cause areas as their parents’ or grandparents’ generation compared to just 42% of Gen X (ages 44-59) and 33% of Boomers (ages 60-78). 

   

• A Shift to Digital Giving: 68% of Americans believe that the majority of future monetary donations will be direct transfers solicited via digital platforms (e.g., social media, GoFundMe, Venmo), suggesting digital platforms and technology enhancements will be instrumental for better charitable giving in the future. 

   

• Younger Donors to Have a Larger Monetary Impact: 58% of Millennials and 56% of Gen Z agree that, in the future, younger generations (Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha) will give larger sums of money to nonprofit organizations than older generations (Boomers, Silent Generation), compared to just 39% of Gen X and 24% of Boomers.

   

In addition to these beliefs about the future of philanthropy, this same survey found budgeting for charitable giving leads Americans to give more to charities. Specifically, American adults who donated money to charity in the past 12 months and included charitable giving in their annual budget donated nearly three times more, on average, than those who donated money but did not budget for it ($2,344 vs. $792).

For donors looking to make the most impact with their charitable dollars, donor-advised funds are a great solution. They are flexible and enable charitable investments to grow over time. Additionally, DAF sponsors, like Vanguard Charitable, offer strategic guidance and solutions to help donors of all ages be intentional with their giving today and into the future. 
 

For more information about Vanguard Charitable or giving through DAFs, please visit www.vanguardcharitable.org.

Survey Method

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Vanguard Charitable from October 22-24, 2024, among 2,035 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/-2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/-2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Katie Miller at KMiller@gobraithwaite.com.

About Vanguard Charitable 

Vanguard Charitable is a leading U.S. nonprofit organization that fulfills its mission to increase philanthropic giving by administering a donor-advised fund—a tax-effective way to consolidate, accrue, and grant assets to charity. Since it was founded by Vanguard¹ in 1997 as an independent 501(c)(3) organization, Vanguard Charitable has granted more than $20 billion to charity. More information is available at www.vanguardcharitable.org. 
 

Vanguard Charitable: 
Crystal Fountain

888-383-4483 
press@vanguardcharitable.org