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Key findings

Overall charitable giving in the U.S.
decreased an estimated 2 percent
(- 5. 7 percent adjusted for inflation)
in 2008, to $307.65 billion, down from
a revised estimate of $314.07 billion
for 2007.

Individual giving is estimated to be $229.28 billion, a drop of 2. 7 percent (- 6. 3 percent adjusted for inflation). Individual giving is 75 percent of total estimated giving.

Charitable bequests are estimated to be $22.66 billion, a decrease of 2. 8 percent (- 6. 4 percent adjusted for inflation) compared with the revised estimate of $23.31 billion for 2007. Charitable bequests are 7 percent of total estimated giving.

Foundation grantmaking is estimated
by the Foundation Center to be $41.21
billion in 2008, a 3 percent increase
(but a drop of 0.8 percent adjusted
for inflation). Foundation giving is
13 percent of total estimated giving.

Corporate giving is estimated to be $14.5 billion, a decline of 4. 5 percent (- 8.0 percent adjusted for inflation). Corporate giving is 5 percent of total estimated giving.

Contributions to religious organizations reached an estimated $106.89 billion in 2008. This is growth of 5. 5 percent (1.6 percent adjusted for inflation) compared with 2007. Giving to religious organizations is 35 percent of total estimated giving for 2008.

Gifts to educational organizations are estimated to be $40.94 billion in 2008. This is a drop of 5. 5 percent (- 9 percent adjusted for inflation) compared with 2007. The education sector received 13 percent of total estimated giving.

The Council for Aid to Education (CAE) reported growth in the 2007–2008 fiscal year of 6. 2 percent in higher education giving ( 2. 3 percent adjusted for inflation). Nearly one-half of that growth was attributed to 20 of the largest educational institutions. The decline estimated by Giving USA reflects changes estimated for the last half of 2008 based on stock market changes.

Gifts to foundations dropped to $32.65 billion in 2008. This is a decrease of 19. 2 percent (- 22. 2 percent adjusted for inflation). Gifts to foundations are 11 percent of total estimated giving.

The estimate does not include payments by Warren Buffett on his pledge to the Gates Foundation. Those gifts will be distributed within a few years to recipient agencies and will be reported as grants made. In recent years, gifts to foundations have been 13 percent of the sum of individual and charitable bequest giving. The estimate for 2008 reflects that pattern.

Gifts to human services organizations are estimated to be $25.88 billion in 2008. This is a drop of 12. 7 percent (- 15. 9 percent adjusted for inflation). Human services giving is reported at 9 percent of total estimated giving.