Annual Report

The Rise of Online Stock Giving

Online Stock Giving Emerges as a Major Gifts Growth Channel

Online stock giving directly on nonprofit websites is quickly becoming a powerful non-cash fundraising opportunity. As more young donors build wealth in the stock market, they’re increasingly choosing to donate stock directly rather than cash—unlocking larger gifts and meaningful tax advantages along the way. Not surprisingly, their preferred way to donate stocks isn’t through a broker but rather digitally on a nonprofit’s website.

That shift is clearly reflected in The Giving Block’s data. 2025 was our strongest year for stock donations to date, with online stock giving continuing its multi-year upward climb across both volume and participation. Compared to 2024, online stock donation volume increased 127% in 2025—reinforcing that donors are not only adopting stock giving more frequently, but giving at significantly higher levels when they do.

Online Stock Donations Are Scaling—Fast

The growth in stock giving reflects a sustained shift in donor behavior rather than a one-year spike. Since 2022, the average stock donation size has increased sharply year over year, alongside consistent growth in overall stock donation volume. By 2025, stock giving had clearly emerged as a mainstream, tax-smart option for donors seeking to maximize their impact.

Stock Donation Analysis Year-over-Year

Most Stock Donations Arrive in Q4

Stock donations were overwhelmingly concentrated at year-end, reflecting the tax-smart nature of giving appreciated assets. In 2025, December accounted for nearly 67% of all stock donation volume, making it the single most important month for stock fundraising. This surge reinforces a key insight for nonprofits: stock giving peaks when tax planning and end-of-year appeals converge.

Stock Donations by Month (2025)

Digital DAF Giving: A New Channel for Digital Donors

Online Digital DAF Giving Becomes a Scalable Growth Channel

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) have become one of the most important giving vehicles in modern philanthropy—and digital DAF giving is accelerating quickly. As more donors formalize their charitable strategy through DAFs, they increasingly expect nonprofits to make DAF giving easy, accessible, and visible as part of the online donation experience directly on their websites.

That momentum is clear in The Giving Block’s data. 2025 marked our strongest year for digital DAF donations to date, with donation volume more than doubling compared to 2024. More importantly, digital DAF giving continues a multi-year upward trend, reinforcing that donors are adopting digital DAF giving not as a one-off option, but as a repeatable part of how they support the causes they care about.

DAF Giving Doesn’t Follow Traditional Seasonal Giving Patterns

Digital DAF giving showed some seasonality in 2025, with higher donation volume in January and December, aligning with broader donor planning and engagement cycles. However, unlike other forms of giving, digital DAF donations were notably less concentrated around year-end. Because grants from a DAF are not taxable events, donors can give from their DAFs at any time, resulting in more consistent activity throughout the year.

For nonprofits, this highlights two key advantages of digital DAF giving: it helps unlock charitable funds that might otherwise sit unused, and it provides a more predictable, less seasonal source of donation revenue compared to traditional year-end–driven fundraising.

DAF Donations by Month (2025)

Sector Spotlight: Digital Fundraising Is Unlocking Major Gifts for Faith-Based and Education Organizations

As non-cash giving becomes a core part of a digital fundraising strategy, some sectors are pulling ahead faster than others—driven by donor demographics, community identity, and the ability to mobilize large gifts.

In 2025, faith-based organizations and schools & universities emerged as two standout examples of how asset-based giving can unlock major donor potential. The data shows that crypto, stock, and digital DAF donors behave differently across sectors—revealing clear opportunities for smarter donor appeals, more tailored asset messaging, and stronger fundraising results.

For nonprofits in these verticals, the takeaway is simple: aligning campaigns with the right giving communities and preferred assets can turn non-cash donations into a reliable growth channel.

Faith-Based Organizations: Community-Driven Giving at Scale

Faith-based communities are uniquely positioned to benefit from non-cash giving. Strong identity, values-driven generosity, and high trust within donor communities create ideal conditions for asset-based philanthropy—particularly for major gifts.

In 2025, faith-based organizations saw meaningful support across crypto, stock, and DAF giving, with stock donations standing out for their larger average gift size.

