Rise in Donors to Charities for the Destitute Looks Temporary

"We know that a lot of active donors in their 60s and 70s are helping adult children who lost their jobs," Brewer told The Chronicle. "It is somewhat encouraging that we got more people to give, but the level of giving tells us that there are still difficulties in getting people to give more or the same as they used to. "

Brewer said his firm was helping the missions try new ways keep more donors from withdrawing their support. For example, some groups are asking for smaller sums and making phone calls to follow up on direct mail.

Advisors to wealthy donors capable of writing significant checks might take note of these trends when advising clients where to allocate their charitable dollars.

In the current economic environment, the demand for services at organizations that provide food, shelter and other basics are not going to abate any time soon. And the corrosive political atmosphere, especially in this election year, does not bode well.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill to spare military spending cuts by slashing other spending. If enacted, it would eliminate food stamps for 1.8 million Americans and could compromise other programs such as Meals on Wheels, The New York Times reported. The bill is unlikely to survive a Senate vote, the report said.

How wealthy philanthropists give is also important. Multiyear donations are a critical mainstay of charitable organizations, allowing them more easily to engage in strategic planning rather than focus on short-term funding gaps.