Giving USA Provides Data On Charitable Giving

One of the best sources for information on philanthropy is the annual report produced by Giving USA. A report is issued in June of each year that covers the previous year.

Here are highlights from Giving USA 2005 (data for 2004):

• Charitable giving rose 5 percent to nearly $250 Billion in 2004.

• Individual giving, the single largest source, rose by an estimated 4.1 percent in 2004 to reach $187.92 billion.

• Religious groups received the largest share of contributions...more than $88 billion. Education was the next largest category, receiving some $34 billion.

• All sectors showed an increase in contributions except for international affairs and development and human services.

• Large organizations saw the largest increase in contributions with 60 percent reporting that giving was up.

• Small organizations (those with charitable revenue less than $1 million) had a tough year with 37 percent reporting that their contributions dropped in 2004. That figure was only 29 percent in 2003.

• Among medium-sized organizations (those with charitable revenue between $1 million and $20 million), 55 percent reported increases in contributions for 2004 and 2003.