Average Gift Size for Faith-Based Organizations (by Payment Method)

Crypto giving within this sector was highly concentrated in a small number of widely held assets, showing how faith-based donor communities rally around familiar and trusted cryptocurrencies. This concentration presents a clear opportunity: targeted appeals that speak directly to these communities can drive significant results.

For faith-based leaders, the message is clear: non-cash giving aligns naturally with community-driven generosity, and tailored outreach to crypto and asset-holding donors can meaningfully increase major gift fundraising.

Top Cryptocurrencies Donated to Faith-Based Organizations (2025)

Schools & Universities: High-Capacity Donors, Larger Crypto Gifts

Higher education institutions are particularly well-positioned for online digital crypto, stock, and DAF fundraising due to alumni networks, high-capacity donor bases, and long-term relationships built around legacy and impact.

In 2025, schools and universities saw notably strong performance in crypto giving, with the average crypto gift size significantly higher than many other nonprofit verticals.

Average Gift Size for Schools & Universities (by Payment Method)

Crypto donations in higher education were heavily concentrated in a small number of assets, signaling the presence of highly engaged donor communities with specific crypto affiliations.

For advancement teams, the opportunity is clear: alumni who invest in crypto are also demonstrating a willingness to give in crypto—and at meaningful gift sizes. Aligning alumni appeals with preferred giving methods can unlock a powerful new channel for major and repeat donations.

Top Cryptocurrencies Donated to Higher Education (2025)

Digital Donor Personas

Inside the Mind of the Digital Donor

Digital donors represent one of the most important and fast-growing audiences in philanthropy today. These donors hold wealth in crypto, stocks, and donor-advised funds, and they expect to support causes in the same ways they manage their finances: digitally, efficiently, and with flexibility.

They are often younger, high-net-worth, and highly generous—a combination that makes them uniquely important for the future of fundraising. Many are early in their peak earning years, digitally fluent, and deeply values-driven. For this group, philanthropy is not separate from wealth-building—it’s part of it. Giving becomes a way to turn financial success into real-world impact, particularly when assets have appreciated or when strategic tax planning is top of mind.

In 2025, that mindset translated into major gift behavior at scale. Crypto alone saw an average gift of $11,019 across 22,343 donations, while stock and digital DAF giving continued to grow as part of a broader asset-based giving strategy. Digital donors also demonstrate strong loyalty to the causes and communities they support, with repeat donors accounting for a meaningful share of total giving throughout the year.

For nonprofits, the opportunity isn’t just offering more ways to give—it’s understanding that these are young, wealthy donors building lifelong giving habits, and designing experiences that match their expectations from the start.

Actionable Takeaways: How to Win Digital Donors

2

Make stock giving a visible year-end strategy.
Stock donors often give as part of tax planning. Promote stock donations prominently in Q4 campaigns and messaging, when donors are actively making financial decisions about appreciated assets.

4

Design one seamless digital giving experience.
Donors don’t think in silos. Present crypto, stock, DAF, and digital cash options together in one clear, trusted experience so donors can choose how they want to give without friction.

6

Steward like you’re building lifelong relationships.
These donors are often young and high-net-worth. Fast receipts, clear tax documentation, and thoughtful follow-up build trust early—and can turn today’s gift into decades of support.

The Impact

#TeamWater: How Crypto Helped Deliver Clean Water to Millions

The global water crisis is urgent—and solvable. That belief sat at the center of the #TeamWater campaign, a bold fundraising effort led by WaterAid and its partners. The goal was ambitious: raise $40 million to bring clean water to 2 million people worldwide. The result exceeded expectations. More than $40 million was raised globally, with nearly $10 million contributed through cryptocurrency donations alone.

Crypto played a defining role in the campaign’s success. Through WaterAid’s partnership with The Giving Block, supporters around the world were able to donate crypto in a secure, tax-efficient way that aligned with their values. In total, crypto accounted for nearly 20% of all funds raised, proving that crypto is no longer an experimental channel—but a powerful driver of impact at scale.

