Despite COVID-19 changing 2020’s economic and cultural picture in significant ways, charitable giving remains a strong point ahead of Giving Tuesday this year, according to a new Classy report.

The 2020 edition of Why America Gives [registration] found that nearly 40 percent of Americans said they planned to donate more to nonprofits in 2020 than they did in 2019—with roughly a third doing so out of broader societal needs, with healthcare and social justice in particular gaining momentum.

Other good news from the donation front: Virtual fundraising events continue to draw in attention and donations alike, despite the loss of in-person events. The preference for digital giving remains strong; with websites (37 percent) and apps (33 percent) projected to be more popular than in-person donations and mail donations (29 percent each).

Other key points highlighted in the report are generational in nature: 66 percent of Gen Zers, 57 percent of millennials, and 63 percent of Gen Xers are likely to donate to pandemic-related causes—in all three cases, roughly twice as likely as baby boomers and the silent generation.

Additionally, essential workers (33 percent) were more likely to donate than nonessential workers (22 percent), a shift largely attributed to COVID-19.

“Based on the results of our survey, we’re optimistic about what the giving season will bring,” said Soraya Alexander, Classy’s senior vice president of marketing and customer growth, in the report. “History has shown that even in the toughest financial years, Americans give what they can to help others.”

Other news highlights:

A pre-Thanksgiving reminder about pizza box recycling. Obviously, the bird rules the roost on Thanksgiving Day. But did you know that the night before Thanksgiving is one of the most popular evenings for pizza delivery of the entire year? Speaking of pizza, the American Forest & Paper Association recently released guidance noting that pizza boxes are recyclable, something that hasn’t always been clear in the past. “Consumers should not be concerned about grease or cheese—simply remove any leftover pizza and place the box in the recycle bin,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock in a statement. “We encourage communities to update their residential recycling programs guidelines to explicitly accept pizza boxes that are free of food.”

A new group’s case for electric vehicles. The Zero Emission Transportation Association, announced last week, has a bold goal for the future of transportation—100 percent electric vehicle sales by 2030. ZETA, with the support of Tesla, Inc., Uber, Siemens, and a number of energy industry groups, aims to make the case that fighting vehicle emissions by moving to electric cars is a key step to economic growth. “The clean vehicle sector already boasts hundreds of thousands of jobs but, if we encourage its growth, the United States can decisively win the global race to develop a new clean transportation economy and employ hundreds of thousands of Americans right here at home,” said ZETA Executive Director Joe Britton.

Considering Reaction Level

We hope this thought-provoking post from Smooth the Path gives you some perspective before you start the work week. As association leaders, are we doing too much or not doing enough to protect our association's future?https://t.co/d31GGai5uh#assnchat #assnexec #leadership

— Michigan Society of Association Executives (@mymsae) November 23, 2020

When a crisis emerges, it can be difficult to manage your reaction level in a way that matches the situation. Amanda Kaiser of Smooth the Path says it can go both ways—overreacting to the news, or failing to take much action at all.

Kaiser recommends pushing against both instincts, and instead looking for what your members need from you.

“Your members have challenges and goals; solving these challenges and helping members meet their goals is your path to business viability,” she writes.

ICYMI …

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Empathy isn’t intrinsic, but it is something that leaders can learn to build. Here’s how.

Small Brewery Sunday is coming up this weekend. Read how the Brewers Association is updating the event for the COVID-19 era.

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