67% of Donors Say Trust Is Essential Before Giving

That gap defines the crisis in digital philanthropy.

According to BBB's Give.org Donor Trust Report (2024), nearly 1 in 4 donors have stopped supporting a nonprofit because they couldn't see how their money was used. Independent Sector's 2025 research confirms: trust in philanthropy sits at just 33%—almost 20 points below trust in nonprofits themselves.

The data gets worse.

65% of donors expect regular updates on their donation's impact. Only 36% of nonprofits consistently provide them (BetterWorld, 2025 ). That reporting gap isn't just disappointing—it's expensive. Organizations that report outcomes quarterly retain up to 40% more donors than those reporting annually.

Meanwhile, donor retention has declined for five consecutive years. The Fundraising Effectiveness Project recorded a 4.5% drop in donor participation in 2024 alone.

The message from donors is clear: "Show me where my money went. Show me what it did."

But most digital giving platforms weren't built to answer that question. They were built to process transactions—not verify impact.

What would change this?

Real-time impact tracking tied to specific donations. Third-party verification of outcomes. Transparent reporting that follows the dollar from donor to beneficiary.

Donors don't distrust giving. They distrust systems that ask for money but never show results.

The infrastructure exists to solve this. The question is whether the sector will build it.

What would make YOU trust that your donation actually made a difference?

Pau Gimeno is the founder and CEO of albane Meaningful Giving, building AI-powered infrastructure for a more equitable digital philanthropy ecosystem.

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