“For the first time, with #TeamWater, I saw reality exceed some of the hype,” said Matt Fitzgerald, Founder & Principal Organization at fitz.partners – one of the leading partners for #TeamWater. “We were not expecting a quarter of donations to come through crypto. But what it showed us was the power of community activation and meeting people where they are, removing friction so anyone, anywhere could be part of the team.”

The breadth of crypto participation was striking. Donations came in across more than 20 different cryptocurrencies, led by Solana, USDC, and USDT, with meaningful contributions also made in Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin, and a range of emerging tokens. This diversity highlighted the depth of generosity within the crypto community and its growing role in funding global humanitarian efforts.

Momentum surged even further during a record-setting 18-hour livestream that brought #TeamWater to a massive new audience. Featuring top creators and streamers, the event shattered expectations—raising $12 million, $3.6 million of which was in crypto, in a single broadcast and setting a new world record for the most money raised in one livestream. The visibility from this moment introduced millions of viewers to WaterAid’s mission and accelerated giving across the entire campaign.

Beyond the headline numbers, the impact of #TeamWater is tangible and far-reaching. Funds raised will directly support clean water infrastructure in remote and underserved regions, hygiene and sanitation programs for schools and health centers, training for local water engineers and health workers, and emergency response efforts in areas facing acute water scarcity.

#TeamWater demonstrated what’s possible when creators, nonprofits, and crypto donors come together around a shared goal. By embracing modern fundraising tools and meeting digital donors where they are, WaterAid not only exceeded its fundraising target—it unlocked new pathways to scale impact and accelerate progress toward ending the global water crisis.

Carrying Forward a Legacy: How Cabrini Mission Foundation Is Using Crypto to Expand Global Impact

In 2025, Cabrini Mission Foundation celebrated the 175th birthday of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini—a milestone that honored more than a century of service rooted in education, healthcare, immigration support, and social justice. While deeply grounded in tradition, the Foundation has embraced innovation to ensure its mission remains relevant and resilient in a rapidly evolving philanthropic landscape.

A key part of that evolution has been Cabrini’s decision to accept cryptocurrency donations through The Giving Block. What began as an exploration of emerging donor behavior quickly became a meaningful growth driver. In its first 12 months of accepting crypto, Cabrini raised more than $140,000, expanding its funding base while engaging a new segment of digitally native donors.

Conversations with supporters revealed a clear opportunity: many existing donors already held cryptocurrency and were eager to give in that form. Once crypto was available, donations followed quickly and seamlessly, converting into usable funds that directly support Cabrini’s programs across 17 countries. The Giving Block’s platform removed technical barriers, allowing the Cabrini team to focus on stewardship, impact, and donor relationships.

Crypto giving also opened the door to broader engagement. Crypto donations became conversation starters, introduced Cabrini to younger donors, and extended awareness of the Foundation’s work beyond traditional fundraising channels. These outcomes closely mirror broader trends in philanthropy, where crypto donors continue to give larger-than-average gifts and seek causes aligned with their values.

Cabrini’s success with crypto is part of a larger modernization effort. The Foundation has blended traditional fundraising—such as its annual fall gala—with digital tools that make giving easier and more inclusive. Livestreamed events, QR codes for instant donations, and real-time giving features have transformed the donor experience while preserving the sense of community central to Cabrini’s mission. These updates contributed to Cabrini’s most successful gala to date, with increased giving and full pledge fulfillment.

By embracing crypto and expanding its digital giving infrastructure, Cabrini Mission Foundation has diversified revenue, strengthened donor trust, and increased long-term sustainability. Nearly 150 years after Mother Cabrini founded her order, digital fundraising is helping carry her mission forward—proving that even the most historic organizations can thrive by meeting donors where they are and embracing the future of giving.

Save the Children’s HODL Hope Fund: A Bold “Hold Crypto” Strategy Nears $10M Raised

Save the Children has been a pioneer in Crypto Philanthropy long before it became mainstream. The organization began accepting cryptocurrency donations in 2013, when its first crypto gift supported emergency response efforts following a devastating typhoon in the Philippines. That early adoption helped establish a long-running commitment to innovation—proving that crypto could be more than a financial tool. It could be a vehicle for impact.

