Year in Review!
Where did the year go? It’s already December, and you're not alone if you’re marveling at how quickly 2017 has passed before our eyes. Before we ring in the New Year with celebratory champagne and a round of Auld Lang Syne, let’s take a look back at how this year has shaped up for Mockingbird Analytics and nonprofit giving as a whole.
In its second year of operation, Mockingbird Analytics acquired six new clients that run the gamut of worthwhile, meaningful causes, including youth wilderness experiences, girls’ sports, a community garden, prisoner re-entry/Jewish community support services, gun violence advocacy, and assisting survivors of trafficking and assault.
Over the course of the year, we’ve worked for our clients to submit 17 grants on their behalf, design 3 new databases, and facilitate 5 strategic plans. We’ve also written 12 new client surveys to help nonprofits gather the right kinds of information in the right ways.
We can’t wait to build on our work next year!
2017 has also been a big year for charities and nonprofits in general. Throughout the year, businesses and individuals alike have opened their wallets to charitable efforts. On Giving Tuesday, Facebook partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to match up to $2 million in funds raised via Facebook for US nonprofits. This number was quickly met and exceeded. As of November 29th, all fees for donations made via the Facebook platform are now waived, so make sure you’re using your nonprofit’s Facebook page to its fullest!
Speaking of billionaire businessman Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, he also donated $4.6 billion worth of Microsoft shares this year – 5% of his fortune. That puts his charitable contributions at $50 billion total. Talk about generous!
2017 was a rough year for a great deal of the country, weather-wise. Hurricane Harvey ravaged Texas, but large corporations across America did what they could to help disaster relief efforts. Diverse companies – everyone from Boeing to Campbell Soup - rallied to help those in need, donating a total of more than $157 million to victims of the storm.
Even if you’re not a billionaire or a giant corporation, there’s still a huge opportunity to make a difference. On a smaller scale, the Charities Aid Foundation (https://www.cafonline.org/docs/default-source/about-us-publications/cafworldgivingindex2017_2167a_web_210917.pdf?sfvrsn=ed1dac40_10) recently reported that 144 million people in the United States donated to charities in 2017, while 106 million donated their time. That’s 56% of Americans, putting us in 5th place among 140 countries for philanthropic efforts. For the third year in a row, Utah residents have ranked tops for highest percentage of donated time and donated income. The most charities per capita are located in Vermont. Interestingly enough, blue states and red states are both equally charitable! (https://wallethub.com/edu/most-and-least-charitable-states/8555/)
Sometimes the world can seem like an overwhelming and frightening place. Knowing that it also contains generous, loving people who are willing to put money and time toward helping others is enough reason to toast the end of 2017. Raise your glass to helping more people in need in 2018. We at Mockingbird Analytics will be right there beside you, singing Auld Lang Syne, hopefully (mostly) in tune.