Due to the economic recession in the United States, philanthropic giving in the country significantly declined during the last decade. This year’s Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy, produced by the Giving USA Foundation, found significant increases in the amount of donations given and received around the nation. As the level of charitable giving continues to rise towards pre-recession numbers, many people might be surprised by who is donating the most money.
Most individuals think of philanthropy as an institution headed by the nation’s giant corporations, foundations, and other vehicles. In reality, these groups account for only a small percentage of American giving. During the last few years, individual giving has comprised 73 percent of total giving.
Between 2012 and 2013, total giving rose 4.4 percent, with individual giving comprising 83 percent of total gifts made during that timeframe. Individuals increased their giving by $9.69 billion. According to the report, giving by corporations declined slightly last year, but all other forms of giving increased. The massive jump in donations was caused by a few particularly large gifts made by individuals, couples, and estates in 2013.
Virtually every sector has benefited from increased philanthropy, but the largest gains have occurred in education. Between 2012 and 2013, giving to education rose 8.9 percent for a total of $52.07 billion. Giving to human services also increased significantly. Philanthropy aimed at arts, culture, and humanities organizations also received a large portion of donations last year, probably due to a tendency among donors to make up for years of lost funding during the recession.
Individuals can review the full report, researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, online on the Giving USA Foundation website.
