Giving Compass' Take:

• A panel from Forbes Nonprofit Council offers expert opinions on nonprofit trends that we are likely to see come down the pipeline in 2020. 

•  How will these trends help inform donors on their charitable donations? What do they indicate about the future of giving? 

• Here are eleven philanthropy trends to keep an eye on.


Like all businesses, nonprofit organizations are subject to the overall trends within their sector—and like in any other industry, these trends are constantly changing. As the new year approaches, it's wise to understand and anticipate how these evolving factors might impact your nonprofit.

We asked a panel of Forbes Nonprofit Council to share some trends they believe will emerge in the nonprofit space in 2020. Here's what they had to say.

  1. Nonprofit Networking Platforms The development of platforms that make it increasingly easy for nonprofits to connect and interact will build communities of providers and beneficiaries.
  2. Earned Income Earned income will be a growing trend in 2020. Nonprofits who have an eye to sustainability will want to leverage this additional source of revenue to be nimble in meeting their clients needs.
  3. Private Sector Interaction Recently, the Business Roundtable issued a statement focused on a corporation's role beyond shareholder value.
  4. A Greater Focus On Mission And Priorities From a historical perspective, the 2020 election cycle will likely see a record volume of competing interests (good and bad) vying for attention, mindshare and resources.
  5. Artificial IntelligenceVirtual assistance and artificial intelligence will make giving easier than ever before. We will simply tell Alexa or Siri to make a contribution and it will be done.
  6. The Growing 'Attention Economy' Competition takes many forms, and part of the informational revolution we’re in is that we⁠—and the content and business connections we offer⁠—are competing against the attention spans of our audiences.
  7. Innovative Sustainability Nonprofit organizations like hospitals and charities will need to ensure they remain innovative in competing for funding.
  8. Easier, More Personalized Giving Nonprofits will need to develop easy ways for donors to give back in a very personal way.

Read the full article about nonprofit trends 2020 from Forbes Nonprofit Council at Forbes.