Nonprofit professionals are experiencing their lowest level of confidence in the U.S. fundraising climate in over a decade, according to a new study by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University that was discussed in a Philanthropy Journal article.

The Philanthropic Giving Index, akin to the Consumer Confidence Index in measuring confidence levels, is down nearly 22 percent in the past six months.The index now stands at 64.8 on a scale of zero to 100, down from a previous 10-year low of 72.3 in summer 2003.
“More than 93 percent of fundraisers said the economy is having a negative impact on fundraising, including 28.5 percent who reported a very negative impact,” Una Osili, interim director of research at the center, said in a statement.
Fundraisers for human-services, public-benefit, environmental and international nonprofits exhibited the lowest confidence levels. Fundraisers for health-related nonprofits had a higher confidence level than fundraisers in any other type of organization.