giving in illinois '09 report shows grants during good years grew faster than national average

Though it’s in the rear-view mirror now, the prosperity the economy presented just a few years ago was not lost on Illinois foundations and nonprofits at the time, according to findings of Donors Forum's Giving in Illinois 2009 report.

Data gathered for the report shows Illinois private foundation assets grew 54% from 2005 to 2007, while foundation contributions grew 38%.  That far exceeded national growth rates of 34% for assets and 13% for giving levels during that time.

The report examines data from 2007 -- the most recent year for which a full year’s worth of form 990 financial data is available from public data sources. 

The report also includes perspective from Donors Forum's Economic Outlook 2010 report, released in early February 2010.  This was done so any long-range implications and trends that could be drawn from Giving in Illinois 2009 are measured properly against current economic conditions.  Of particular note is the large percentage of grantmakers in the survey who indicated that their giving levels had decreased in 2009:  a full 50 percent.  In addition, 43 percent reported that they had made at least temporary changes to their programs and funding priorities in response to the economic downturn.

Read or download:

• a four-page summary, Key Findings From Giving in Illinois 2009

• the full 40-page report, Giving in Illinois 2009

~ the donors forum team