In 2018, Save the Children became one of The Giving Block’s earliest nonprofit partners, helping shape what crypto fundraising could look like at scale. Building on nearly a decade of crypto donor engagement, the organization launched the HODL Hope Fund in 2022 with a bold goal: raise $10 million in Bitcoin and crypto donations.

By late 2025, the fund had nearly reached its target, raising $9,531,054 as of December 1, 2025—representing 95% progress toward the goal by year-end. The campaign invited crypto donors and communities worldwide to rally behind a shared belief: that Bitcoin and crypto can be a force for good and a force for financial inclusion. Supporters were even encouraged to include their name, token community, or NFT project in donation notes—turning generosity into a visible, community-driven movement.

The impact of these donations extends far beyond fundraising milestones. Crypto donations raised through Save the Children help fund programs that support children and families in both immediate crisis response and long-term development. These efforts include high-quality early childhood education programs serving children in rural America, as well as fuel and water infrastructure for hospitals and communities impacted by extreme
weather events.

In moments of crisis, donations also support safe shelters with recreational programming that help children process traumatic experiences and begin recovery. This balance—between emergency response and long-term resilience—is a defining part of Save the Children’s mission, and crypto giving has become an increasingly meaningful driver of that work.

Ultimately, the HODL Hope Fund represents what’s possible when nonprofits combine long-term innovation with community-driven donor strategy. Save the Children didn’t wait for Crypto Philanthropy to mature—they helped build it. And as the fund approaches $10 million raised, it stands as a clear signal for the sector: organizations that invest early, build trust, and engage crypto-native communities can unlock transformational giving at scale.

As Crypto Philanthropy continues to grow, Save the Children’s decade-long journey points to what the future of fundraising can be—global, fast-moving, and powered by donors who are ready to turn digital wealth into real-world impact for children.

Crypto Community Philanthropy in Action: Buddies for Paws x BONK

In 2025, Buddies for Paws demonstrated what’s possible when crypto communities rally behind mission-driven causes. Through a year-long fundraising effort, the organization raised nearly $300,000 for animal welfare, with every donation matched 100% by the BONK community—effectively doubling the impact of donors at scale.

The campaign was powered by a clear catalyst: a BONK-led community match designed to mobilize crypto-native supporters around a high-impact cause. Matching is one of the most effective accelerators in fundraising, but when paired with the energy and identity of a token community, it becomes more than an incentive—it becomes a movement. In this case, BONK helped turn participation into a shared flex for good, motivating donors to give quickly, publicly, and repeatedly.

This model also highlights a defining feature of Crypto Philanthropy: community is the engine. Throughout the year, Buddies for Paws activated supporters through creative event experiences, social storytelling, and product-led giving opportunities. From global community events to in-person gatherings tied to the Web3 ecosystem, donors weren’t simply contributing—they were joining something bigger, with giving woven into culture, entertainment, and participation.

The results translated into tangible, real-world impact. Funds supported Buddies for Paws’ animal rescue, care, and adoption efforts, helping provide critical services for animals in need. By turning community momentum into consistent fundraising, the campaign delivered a reliable stream of support for on-the-ground welfare work—proving that Crypto Philanthropy can be both scalable and deeply human.

The success of Buddies for Paws also reinforces an important lesson for nonprofits: in crypto fundraising, the biggest unlock often comes from aligning with donor communities. The BONK match created a powerful reason to give, but the broader strategy—activating identity, participation, and belonging—helped sustain momentum over the entire year.

As Crypto Philanthropy continues to mature, Buddies for Paws offers a strong blueprint for community-driven giving: combine a mission people care about with a community that wants to show up, and the result is philanthropy that feels fast, social, and deeply impactful.

Zakat in Crypto: Penny Appeal Unlocks New Giving During Ramadan

During Ramadan, giving becomes deeply intentional. For many donors, it’s also the most important time of year to fulfill their annual Zakat—directing charitable contributions toward causes aligned with faith, compassion, and community responsibility. In early 2025, Penny Appeal captured this moment by meeting donors where modern wealth increasingly lives: in cryptocurrency.

