By Brian Vernellis
GVSU University Communications
An annual report released by Grand Valley State University’s Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy examines the 11 trends facing nonprofits, foundations and communities for the year.
This year’s report, the eighth edition of the center’s “11 Trends in Philanthropy,” includes essays and analysis on topics such as how artificial intelligence will impact the nonprofit sector, how Generation Z is balancing its economic reality with affecting change and the increasing scrutiny of anonymous donations in politics and nonprofits.
Each trend presents complex questions about how nonprofits and funders prioritize, evaluate and communicate their choices and strategies for colleagues, the public and policymakers.
Understanding context of communities
“’11 Trends in Philanthropy’ is grounded in the premise that, to be true agents of good, we in philanthropy need to understand not only the context of our communities but the context of our practice,” said Lesley D. Slavitt, Executive Director of the Johnson Center.
“This report pairs a wide-angle view of what’s shifting in our sector with the emergent questions that, once answered, will ultimately determine our impact.”
This year’s report includes examinations of:
- The nature of success in higher education in prison programs.
- How Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are leading an upsurge in philanthropy.
- How the glass cliff is creating a crisis in leadership, especially for Black women.
- The growing number of calls for increased investment in the U.S. South.
- How proposed changes to federal race and ethnicity standards could impact nonprofits and communities.
- How place-based funders are reacting to the affordable housing crisis.
- Why more charitable groups are choosing the fiscal sponsorship route.
- The arrival of the artificial intelligence revolution in the nonprofit sector.
- The increasing scrutiny of anonymous donations in politics and philanthropy.
- How Generation Z is balancing their economic reality with a desire to create change.
- The rapid and fragile rise of influencer philanthropy.
The study also tracks the progress of trends noted in previous years’ reports — such as the explosion of philanthropic interest in higher education in prison programs and the ongoing influence of generational changes in the donor pool on nonprofits’ fundraising and engagement strategies.
The center’s full report is available on the Johnson Center website.
Webinar discussion
The Johnson Center will also host a webinar discussing these trends at 3 p.m. on March 19.
The panel will include Don Chen, president of Surdna Foundation; Stacy Palmer, chief executive of The Chronicle of Philanthropy; and Akilah Watkins, president and CEO of Independent Sector.
Registration for the webinar is available on the Johnson Center website.
