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Tiltify's American Giving Index: A New Era in Philanthropy

Tiltify Catalyst, a prominent nonprofit fundraising platform, recently unveiled its inaugural American Giving Index (AGI), a quarterly assessment designed to gauge the vitality of institutional philanthropy in the United States. The Q1 2026 index has received a score of 62 out of 100, indicating a sector that, while stable, faces significant pressures. This unique metric serves to balance the quantitative aspects of fundraising with the qualitative realities experienced by donors, as record sums raised highlight an alarming trend: the number of donors is decreasing.

Between the first three quarters of 2025, the number of individuals donating to U.S. nonprofits fell by 3%, despite an increase of 3.7% in total funds raised. A staggering detail emerges from the data: donors giving $50,000 or more constitute a mere 0.4% of the donor base, yet they are responsible for over half of the total money collected. In contrast, the number of contributors giving $100 or less has seen a significant decline of more than 10%.

The American Giving Index, the product of a national survey involving 1,000 U.S. donors aged 18 to 64 conducted in February 2026, evaluates philanthropy through the lenses of Impact Confidence, Financial Capacity, Institutional Trust, and Engagement Activation. Among the revelations are:

• - Affordability Over Trust Issues: The most significant factor hindering donations is the affordability of giving. Over half (52%) of donors cited financial constraints as their leading reason for not contributing more, overshadowing concerns around trust (9%) or fatigue (17%). The Financial Capacity dimension received the lowest score of all index pillars with only 40 out of 100 points.

• - Demand for Transparency: Donors express an increasing desire for accountability. A remarkable 75% reported they are more inclined to donate upon receiving real-time updates about the impact of their contributions. This figure spikes to 81% among Generation Z donors. Additionally, 86% would rather support individual causes directly rather than through an organization.

• - Engagement Among Younger Donors: Contrary to popular belief, younger donors are not mentally distancing from philanthropic efforts. Only 10% of those aged 18 to 29 reported disengaging from ongoing crises messaging, compared to 16% among those aged 55 to 64. Previous data from Tiltify's 2025 Giving Season Report indicated that 15% of young donors feel a heightened motivation to help relative to the previous year—a stark contrast to only 4% of older donors.

• - Creator-Led Fundraising: The rise of creator-led fundraising may be one of the most influential trends affecting donor acquisition. Nearly half (48%) of 18 to 29-year-old donors have participated in donations through creator livestreams. Among those who engaged with a creator fundraiser, a notable 70% supported a previously unknown cause solely due to trust in the creator.

• - Changing Spending Habits: When personal budgets tighten, younger donors are likely to reduce their charitable giving before other discretionary expenses, with 30% indicating this preference, compared to only 17% among older donors. This scenario indicates that the experience and engagement level tied to charitable donations are becoming key components in potentially securing donations.

• - Social Media as a Discovery Tool: For the younger demographic, social media has become a vital avenue for discovering new charitable causes, with 36% of that age group relying on these platforms. In contrast, older donors predominantly use personal networks (34%) or research independently (33%) for the same purpose. The trajectory of discovery has shifted towards a more passive, integrated exposure within online environments rather than a targeted search.

Looking forward, the American Giving Index prompts pertinent questions regarding the sustainability of philanthropic efforts in the current environment. Michael Wasserman, co-founder and CEO of Tiltify, emphasized this dilemma: if total giving rises but the number of contributors declines, how long can this trend be maintained? He notes that while Americans continue to show generosity, they are redefining their approach towards charitable giving.

The data signals a preference for organizations and platforms that can bridge the understanding and trust gap that currently exists. The Index highlights that the trust in charitable organizations may not have diminished significantly; rather, it is now conditional. Many donors express concerns about the efficiency of charities, with 43% believing organizations waste funds on overhead and almost half suspecting fraud in the fundraising initiatives they supported.

Tiltify reports that campaigns utilizing their transparency features outperform industry benchmarks, signifying that when donors can clearly see the allocation of their funds in real-time, confidence in contributions increases, fostering a healthier philanthropic ecosystem.

In summary, the American Giving Index stands as a crucial tool for understanding the evolving landscape of donorship, paving the way for nonprofits and philanthropic initiatives to adapt to the changing tides of donor behavior and expectations. This quarterly overview serves as a compass for both established and emerging philanthropic efforts looking to thrive in this new era of giving.