Food Banks

This category is comprised of food banks and food distribution centers. Food Banks empower communities through education, workforce development, and hunger relief. Larger food bank organizations have a broader, often national, fundraising footprint. Smaller organizations draw on the local or regional community for their support. 
 
Food banks reacted quickly during the pandemic and supporters responded generously to the immense need, powering a 385% growth in online revenue.  

Online Giving & Sustainer Trends

  • Food Banks led all sectors with a growth in online revenue of 385.5%.
  • Revenue per usable email was $95.59, tripling the next highest sector, Public Broadcasting ($30.23).
  • The percent of email list that donates was 30.6%, again leading among all industries.

Email Engagement Trends

  • Email lists grew by 23.7% (highest across all sectors) compared to an industry growth rate of 6.9%.
  • Noting high need, Food Banks increased the number of fundraising emails sent year-over-year by 42.3%. However, they were the only group to experience an increase in unsubscribe rates. 
  • Constituents responded strongly to donation asks with an industry-leading fundraising email conversion rate of 1.22%.

In the first two months of the pandemic, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina received donations from nearly 14,000 new donors with online giving making up almost 80% new donor revenue.

Which of these trends will continue?

Blackbaud experts identify the 2020 trends likely to continue into 2022 and suggest ideas and tactics to make the most of online fundraising.