Throughout February and March of 2025, Penny Appeal received multiple anonymous and pseudonymous crypto donations associated with Zakat giving, totaling more than $53,000 during the Ramadan period. With an average gift size of approximately $3,598, these donations represented meaningful support from donors who were not only motivated to give—but motivated to give in the way that was most natural and accessible to them.

The catalyst was simple: donors seeking to fulfill Zakat in crypto actively searched for trusted nonprofits that could accept crypto. Penny Appeal stood out as one of the prime options, positioning the organization to capture a wave of faith-driven giving that may have otherwise gone elsewhere—or never been converted into a donation at all.

The impact of this giving is twofold. First, Penny Appeal’s mission was directly strengthened through additional funding received during one of the most important charitable seasons of the year. Second, this moment demonstrates a broader opportunity for faith-based organizations: crypto is not just another payment rail—it can unlock new donor segments and remove friction for communities whose charitable practices are time-bound, culturally specific, and highly motivated.

As Crypto Philanthropy continues to mature, Penny Appeal’s Ramadan Zakat donations highlight a powerful truth for nonprofits: when you offer donors the right tools at the right moment, giving follows. For faith-based organizations in particular, accepting crypto can expand generosity—modernizing tradition without losing its meaning.

2026 Nonprofit Predictions

2026 Predictions for the Nonprofit & Crypto Philanthropy Sector

The nonprofit sector is entering 2026 at a pivotal moment. Donor behavior is evolving, wealth is changing hands, and new forms of generosity are becoming mainstream. At the same time, nonprofits are being asked to do more with fewer traditional funding sources. The organizations that will lead in 2026 are those that embrace innovation without losing sight of what matters most: trust, transparency, and meaningful donor relationships.

These predictions highlight the key shifts shaping nonprofit fundraising and Crypto Philanthropy in the year ahead.

1. Individual Giving Becomes the Backbone of Sustainable Fundraising

The long-term shift toward individual giving is now fully realized. In 2025 alone, approximately $425 billion in funding across healthcare, arts, education, and international aid was reduced, placing increased pressure on nonprofits to build resilient donor programs.

In 2026, investing in individual giving is no longer a growth strategy—it is a sustainability requirement. Nonprofits must prioritize donor acquisition, retention, and stewardship to build lasting relationships that extend beyond one-time gifts. This means investing in frontline fundraisers, thoughtful engagement strategies, and the patience to nurture donors into long-term supporters and major gift contributors. Organizations that center individual donors will be best positioned to weather funding volatility and grow impact over time.

2. Digital Giving Moves From Innovation to Expectation

2026 marks a clear shift in how generosity shows up online: donors increasingly expect to give in more ways than cash. Today’s philanthropists hold wealth across crypto, stocks, and donor-advised funds—and they also expect familiar digital payment options like credit cards, PayPal, Venmo, and more. In other words, donors don’t just give differently—they transact differently, across more assets and more platforms than ever before.

In 2025, non-cash giving methods continued to deliver standout performance, with crypto and stock consistently producing larger average gift sizes, while DAF giving scaled rapidly as a mainstream channel for planned generosity. The result is a new fundraising reality: modern giving is no longer defined by a single donation form—it’s defined by choice, flexibility, and convenience.

For nonprofits, the message is clear: the organizations that win in 2026 will be the ones that build a complete digital giving experience—digital cash, crypto, stock, DAF—and make it seamless on their website. This isn’t just about meeting donors where they are today; it’s about attracting and converting the next generation of young, wealthy donors and future-proofing fundraising revenue for the decade ahead.

3. Digital Giving Experiences Drive the Next Generation of Donors

The Great Wealth Transfer is accelerating. Over the next decade, Gen X and Millennials will inherit more than $21 trillion, reshaping the future of philanthropy. While Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation still represent a significant share of major giving today, the expectations of younger donors are already influencing how nonprofits must operate.

These donors expect digital experiences that are intuitive, flexible, and secure. Giving tools that are difficult to use or limited in payment options undermines trust and credibility. In 2026, a nonprofit’s website and donation experience are a direct reflection of its mission readiness. Organizations that invest in digital, donor-first technology will earn confidence, drive engagement, and build lasting relationships with the next generation of philanthropists.