Classy's Donation Volume Nearly Doubles to $24 Million on December 31, 2018; Marks Largest Giving Day in Company History

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The changes to the tax code may not be thwarting charitable giving after all, if nonprofits' year-end fundraising results on Classy are any indication. After a record-breaking Giving Tuesday 2018, Classy, the #1 online and mobile fundraising platform for nonprofits, announced that nonprofits raised over $24 million on Dec. 31, 2018—up 93% from the year before—surpassing Giving Tuesday 2018 as the largest single giving day in company history.

On Dec. 31, 2018, the total number of donations on the platform was up 70% from 2017 with nearly 80,000 donations processed. Additionally, the average gift size was $312, up 14% from the year prior.

This spike in charitable giving validates the results from Classy's nationwide consumer survey, conducted in November 2018, which found that nearly half of Americans (49%) planned to give more, not less, than they did in 2017.

"The spirit of generosity during the peak giving season never ceases to amaze me, and this year was no different," said Scot Chisholm, Classy CEO and Co-Founder. "Given the tremendous value of recurring donors, it was especially encouraging to see the number of new recurring plans increase year over year. As we move full steam ahead into 2019, we're excited to see nonprofits continue to grow their sustainable revenue by harnessing the power of online giving—made easier by our platform."

Other key data from Classy's year-end giving results:

• New Recurring Donors—Recurring giving commitments surged, with new recurring plan sign-ups doubling in the last two weeks of 2018 compared to the last two weeks of 2017.
• Large Online Gifts—The average gift size on Dec. 31 increased by 14% from the year prior to $312. Additionally, the number of large online donations (defined as gifts $5,000 or above) given on Dec. 31 grew by 140% year over year, and dozens of especially large donations ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 came in throughout the month of December.
• Top Causes—The top five cause categories receiving donations on Dec. 31 were International/Foreign Affairs, Human Services (includes disaster relief), Health, Public/Societal Benefit, and Religion-Related organizations.
• Generous States on Dec. 31—Looking at how much of a state's annual charitable giving was done on Dec. 31 alone, the five most generous were Maryland, Arizona, Oregon, Virginia, and Hawaii.

Thousands of nonprofits nationwide launched year-end fundraising campaigns on Classy, ranging from large global organizations to smaller hyperlocal nonprofits, championing a vast array of causes.

"Since we launched more than 15 years ago, our mission has always been to promote sustainable landscapes worldwide—but we only recently decided to explore online fundraising by launching our first year-end online fundraising appeal on the Classy platform," said Sara Scherr, president and CEO of EcoAgriculture Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to creating productive agricultural landscapes that also provide clean water, thriving biodiversity, and robust rural economies. "Our peer-to-peer campaign was so easy to set up and navigate—for our team and the supporters fundraising on our behalf. We were able to customize our campaign and really tell our story, which enabled us to exceed our $30,000 fundraising goal and provide more resources for landscape leaders in places that need them most."

In October 2018, Classy announced that nonprofits on the platform collectively raised more than $1 billion toward social impact. As Classy's customer base continues to grow and consumers' propensity to give online advances, Classy expects to reach the next $1 billion in less than two years.

Looking ahead to 2019, Classy has released a new blog post that explores the top five trends expected to shape charitable giving this year, from the evolvement of the tax conversation to the impact that outspoken corporations may have on philanthropy. Read more here: http://www.classy.org/blog/giving-trends-2019-and-beyond/ 

About Classy
Classy is a social enterprise that creates world-class online fundraising software for nonprofits, modernizing the giving experience to accelerate social impact around the world. Based in San Diego, CA, Classy is trusted by organizations of all sizes, from the fastest-growing nonprofits like Team Rubicon and The Trevor Project, to some of the world's largest social organizations, such as The Salvation Army, Robin Hood Foundation, and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference and the Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. For more information, visit www.classy.org or follow Classy on Twitter @Classy.

CONTACT:
Monica Finch
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619.323.2026

SOURCE Classy

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