Australia’s new era of giving

New research from McCrindle points towards transformations in NFP donor behaviour.

• 88% of Australians give financially to charities, proving generosity remains resilient.
• Annual giving has rebounded to 83%, an increase from 66% in 2025.
• 29% of donors plan to increase giving in the next year, 58% will maintain it.
• 68% of donors prioritise the specific cause over a charity’s reputation (32%).
• 84% prefer supporting a small, curated portfolio of organisations to maximize impact.

Cost of living pressure and donor resilience

While cost-of-living constraints strain households, annual giving participation surged from 66% in 2025 to 83% today. Furthermore, 88% of Australians continue to give financially, showing remarkable stability. Charities can no longer rely on passive historic generosity; they must engage an emerging donor base seeking collaborative solutions to root causes.

Brand shifts

Traditional brand reliance is fading as the specific cause now trumps corporate reputation. Currently, 68% of donors prioritise the area of need compared to just 32% focusing on a charity’s familiarity. Standardised mass appeals are losing ground to generationally diverse expectations. To retain support, organisations must transition from generic marketing to curated communication that treats donors as embedded partners rather than numbers.

Donors are partnering to problem solve

Australians are transitioning from disconnected givers to strategic partners. Driven by younger demographics, the era of the exclusive donor is giving way to diversified portfolios, with 84% of donors preferring to back a small, select group of causes where they can track tangible impact. Future-focused growth hinges on transparent digital innovation and aligning authentic brand values with these portfolio-driven behaviors.

For not-for-profit leaders the take away is to move away from generic mass appeals, build trusted digital architectures, and facilitate authentic partnerships.