CHARITABLE giving BY source

RJM Advisors LLC collects statistics from recent studies and reports on charitable giving in the U.S. Please refer to the footnotes for original sources.​

​Giving by individuals totaled an estimated $324.10 billion, rising 2.2% in 2020 (an increase of 1.0%, adjusted for inflation). Giving by individuals achieved its highest total dollar amount to date, adjusted for inflation, but it comprised less than 70% of total giving for only the second time on record.
 
Giving by grantmaking foundations increased 17.0%, to an estimated $88.55 billion (a growth rate of 15.6%, adjusted for inflation), reaching its highest-ever dollar amount. Giving by foundations, which has grown in nine of the last 10 years, represented 19% of total giving in 2020, its largest share on record. The estimate for giving by foundations was created by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy using data from Candid.
 
Giving by bequest was an estimated $41.19 billion in 2020, and grew 10.3% from 2019 (an increase of 9.0%, adjusted for inflation). Giving by bequest often fluctuates substantially from year to year.
 
Giving by corporations is estimated to have declined by 6.1% in 2020 to $16.88 billion (a decline of 7.3% adjusted for inflation). This type of giving is highly responsive to changes in corporate pre-tax profits and GDP, both of which declined in 2020.

  • Cumulative change in giving by individuals from 2018-2020 is up 9.1%
    • 2018-2019: Increased 6.7%
    • 2019-2020: Increased 2.2%
  • Cumulative change in giving by grantmaking foundations from 2018-2020 is up 19.9%
    • 2018-2019: Increased 2.5%
    • 2019-2020: Increased 17%
  • Cumulative change in giving by bequest from 2018-2020 is up 4.9%
    • 2018-2019: Decreased 5%
    • 2019-2020: Increased 10.3%
  • Cumulative change in giving by corporations from 2018-2020 is down 3.2%
    • 2018-2019: Increased 3.1%
    • 2019-2020: Decreased 13.4
  • Total cumulative giving from 2018-2020 is up 10%
    • 2018-2019: Increase of 4.7%
    • 2019-2020: Increase of 5.1%

​For over 60 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 the 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. Giving USA Foundation, established in 1985 by The Giving Institute, endeavors to advance philanthropy through research and education.
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The full Giving USA 2021 report can be purchased here!