Fund-raising consultants and other professionals working to support the sector should understand and help institutions understand that personal giving remains the most potent force for charities to tap into. This is true for mainstream charities and those that are just beginning to build a future for themselves. The increase in wealth that has occurred in the past few years has not benefited everyone equally, but it has benefited all communities to a degree. All parts of the country, communities of color as well as white communities, have witnessed a measurable increase in wealth. It is time to take stock of this and plan the next steps.
Charities represent highly favorable vehicles in which to invest wealth.
The sector has itself participated in the nation s asset growth. Clearly, the sector is stable and expanding. Twenty-seven percent of this asset base is concentrated in nonprofit hospitals, which do not raise most of their revenue from charitable contributions in the first place. Many nonprofits, including some of the nation s hospitals, are struggling to meet annual operating budgets. Others are meeting annual budgets but need additional support to build capacity and raise endowments.