Josh Birkholz, CEO of BWF, has been named Chair of Giving USA Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by The Giving Institute to advance research, education, and public understanding of philanthropy. He was officially inducted on July 20 and will serve in his role through July 31, 2024.
Giving USA Foundation shares data and trends about charitable giving in its Giving USA Annual Report, published every year since 1956, and in shorter Special Reports that offer in-depth examinations of current topics in philanthropy.
“Giving USA is the steward of the history of generosity in America,” shared Birkholz. “Giving is who we are, whether we are helping others in our communities, preserving our ecosystems, curing disease, or advancing our humanity. To capture this phenomenon and be a source of inspiration for future generosity is a great privilege. I am honored to serve alongside such capable research partners and build upon the tremendous success of immediate past chair, Laura MacDonald, in serving this organization we all love.”
Josh Birkholz is the CEO of BWF, an international fundraising company providing consulting, services, and technology to leading nonprofits, universities, and healthcare institutions. Josh is a leader in big philanthropy and innovator for the business of fundraising. In his 25+ years in the charitable sector, Josh has redefined how we look at modern program design, fundraising in a smart economy, donor engagement, and high net-worth giving. He is widely regarded as a trailblazer of 21st-century development strategies from his frequent speaking and writing, including the books, Fundraising Analytics (Wiley 2008) and Benefactors (Wiley 2022).
In addition to his new role of Chair of the Giving USA Foundation, he is also an instructor at the Rice University Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. He has the Crystal Apple Award for Teaching Excellence from CASE. And he is a recipient of the prestigious Apra Visionary award for his innovation in applying data science to fundraising.
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About Giving USA Foundation
Advancing the research, education and public understanding of philanthropy is the mission of Giving USA Foundation, founded in 1985 by The Giving Institute. Headquartered in McLean, VA, the Foundation publishes data and trends about charitable giving through its seminal publication, Giving USA, and shorter Special Reports, released periodically, providing in-depth explorations on today’s charitable giving topics. Published since 1956, Giving USA is the longest running, most comprehensive report on philanthropy in America.
About Giving USA
For over 65 years, Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy in America, has provided comprehensive charitable giving data that are relied on by donors, fundraisers and nonprofit leaders. The research in this annual report estimates all giving to charitable organizations across the United States. Giving USA is a public outreach initiative of Giving USA Foundation and is researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Explore Giving USA products and resources at www.givingusa.org.
About The Giving Institute
The Giving Institute, the parent organization of Giving USA Foundation, consists of member organizations that have embraced and embodied the core values of ethics, excellence and leadership in advancing philanthropy. Serving clients of every size and purpose, from local institutions to international organizations, The Giving Institute member organizations embrace the highest ethical standards and maintain a strict code of fair practices. For information on selecting fundraising counsel, visit www.givinginstitute.org.
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