Insights Into Giving USA Report On Philanthropy
- Cape Fletcher Associates
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Each year at about this time of summer, Giving USA releases its annual study of the prior year’s activity in philanthropy. The data analyzed through the report provides development professionals (as well as volunteers serving on boards of directors) a trove of information for reflection and action.
Later in this article we’ll talk about how to use this information. But let’s not bury the lede:
In 2024, the total given to charity was $592.50 billion.
This is a tremendous amount of dollars given to nonprofits, including organizations right around the corner from where we live, work and play. And while $592.50 billion is a robust figure, this does not represent the all-time high given in a year to charity when adjusted for inflation. The highest was in 2021 – over $600 billion – reflecting the pandemic-related challenges.
The $592.50 billion given in 2024 represents a 3.3% increase – when adjusted for inflation – over the prior year’s giving.
It’s interesting to keep in mind that the Giving USA report does not reflect dollars given to charities (such as a local shelter, an arts organization, etc.) from donor advised funds (DAFs), nor from qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) via IRAs.
The vast majority of charitable giving came from individuals (66%) in 2024, with another 8% of giving coming through bequests (gifts from people’s estates, for example). Giving from foundations (19%) eclipsed the support from corporations (7%).
The profile of the individual donor in America is also shifting, reflecting who are in their peak earning years, as well as societal views and values.
As a colleague of ours in the field reminded us, “Many of the Millennials who could be giving to charity are not yet in their peak earning years.”
“And yet statistically speaking, Gen X is less philanthropic than their preceding generation, the Baby Boomers” suggests Melissa Brown, a trusted expert in the field of philanthropy and analysis of giving data. Melissa served for more than 10 years as writer and editor of the Giving USA report and also serves on faculty of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy for The Fund Raising School.
Acknowledging workforce and societal trends, Melissa predicts that giving to charity may reach something of a plateau for the next few years, hovering at around $600 billion annually.
As has been the case for many years, philanthropic activity in the United States is notably affected by the performance of the stock market. Which is to say, an uptick in giving correlates to stronger stock market performance; and the inverse follows as well.
But to what causes or areas of the nonprofit sector are the dollars being given? As has been the case historically, the largest portion of dollars in 2024 went to religion (23%). Beyond that, the next three largest areas included human services (14%), education (14%), and giving to foundations (11%).
This annual report from Giving USA offers a trove of helpful information. But how should we in the development field use this information in our daily activities?
First, we encourage you to take a quick five minutes to update your staff colleagues about recent development trends. While you need not provide a deep-dive, this annual Giving USA report gives you a chance to talk about philanthropy and equip your colleagues with items to consider. This might be suitable for one of your forthcoming all-staff meetings.
Next, brief your board of directors at an upcoming meeting about recent philanthropic trends. This briefing might highlight the total given in 2024 to charities; the sources from which funds are given (the vast majority from individual donors); and the ranked list of “types” of charities who receive the support (human services, arts & culture, environment, etc.).
Finally, consider reviewing your organization’s own philanthropic sources from 2024 and benchmark your activity with the national average.
Because of the longitudinal nature of this data, Giving USA provides an interesting peek into giving trends. We have the opportunity to see how the market affects giving and where donors of all types are making their commitments. But buried beneath all of this data is an important factor that we can’t forget: people give because they are asked.
Keep building relationships, continue stewarding gifts. And show stories of impact in a personal, intentional way.
We’re eager to hear from you!
Cape Fletcher Associates
Comments