FOUNDATION STATISTICS
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.
Aggregate Fiscal Data of Foundations in the U.S., 2015
Only grantmaking operating foundations are included. For some operating foundations, total giving amount includes grants and program expenses; for others, total giving includes only grants. Most operating foundations' qualifying distributions are paid out of administration of operating programs and not for grants.
1 Giving USA 2020: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2019
2 The Foundation Center, 2014
- There were 86,203 US foundations in 2015 with a combined market value of $867 billion. Giving from foundations totals $62.8 billion.2
- Independent foundations represented 92% of the total number of US foundations in 2015, 82% of the combined market value, and 70% of the total giving.2
- Operating foundations represented 4% of the total number of US foundations in 2015, 5% of the combined market value, and 10% of the total giving.2
- Corporate foundations represented 3% of the total number of US foundations in 2015, 3% of the combined market value, and 9% of the total giving.2
- Community foundations represented 1% of the total number of US foundations in 2015, 10% of the combined market value, and 11% of the total giving.2
Only grantmaking operating foundations are included. For some operating foundations, total giving amount includes grants and program expenses; for others, total giving includes only grants. Most operating foundations' qualifying distributions are paid out of administration of operating programs and not for grants.
1 Giving USA 2020: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2019
2 The Foundation Center, 2014
